Anti Social Behaviour - Research Proposal Example

The paper “Major Causes of Antisocial Behaviour" is an impressive example of a research paper on psychology. The definition of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) as per the guidelines of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 has been noted as “acting in a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons, not of the same household as the offender”. (Bracknell Forest, 2009:3). Under this legislation, the misuse of public space along with the inconsiderate behaviour, and environmental damage among others are considered to be a few major examples of ASB concerning the youth (Bracknell Forest, 2009).

The rising numbers of ASB among young people have attracted major concern in the social stance of the UK. The recent statistics depict that even though the government has the crime rate under control, the serious offences committed by the young people, mostly between the age-group of 10 to 17 can have severe implication on the entire society. The criminal offences mostly committed by these youth in the UK are noted to be related to drug dealing, racial and sexual assaults as well as fraudulent (Ministry of Justice, 2011).

Hence, it is of no doubt that society today is facing a vital problem of youth ASB which necessitates the requirement of identifying the major causes that facilitate these offences in the modern community. With this regards, this research will focus on identifying the major causes of ASB in the UK. Background and Purpose Literature ReviewThere are various reasons that act as an influencing factor for youth to commit ASB such as drugs, alcohols along with frustration and aggressiveness. With an overall point of view Smith (2007) distributed the causes of ASB amid the youth population into two basic categories, i.e. the psychological causes and biological causes of committing crime at a young age.

Demonstrating how psychological factors can influence the crime committed by young people, Clarke (2007) stated that young people are often persuaded by their social surrounding. For instance, documentaries telecasted in the television channels or accessed from internet sources along with the influences created by the peers may have a substantial impact on the aggression of youth motivating him/her to commit legal offences (Clarke, 2007). Based on a similar context, Millie (2009) stated that both social and psychological causes of crime are interrelated in the case of youth.

Furthermore, Millie (2009) depicted that in the majority of instances, the causes of criminal offences committed by the youth are charged to the parents notifying that most of the youth ASB cases are committed by adolescents from the lone family background. Apart from the influence of drugs and alcohols, which is also regarded as a major reason for ASB, the youth are largely found to be pressurised by the sense of powerlessness, lack of respect, boredom and indiscipline in their social surrounding.

These factors are also considered to be a few of the inevitable causes of ASB amid the youth population (Hampson, 2011; Millie & Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2005). From an in-depth point of view, Rutter & et. al. (1998) exhibited three major divisions of causes which influence the youth crime rate to a large extent. These can be summarised as the individual features perceived by a person reflecting his/her desires and aggression which in turn tends to depict the chances of committing ASB by that person.

Other than these individual features, psychological features such as negligence and abuse along with genetic factors also create a substantial impact on ASB committed by youth (Matthews & et. al., 2007; Carey & Goldman, 1997; Widom, 1997). Considering these factors, various measures have been taken by the government in order to minimise the ASB rates amid the youth not only by politically enforcing laws and legislations but also by promoting local awareness and community assistance with the intention to control the above documented causing factors (Burney, 2009; Bourn, 2006).

Aim of the ResearchThe aim of this research will be to identify and evaluate the causes that act as the major drivers of ASB incidents in the UK committed by the youth. To be precise, the objectives of this study will be to- Identify the causing factors of ASB amid youth- Impact of ASB on the society- Document a few recommendations in this regardsPlan of WorkThe method to be used in this research will be based on a mixed study approach. Both qualitative and quantitative measures will be presented in this study taking into account both the primary data sources and secondary data sources in this context.

The primary data sources will involve questionnaire surveys on a sample size of 100 respondents (through quota sampling method) who will be the young people who have committed ASB or those who have fallen victim to such an act in their social surroundings. Most of the questions in this regards will be closed-ended so as to assist in quantifying the data obtained. On a similar context, the secondary sources will involve assessing prior literature and government publications relating to crime statistics data.

Notably, the obtained data will be analysed and interpreted through the implications of statistical measures such as graphs, tables, and pie-charts.