The Making of Violent Criminals - Essay Example

?The Making of Violent Criminals Violent crimes have often elicited wide media coverage and research attention, little is known regarding and perpetrators shown in the media come out portraying a fearless monster making the brutal actions appear inexplicable. The public might find this to be a reasonable response to the horrific violent deeds that occur when an individual is involved in criminal activity; therefore, such an emotive reaction has done little to understand the perpetrator of violent crimes (Wilbon, 2005). It is crucial to have a critical understanding of a violent criminal to be able to design relevant interventions for violent crimes and develop ways of preventing such type of crime. Little research has been done to have an in depth understanding of the factors that make a violent criminal, research should be done to prevent the general characterization but to have an understanding the nuisance present behind making a violent criminal (Denson, and Lednicer, 2009). Various concerns that include life history of a violent criminal, level of involvement in violence and experience the criminal has had on incarceration. The study will assist in unpacking and individualizing the various categories of a violent criminal. Aims of the Research One of the major aims of this research is to find out the various issues that determine the circumstances that lead to the development of violent crimes among individuals. It is also a fact that many of those individuals who end up getting involved in violent crime do so because of a lack of parental presence in their lives and tend to suffer from stigmatization. In this research, there shall be an analysis of how the childhood development of individuals may end up making them get involved in crime as a means of expressing themselves (Frisell, Lichtenstein & Langstrom, 2011). A comparison shall be made with those individuals who have both parents both parents in their lives when growing up, in an attempt to prove that these children are often more confident in every one of their actions than those who suffer the stigma which often accompanies single parent families. When both parents are present, the child is provided with a bridge to the outside world and with proper guidance from both of them; they end up interacting with people in society constructively. A lack of the latter, it is believed, is what leads individuals into getting involved in violent crime; and this, among other factors, is what this research will set out to prove. Hypothesis While it is a fact that there are violent criminal (offenders) in the society, one has to go further than this wide-ranging characterization to a more explicit understanding of the fine distinctions that lie beneath the category of “violent offender”. This is critically what this study attempts to address and through the in-depth interviews with 20 violent offenders, this study seeks to unpack and, importantly, individualize the category of male offender. It is the hypothesis that there are three key thematic concerns, namely, the life history of each participant, their involvement in violence and their experience of incarceration, that determine the violence displayed by them in criminal activities. Rationale for the research The study is quantitative and will not test the hypothesis in a quantitative test, especially the risk factors for an individual to be involved in crime, this includes neglect from the parents, drug abuse, and loss of an important family member; therefore, life history of an individual will draw an insight in formulation of the research. In interviewing the life-history interview of an individual, it is important to explore social influences of the offenders, from the early times of their socialization, which is the family, to the school as a key context of socialization, influence got from the social group and significance got from neighbourhood environment where interviewees lived when growing up. The interview will explore the hopes and dreams experienced by young men, this will help in understanding on whether they previously had different future from what they have, also understand a role model who might influence their loves; thematic errors that might arise include school, parenting and peer groups (Theriot, 2011). A facet that will be used in understanding life history of individuals participating, and the conception phase of the study will be used in conducting interviews for males that are non-offenders and lived in the same environment with people who are criminals. This aspect of the study is expected to explore various significant factors that that affect the issue of choice; the assumptions present is that social contexts are a factor that determine the life choices taken by a person. Resilient is another factor that exposes people to detrimental life circumstances and their ability to resist criminal path; there are practical difficulties the emerged concerning location of siblings that did not life violent offenders, it was difficult finding people who were non-offenders, it therefore, needs pursued research in future (Vine, 2006). The main concern of the study will be the height of violence that occurs and the focus of the literature will be the involvement in violent actions. This will require an engagement mentioning of factors that precipitate the involvement of an individual in violent criminal acts, the manner in which they get to understand and become involved in violence, and function of violence in fulfilling commission of crimes. Violence will be seen as an involving degree of choice available from listed possible choices (Chon, 2011). The choices mentioned are shaped by a criminal’s history and experiences, the choices made affect the life history of a violent criminal and the criminal’s violent experience when growing up, exposure to violence while in the family, the school and the neighbourhood, and history of the violent criminal’s involvement in violent activities affect the criminal’s choices (Haggerty, 2013). Significant body literature links early onset of violent criminal activities to chronic offenses that take place during adulthood, this make it explicit to have early intervention for the purpose of preventing its progression to chronic offending. Studies done recently in Britain argue that there is ill equipment of the criminal justice and this helps in diverting young offenders from the path of crime to exacerbate criminality. There are other similar arguments in South Africa and it emphasizes the need to have interventions in both family and community in preventing juvenile offending cycle, and the experiences of many violent criminals give suggestions of the significance of employing the standard of distraction (Barnes, 2011). Young men have the knowledge of criminal justice system and offending cycle, from the views of the young me is that the system is ill equipped and is not able to handle the young offenders, most offenders are arrested and released without conviction, making them continue practicing violent offenses. Environmental conditions present to inmates who await trials are particularly severe in terms of control and discipline, when they are imperfectly operated (Bailey, 2008). It is important that when a criminal is convicted, they should not continue existing in the awaiting trial environment. Many countries and their correctional departments argue that programs of awaiting trial undermine the strategic direction of correcting criminals in relation to undergoing rehabilitation (Schehr, 2005). The policy gap presents arguments from correctional departments regarding prisoners awaiting trial and there is abuse to most prisoners awaiting trial. Methodology and design The study has a lot of reliance on the narration of the participants regarding incidents that have taken place to gain information from participant’s perceptions. The subjective account of the various events that is in the form of case study is important in the understanding of various ways in which offenders have shaped their identity and also in explaining the various action that take (Singh, 2011). A part from developing policies that give prescriptions to a set of normative values that are detached from a violent criminal’s worldviews and experiences, the study begins at a departure point that is critical and important in engaging violent criminals’ perspectives to which they are located towards a normal mode of thinking and behaviour (Root, 2011). The study will not attempt to make generalized claims on violent criminals and the small chosen sample signifies the findings have not been generalized to the whole population of the prisoners as a whole, therefore, in circumstances that have had generalization, and it will refer to population not exceeding 20 male violent criminals that were interviewed in the study. Liaison with various department of correction made the study employ a sample of 20 male violent criminals who have been involved in violent crimes such as murder, assaults that ends in grievous body harm and robbery with violence and they were approached to participate in the study. In selecting criminals who will participate, the people interviewed had to undergo rigorous process which include interviews with the candidates that were considered potential interviewees. An interviewer who has undergone clinical training to exclude a person who is having any mental problems will conduct the interview. In the initial stage of the interview, it will be vital to outline the extent of commitment of the study and have discussions before an informed consent is obtained. Ethical Considerations Ethics play a great role in influencing the process of interviewing the inmates participating in the research process. It is necessary that in the research process, the researcher remain strictly in the research topic as well as ensuring that there is no bias in the collection of the information. In addition, the researcher will ensure that the identity of the various inmates that are interviewed is protected, because despite their crimes, they still have a right to privacy. Ethics act as a guide when it comes to making a decision about which questions the researcher should ask and those which he should not and this ensures that there is fairness in the process. To protect the inmates with a history of violence that are being interviewed and ensure their anonymity there shall be the use of pseudonyms and changes to some identifying details (Chaudhry et al, 2013). Those inmates who have agreed to be a part of the study will only be known to the researcher involved in the study and the relevant prison authorities who have enabled the facilitation of access to the inmates. The inmates will not be identified in the findings of the research, nor will any specific observations or comments attributed to any of them be identified. The interviewer himself will participate in the preparatory training workshops that will be focused on the ethical dimensions of conducting the study, the need for confidentiality and techniques to ensure this in the interview and process of writing the research (Townsend, Cox and Li, 2010). References Bailey, J. 2008, "VIOLENCE, STATE FORMATION, AND EVERYDAY POLITICS IN LATIN AMERICA*", Latin American Research Review, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 239-249,283. Barnes, R. 2011, Justices continue to define what makes a 'violent felony', Washington, D.C. Chaudhry, S.H., Brehaut, J.C., Grimshaw, J.M., Weijer, C., Boruch, R., Donner, A., Eccles, M.P., McRae, A.D., Saginur, R., Skea, Z.C., Zwarenstein, M. & Taljaard, M. 2013, "Challenges in the research ethics review of cluster randomized trials: International survey of investigators", Clinical Trials, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 257-68. Denson, B. & LEDNICER, L.G. 2009, Loophole lets violent criminals walk early, Portland, Or. Frisell, T., Lichtenstein, P. & Langstrom, N. 2011, "Violent crime runs in families: a total population study of 12.5 million individuals", Psychological medicine, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 97-105. Haggerty, K.P., Skinner, M.L., McGlynn-Wright, A., Catalano, R.F. & Crutchfield, R.D. 2013, "Parent and Peer Predictors of Violent Behavior of Black and White Teens", Violence and victims, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 145-60. Root, C. 2011, "Ophthalmology for the Myopic Methodologist: A Review of Five Ways of Doing Qualitative Analysis", The Qualitative Report, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 1753-1756. Schehr, R.C. 2005, "THE CRIMINAL CASES REVIEW COMMISSION AS A STATE STRATEGIC SELECTION MECHANISM", The American Criminal Law Review, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 1289-1302. Singh, A.A. & Shelton, K. 2011, "A Content Analysis of LGBTQ Qualitative Research in Counseling: A Ten-Year Review", Journal of Counseling and Development : JCD, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 217-226 Theriot, M.T. 2011, "School Resource Officers in Middle Grades School Communities", Middle School Journal, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 56-64. Townsend, A., Cox, S.M. & Li, L.C. 2010, "Qualitative Research Ethics: Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice in Physical Therapy", Physical Therapy, vol. 90, no. 4, pp. 615-28. Vine, K. 2006, Acting Up; The most dangerous teenagers in Texas are sent to the Giddings State School, where, in a jailhouse version of group therapy, they reenact their brutal crimes in order to come to terms with their violent impulses. This is what we do with young murderers? Yes, and it works. For a while, at least, Texas Monthly, a Division of Emmis Publishing, LP, Austin. Wilbon, M. 2005, 'It's a Hard Feeling, Not to Be a Violent Man Anymore', Washington, D.C. Read More