Theories of Crime - Term Paper Example

Theories of Crime In the recent past, there has been an increase in the use of drugs among high school children in the Marijuana has become very popular compared to other drugs with more than 50% of youths over 12 years reporting to have used it at least once. The cause of this developing trend can be explained through the social disorganization theory. According to this theory, the youth engage in crime and drug abuse because of disintegration of the society (Milkman & Wanberg 2005). In today world where parents spend little time with their children because they have to take more than one job to cope with the ever increasing economic pressures (Vito & Maahs 2012).

Traditionally, mothers were given the obligation of socializing the children and teaching them morals. Today both parents have to work. The youth have been left to be socialized by the media such as the television and the internet. It is from these media that they learn a different culture and this has driven them to undesirable behaviors such as violence and drug abuse. One cannot help but note the over popularization of the smoking of Marijuana in the contemporary movies. The topic is also addressed with relish in the modern day music (Hawkins 2000).

Young people come to associate smoking pot as a “cool” thing since the people that they celebrate and try to emulate use this drug. Since it has been noted that the media has so much influence on the youth, this knowledge can be used to avert the bad effects. In fighting the use of drugs, the government needs to use music artist and movie actors to create awareness of the terrible effects of using drugs They should be encouraged to write songs and movies that encourage good morals among the youths and not the opposite.

ReferencesHawkins, J. D. (2000). Delinquency and crime: Current theories. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press.Milkman, H. B., & Wanberg, K. W. (2005). Criminal conduct and substance abuse treatment for adolescents: The providers guide : pathways to self-discovery and change. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.Vito, G. F., & Maahs, J. R. (2012). Criminology: Theory, research, and policy. Sudbury, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.