Chapter One
Introduction
There are various causes of crime among youth, such as, poor social skills, lack of economic opportunities, labeling, poor parenting, drugs, mental health, and various other potential variables which lead to delinquency. Wolfgang’s Career Criminal cohort study found that 6% of all juvenile delinquents commit almost 2/3 of all felonies among juvenile delinquents, and that these juveniles have a significant likelihood of continuing their criminal careers into adulthood (Walker, 2006). However, delinquency and criminal behavior is learned through socialization, social processes of society and social institutions. Consequently, socialization which takes places at home, school, and between peer-group association, has the tendency to teach delinquent behaviors and criminal techniques.
In addition, once a youth has been processed through the criminal justice system, labeled, and stigmatized, the negative label received from this degradation ceremony tends to become their master status, which alienates them from the rest of society; thus, creates more crime. The negative label and stigma may cause permanent harm and the youth will tend to consider themselves as an outcast, which creates a negative self-image and self-concept, which poorly insulates the young from criminogenic forces.
Crime and delinquency are learned behaviors via socialization and interaction. Therefore, it is important that parents adopt proper parenting skills which will provide a bond which is necessary to assist youth in resisting criminogenic factors. Moreover, Hirschi (1969) posits that youths whose bonds are weak, may fall prey to criminogenic factors, therefore, it is important that children are properly socialized and integrated within society. Children who have positive relationships and bonds with significant others, or are committed to a specific goals are less willing to commit crime or display delinquent behavior. Thus, there is a statistically significant relationship between socialization and criminal behavior and delinquency.
Problem Statement
Statistical research suggests that children with weak social bonds, negative relationships with significant others, improper or anti-social behavior issues, and poor socialization skills, tend to become delinquent and commit crime. More programs need to be implemented in order to prevent crime, keep children in school and out of jail, and present opportunities for members of the lower class which would not ordinarily be presented to them due to their socio-economic position in society, in an effort to prevent crime, and promote social control.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to analyze the issues that correlate with delinquency among youthful offenders. The issues will be analyzed and explained from a Social Process Theory perspective which posits that proper socialization promotes positive behavior. Moreover, juveniles with behavioral issues can be rehabilitated by developing social bonds to social institutions and processes. The study will analyze the issues which are related to issues experienced among juveniles that push them to become delinquent and commit crime.
Significance of the Study
This study is important because juveniles are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system, when research suggests that only 6% of the juvenile delinquents are committing 2/3 of all serious crimes (Walker, 2006). Research indicates that policy should be changed to target the juveniles who are likely to become life course persisters, rather than harshly punishing the remaining 94% of juvenile delinquents who are committing petty offenses such as truancy, loitering, underage drinking, and various non-violent offenses. Moreover, this study suggests that mitigating circumstances such as poor parenting, neglect, and abuse should be considered upon sentencing juveniles in court. In addition, this study suggests that programs should be implemented in an effort to assist juveniles in developing skills that they had not previously developed, such as socialization skills, how to avoid peer pressure, etc. which could have helped them resist crimimogenic factors.
Research Questions
RQ1: Are youth who have poor social bonds more likely to engage in delinquent behavior?
RQ2: Are youth who have been poorly socialized more likely to become delinquent than those who have been positively socialized?
RQ3: Is there a relationship between socialization and crime?
Chapter Two
Literature Review
Reckless (1967) argues that individuals are able to withstand the temptations of immediate gratification by two forms of containment: inner and outer. He posits that participating in deviant behavior in order to obtain easy or immediate gratification can be thwarted by the individual’s conception of self and the amount of pressure which is rendered upon them by their family or other significant individuals or groups who are important to them. Reckless (1967) found that when an individual’s self-concept is negative, they tend to become delinquent or criminal which tends to be opposite of an individual with a positive self-image. In addition, the desire to be accepted by individuals or groups whom are significant to them deters them from anti-social and deviant behavior.
Moreover, Hirschi (1969) makes the assumption that delinquents lack four variables of social bonds: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Hirschi posits that low self-control is established in early childhood as a result of poor parenting and lack of behavioral reinforcements. In addition, self-control is determined by the level of positive socialization that an individual experiences in early life and tends to follow them through their lifetime. Hirschi has found that individuals only need motivation in order to find excuses in favor of engaging in criminal acts. Immediate gratification with minimal risks of pain, are assumed to be a natural human instinct, and there is no need to search for explanations for crime.
In addition, children who have been abused and/or neglected tend to become delinquent. In fact, Hirschi (1969) posits that children with weak social bonds tend to become delinquent, as well. Seigel and Welsh (2009) posit that children who have been abused tend to experience mental and social problems across their lifespan. Therefore, it is critical that parents develop positive and effective parenting skills.
Howard Becker (1963) posit that society creates deviance through a system of social control agencies that designate or label, certain individuals as delinquent thereby stigmatizing them to accept this negative personal identity. Once the individual is stigmatized and accepts this negative personal identity, society reacts. Moreover, Sutherland (1939) posits that criminal behavior is learned and that crime occurs when the definitions favorable to violating the law exceed the definitions favorable to obeying the law.
Chapter Three
Methodology
Secondary research analysis has been conducted in order to explain the relationship between delinquency among youth, dependent upon their socialization, social bonds, social involvement, commitment, peer groups associations, and educational experiences. Consequently, Social Process Theories have been analyzed in conducting the research to examine the causes of consequences of juvenile delinquency.
Hypotheses
H1: Youth who have weak social bonds are more likely to commit crime than those who with strong bonds.
H2: Youth who have been poorly socialized are more likely to become deviant than those who have been positively socialized.
H3: There is a statistically significant relationship between socialization and crime.
Chapter Four
Results
Children who have behavioral problems tend to grow into juvenile delinquents and eventually into adult offenders (Lilly, Cullen and Ball, 2007). Moreover, youth who have been neglected by their parents, or have parents with poor parenting skills, tend to engage in criminal acts and lack self-control (Gottfredson and Hirschi , 1995). Youths with loving, supportive parents who have the resources to supervise and punish their children are more likely to properly develop self-control, a positive self-image, and resist the temptations of committing crime.
Chapter Five
Discussion
Social process theories posit that proper socialization promotes positive behavior. Youths with behavioral problems can be rehabilitated by developing social bonds to social institutions and processes. Moreover, social process theories posit that delinquency is a function of socialization. Delinquency is fostered by interactions with organizations, institutions, and processes of society. Siegel and Welsh (2009) posit that youths are mostly influenced by their family relationships, peer group associations, educational experiences, and interaction with figures of authority. Consequently, if relationships are positive and supportive, youths tend to obey societal norms and accepted standards of behavior. However, if the relationships are negative, youths tend to display destructive behavior, do not adhere to conventional norms, and resort to delinquency as an alternative solution to their issues.
It is important to study the onset, persistence, specialization, aging-out, desistence trajectories for juvenile offenders, because if intervention is implemented early, it could greatly reduce the possibility of a life course criminal career. According to Siegel and Welsh (2009), life course theory suggests that delinquent behavior is a dynamic process, influenced by individual characteristics as well as social experiences, and that the factors that cause antisocial behaviors change dramatically over a person’s lifespan. Therefore, with the development of social bonds that ties an individual to social institutions and processes, a youth can be rehabilitated (Hirschi, 1969). According to Glueck (1934), the deeper the roots of childhood maladjustment, the smaller the chance of adult adjustment. Moreover, youth who are antisocial early in life are most likely to continue their deviancy into adulthood. Consequently, it is important to study the onset of delinquency in order to prevent crime and youths in becoming life course persisters.
Hirschi’s Social Bonds Theory (1969) links the onset of delinquency to the weakening of the ties that bind people to society, such as parents and teachers. Without social bonds, and in the absence of sensitivity to and interest in others, people are more willing to commit criminal acts. Moreover, people vary in how they respond to conventional social rules and values. Consequently, people whose bonds are weak may fall prey to criminogenic factors. Hirschi (1969) identifies four control variables: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Thus, when youths are involved in pro-social socialization, positive activities, have positive relationships with significant others who are meaningful to them, or are committed to a specific goal or activity such as school, work, or something else of significant value, they are less willing to commit crime.
Self-concept is also an important factor in juvenile delinquency. Maladaptive social relations produce weak self-concepts and poor self-esteem; rendering youths at risk to delinquency. Moreover, youths who felt good about themselves and maintained a positive attitude were able to resist the temptations of the street. In addition, a positive self-image insulates an individual from the pushes and pulls of criminogenic forces.
Edwin Sutherland’s (1939) Differential Association Theory posits that criminal behavior is learned primarily within interpersonal groups and that youths will become delinquent if definitions they have learned favorable to violating the law exceeds definitions favorable to obeying the law within that group. Moreover, learning is a by-product of interaction and socialization; thus, criminal techniques are learned. Differential association may vary in duration, frequency, intensity, and priority. Depending on how long and how often the youth has interacted with the deviant group, will determine the likelihood of the youth becoming delinquent. In addition, how important the individuals and the goals sought are to the youth, of whom they are interacting with, will also determine the likelihood of the youth becoming delinquent.
Moreover, Howard Becker’s (1963) Labeling Theory posits that society creates deviance through a system of social control agencies that designate or labels certain individuals as delinquent, thereby stigmatizing them to accept this negative personal identity; thus, society reacts. There are consequences of labeling which should be analyzed in order to prevent crime and life-course persisters. The negative label and stigma of the designated label may cause permanent harm. Labeled people consider themselves as outcasts and may seek out others who are perceived as outcasts as well in order to feel more accepted. Therefore, the individual may become more enmeshed in a delinquent lifestyle through interaction, socialization, and learning techniques. Consequently, the degree to which a person is perceived as a social outcast may affect his or her treatment at home, work, school, and community. The manner and severity of the label and the perception of the person may increase their commitment to a deviant career; life course offending.
At risk youth are highly susceptible and vulnerable to the negative consequences of school failure, substance abuse, and early sexuality. According to Chilton and Galvin (1985), members of the lower class also suffer from various phenomena. Youths of the lower class are more prone to depression, apathy, cynicism, helplessness, and are less likely to put off immediate gratification for future gain, and have mistrust of social institutions. Consequently, delinquency is a statistically significant factor in lower class communities. Bjerk (2007) posits that the effects of income inequality, socio-economic status, racism, poverty, and stereotypes are the causes of youth crime and drug abuse. In addition, Bjerk (2007) posits that youths who are from poor households are more likely to get involved in serious crime, than youths who are from more affluent households.
According to Stouthamer-Loeber and Wei (1998), delinquency is the outcome of various social problems such as troubled home life, deviant friends, and that deviant cultural values lead to delinquency. However, Siegel and Welsh (2009) posit that problem behavior syndrome suggests that delinquency is one of many interrelated antisocial behaviors that cluster together and cause delinquency. Problem behavior syndrome may be caused by various phenomena such as: family dysfunction, sexual, physical, mental, and emotional abuse, substance abuse, smoking, promiscuity, and unemployment. Only a small percentage of juvenile delinquents become life course persisters. A cohort study conducted by Wolfgang suggests that only 6% of all juvenile delinquents become life course persisters (Walker, 2006). Most delinquents experience a turning point or a positive life experience which changes their outlook on life, and positively affects their behavior. Changes such as gaining employment, getting married, having a baby, joining the military, enrolling in school, or engaging in more pro-social activities that are positively valued by societal standards. These turning points have the ability to limit the opportunities to engage in delinquent behaviors.
Conclusion
Youths who are from lower class communities are more vulnerable to criminogenic forces than youths from more affluent neighborhoods (Siegel and Welsh, 2009). Delinquency and criminal techniques are learned via interpersonal groups and socialization. Therefore, in order to prevent crime, youths must be insulated from criminogenic forces. Social process theories analyze the social processes which take place within society and how these processes influence crime. In addition, social process theories focus on the social psychological processes and the interactions that people experience in their lives. Social structure theories posit that there should be more access to opportunities for those who may not experience them in their current circumstances, in order to prevent crime and delinquency. Consequently, socialization and social processes and social institutions influence crime and delinquency.
Siegel and Welsh (2009) posit that children who have been disciplined inconsistently tend to become delinquent. Therefore, not only is effective parenting important to properly socializing a child; consistent parenting and discipline is important, as well. The lessons and acceptable standards of behavior learned from effective parenting become the child’s social schema (Nairne, 1993), and they are able to refer back to these lessons and forms of discipline, which could insulate them from deviant behavior as adults. Social cognition is important in recognizing right from wrong behaviors, and may help an individual resist delinquent behavior.
In addition, children who have been abused and/or neglected tend to become delinquent. In fact, Hirschi (1969) posits that children with weak social bonds tend to become delinquent, as well. Seigel and Welsh (2009) posit that children who have been abused tend to experience mental and social problems across their lifespan. However, Sampson and Laub (1993) posit that repeated negative experiences can create cumulative disadvantage, whereby serious problems hinder life chances, employability, and social relations. People who have an increase in negative experiences, or cumulative disadvantages, are at risk of becoming a life course persister. Therefore, it is critical that parents develop positive and effective parenting skills.
Policy Implications
In order to reduce delinquency and crime, processes of socialization should be strengthened, focus should be placed on family, prevention, treatment, education, and diversion programs should be implemented and promoted. In addition, if behavior is learned, non-criminal, utilitarian behavior should be taught in various programs; for example, programs which discuss the harmfulness of drugs, how to avoid delinquent behavior, and how to stay in school. In order to prevent crime, youth must be engaged in more positive socialization activities, and have more access to opportunities which are positively valued in society.
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The Social Costs 