Origin Of Life Course Theory

Juvenile delinquency: an act committed by a minor that violates the penal code of the government with authority over the area in which the act occurs (Bartollas and Schmalleger, 2008) pg.2. In chapter one, we are introduced to what a juvenile delinquent is, and all of the issues that come along with them. This chapter goes on to define adolescents which is “the life interval between childhood and adulthood, and usually the period between the ages of twelve and eighteen.” It is said that “those

Life course development theory involves the study of growth and adaption from birth to death. The studies look into how lives develop through time and investigating the effects of change. Many limitations present in the field of human development years ago inspired changes to the studies involving the models of development specifically focusing on child development and that didn’t relate to a developing organism in adult stages. This theory takes into account factors like cohort effects, the individual’s location (which can effect issues like obtaining an education), and transitions and life events. Life course development theory also holds the idea that individual differences, biological, and social context are what shapes a child’s development. When researching this area, normally a characteristic, time period, or event are concentrated on and examined to determine how it correlates with issues later in life. Another area of the life course development theory deals with continuity and discontinuity, relating to the idea of how change occurs. Factors that can influence development when it comes to sudden or continuous change are timing because areas like age and grade level can signify advanced stages of development related to cognitive thought. In addition, social stability and social change were also two components of the theory which take into consideration the different phases that occur through life that can influence development. For instance, in my research area of

The juvenile justice system is imperfect, at best, and part of this stems from the fact that juvenile justice, as a specific, discrete category of crime and punishment is still a relatively recent phenomenon. In fact, the notion of childhood and adolescence as distinct phases of human development is a novel idea that did not truly emerge until the twentieth century, so it is only natural that some elements of the juvenile justice system seem to have been made up they went along. Now, however, after substantial research into juvenile delinquency, it causes, and potential solutions, a much clearer picture of the phenomenon is emerging that will allow parents, teachers, legislators, and law enforcement officials to better reduce juvenile delinquency without imposing unnecessarily harsh restrictions of juveniles. By examining the history of the juvenile justice system alongside more recent research into juvenile delinquency, it will be possible to see how the most effective treatments going forward will likely focus on reducing risk before delinquency occurs and rehabilitating juveniles already in the justice system, as opposed to more punitive measures that mark juveniles as a criminal and thus hinder them for the rest of their lives.

The life course perspective theory is a micro theory that delves into a subject’s past to interpret present endeavors that may assist in predicting future behavior or misconduct. It could be classified as a road map to an individuals expected behavior and may provide reasoning for that individuals’ life choices, not only in relation to criminal behavior but also on ones ability to sustain relationships.

Experts in the psychological approach to delinquency Believe that most behaviors labeled delinquent seem to be symptomatic of some psychological problem. Psychologist point out that many delinquent youths have poor home lives, conflicts with authority figures, and destructive relationships with neighbors, friends, and teachers. These relationships seem to indicate it’s their personality. (Siegel, Larry J., and Brandon Welsh) Psychodynamic theory, behavioral theory, and cognitive theory are the three psychological perspectives of delinquency.

Juvenile delinquency is defined by the Merriam-Webster online dictionary as “…a violation of the law committed by a juvenile that would have been a crime if committed by an adult; also: antisocial behavior by juveniles that is subject to legal action” (https://www.merriam-webster.com). As juvenile delinquency continues to be a great social concern, getting to the source of the problem and identifying solutions is paramount. Case studies have been conducted to identify early risk factors for delinquency. There are many programs in the state designed to help youth resist committing crimes and to prevent youth, who have already been in the juvenile justice system, from making repeated offenses. In order for these programs to be successful, they

Statistics show that in the United States, there were more than 4,000 arrests “for every 100,000 youths” between the ages of 10 and 17 in 2011 (USDOJJDP, 2011a). Juvenile delinquency is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action” (“Juvenile delinquency,” n.d.). A number of jurisdictions have been exerting effort to prevent minor offenders from involvement in the juvenile delinquency system (USDOJJDP, 2011b). Efforts have been made due to the emphasis on detrimental effects of juvenile delinquency and confinement on youth put forward by research. The following paper will describe the a number of social factors as well as the cooperative cognitive and biological factors that contribute to the development of juvenile delinquency and promote understanding of the psychological process.

The three theories I have chosen to discuss are all extremely relevant ideas; although I prefer Erik Erikson’s stage of psychosocial development. Erik Erikson’s theory covers a person’s entire lifespan showing the many different stages throughout one’s life. A person is always

Many of the theories converging on juvenile delinquency paint a picture of rampant criminal activity flourishing under variety of factors. While our text reiterates that most people do not become criminals, there are instances where they do. Life course theory reminds us that most juvenile delinquents do not go on to become lifelong criminals, and abstain from delinquent behavior upon entering adulthood, due impart to a life changing event or bond. Desistance from crime requires a turning point, for adolescents and young adults it is a necessary experience to step away from a criminal life-course. Successful desistance is a result of not only opportunities to change, but in conjunction with personal initiative to change.

The societal problem of delinquency is a seemingly unsolvable issue that has persisted since the Industrial Revolution (Bell, 2015). As a result of this perceived surplus of young people who commit antisocial behaviour, academics have attempted to not only solve delinquency, but identify the factors that contribute to it. The life-course perspective was adopted as one way to understand and explain this complex issue. Life-course criminology (often referred to as DLC) emerged from this perspective as a way to help explain age in relation to crime. The purpose of this proposal is to highlight the key areas of life-course criminology and outline how they reveal the value of the theory for research purposes. These key areas of interest are the genesis and tenets of life-course criminology, its key contributors and critics, and how both of these parties have affected the current state of the theory today.

Sampson & Laub (1993) focus on how delinquency arises in specific life span phases. They examine what they call “the stages of life course.” The examination of an individual’s history and early life gives rise to the reasons behind their engagement in delinquency. Furthermore, the theory explicitly explains why some individuals are more prone to pursue the criminal life than others.

Characteristically, juvenile delinquency follows a similar path just like normal adolescent development and children tend to follow delinquent and criminal behavior rather than engaging in it randomly. Research has shown that there are two types of delinquents, those in whom the onset of severe antisocial behavior begins in early childhood, and those in whom this onset coincides with entry into adolescence. With either type, these developmental paths give families, communities, and systems the opportunity to intervene and prevent the onset of antisocial behaviors and justice system involvement (APA, 2017).

The article is an example of Life-Course Sociological Research. Welsh and Farrington (2012) described a life-course (or developmental) theoretical framework as referring to theories that attempt to explain behaviour and changes in behaviour throughout life. More

Juvenile Delinquency To best address the needs of juvenile delinquents, you must first define a juvenile delinquent. A juvenile delinquent is “a child who has engaged in an activity that would be considered a crime if the child were an adult,” (Schmalleger, 2015, pg. 500). By this definition, first and foremost, a juvenile delinquent is a child. The needs of a child are guidance, compassion, nurturing, mentoring, education, a healthy environment physically and emotionally, a safe place to learn and grow, and an advocate for their best interests. These needs are the same for a juvenile delinquent.

This study hypothesizes that juvenile delinquency is directly affected by the family circumstances, activities, and gender of the individual. The hypothesis will either be rejected or accepted by the research conducted.