Analysis and Review of Developmental Crime Theory - Research Paper Example

Developmental Crime theory Introduction Crime is a common phenomenon that has existed both in the past and in the present societies. Criminal activities are generally antisocial and unhealthy for peaceful and harmonious co-existence of individuals in a given society. Crimes have led to loss of lives and breaking of initially enjoyed relationships within the particular societies. In attempts to study, analyze and classify crimes, various philosophers have come up with integral theories to help understand causes, effects, and prevention of crimes with the societies. One such theory is the Developmental crime theory (Siegel 320). This theory holds that criminal desires start developing in a person right from birth and continues along the life course of the particular individual. The factors that influence crime in the life course of given individual ranges from personal, social, economic, history and geographical locations. Developmental crime theorists hold that criminal strategies employed by various individuals changes from time to time with life course of the specific individual. Age transformation and general life course impacts on the personal and social traits of an individual that eventually influences and result to change in the individual’s behaviors. According to the Developmental crime theory, the onset and duration that an individual spend in criminal carrier depends o the individual’s interaction with the potential social factors and may take many paths. Some proponents of this theory hold that certain individuals face continuity of crime along the life course. Others predict continuity of some criminals to remain offenders even with changing life course. Some also predict change of the individual offenders alongside change in life course. Developmental crime theory predict causes of criminal activities as including subjection of children into harsh and punitive condition, neglect by the parents, rejection by the parents and other forms of child maltreatments (Siegel 321). Developmental crime theory holds that most of the people who grow to be criminals during their adulthood had faced historical maltreatment during their childhood. Causes of criminal activities are further linked to the rearing of children larger families and single parents. Crimes are also linked to poor performance in school, low motivation in school and perhaps exposure to weapons. Poor judgment skills that presents due to lack or low level of education that impedes reasoning also may facilitate the ease to resort crime. In the reports of Farrington, the developmental crime theorists further hold that lack and inadequate parental guidance and direction that lead to the adoption of crooked life course (157). Individuals could also be obliged to engage in crime when he/she lives in a deprived neighborhood that believes in crime for survival. Such problems can be avoided only when the affected individual move away from the contemporary corrupt neighbor. Still on economic influence of criminology, it is apparent that individual can be attracted to criminal activities as a means of securing job that could earn them money. Poverty is yet another driving factor into criminal activities as individual struggle by all means including illegal businesses to pay for their individual demands. According to Farrington, preventing such misconduct among the individual victim may involve establishment of sport activities to keep individual business and diverted from the criminal activities (158). As a way of deterring further inclusion of youths into crimes, it is advisable to convert the individual criminals into honorable citizens. Furthermore, prevention and deterrence of crime activities will largely involve reformations in various aspects of operating a society. Criminal motives in the individual child or person undergoing development may detect through lack of self control among the individual subject. Gaining self control that can enable an individual criminal desist from criminal activities needs strong societal bond and support. Developing social bonds may increase and strengthen the number of interactions as the individual transcends from adolescence to adulthood. This paper will therefore make serious analysis of the developmental crime theory with regard to the life course and trajectory undergone by individual criminals. In so doing, the paper will involve research and collection of ideas, and analysis of the views presented by various authors about the psychological topic in discussion. The paper will further perform a comparison to the other sources perceived to support the theoretical presentation. Support for the General Theory Developmental crime theorists hold that criminal strategies employed by various individuals changes from time to time with life course of the specific individual. Age transformation and general life course impacts on the personal and social traits of an individual that eventually influences and result to change in the individual’s behaviors. According to the Developmental crime theory, the onset and duration that an individual spend in criminal carrier depends o the individual’s interaction with the potential social factors and may take many paths. Some proponents of this theory hold that certain individuals face continuity of crime along the life course. Others predict continuity of some criminals to remain offenders even with changing life course. Some also predict change of the individual offenders alongside change in life course. Causes of Crimes Most cases of crimes have just been as a result of the same factors and causes described and indicated by the Developmental crime theorists. Crimes are also linked to poor performance in school, low motivation in school and perhaps exposure to weapons. Poor judgment skills that presents due to lack or low level of education that impedes reasoning thus the ease to resort crime. The developmental crime theorists further hold that lack and inadequate parental guidance and direction that leads to the adoption of crooked life course. Individuals could also be obliged to engage in crime when he/she lives in a deprived neighborhood that believes in crime for survival. Such problems can be avoided only when the affected individual move away from the contemporary corrupt neighbor. Still on economic influence of criminology, it is apparent that individual can be attracted to criminal activities as a means of securing job that could earn them money. Poverty is yet another driving factor into criminal activities as individual struggle by all means including illegal businesses to pay for their individual demands. Support In support of the theory, Talidari highlights cause of crimes as including and not limited to lack of faith on self and imbalanced strength that used more physically than mentally and emotionally. According to Talidari, excess use of energy in physical muscles leads to shortage in energy supply for mental and emotional control and thus the imbalance. Talidari further supports that lack of substantial education is another uncompromised cause of crimes since individuals tend to make poor judgments with thorough thought. Moreover, Talidari reiterates that poor parental care during childhood would also lead to chaotic adults who lack moral conducts and therefore vulnerable to cause crimes. In support of the Developmental crime theory is Cohen. In so doing, Cohen mention that certain crimes have links to socio economic status of the individuals’ family. Some individuals come from poor families and backgrounds, and would easily indulge in criminal activities just for economic gains. Viewed as extending further support for the Developmental crime theory, Cohen reiterates that crimes haves also resulted due to family outrages whereby couples break off leaving the child under the care of single parent. Cohen further exemplifies that the care given by single parents may be enough to mend the morals and behaviors of a child to ensure upright growth and maturity. Crimes are caused by various factors some of which are intellectual related while some relate to the social life conducted by individuals. Intellectual related causes of crime include lack of education that impedes and derails reasoning of individuals. Social life related causes of crimes include poverty and unemployment that drives individuals into criminal activities to satisfy their needs. Exposure to lethal weapons may also tempt individual to acquire one and use in perfecting criminal activities. Inadequate parental care and love resulting from abandonment of maltreatment may also be counted among the main contributing factors to the existence of crimes in our societies. Preventing and Deterring Crime Since many criminal activities relate to the life course of an individual, the crimes can possible be managed and prevented from occurring. One of the steps in achieving this is the establishment of strict laws that hold parents accountable over the any incidence of maltreatment of the child. Orphanages should also be opened to ensure absorption of abandoned children and subjecting them into environment with abandon love to enable them enjoy alternative of parental love and care. It is also appropriate to construct more fields and pitches as well establishing more sporting activities that can help in absorbing and keeping youths busy thus averting tem form unethical practices in the society. Governments and authorities also need to reform the manner in which aspects of society are run to accommodate the changing demands and environment. Crime can also be prevented by opening various rehabilitation centers where after castigation, criminals are subjected to beneficial conventional activities and training to empower them becomes independent in the future. In addition, it is the responsibility of the government to create job opportunities to help absorb and take care of the idle youths who are easily attempted to indulge into criminal activities. As a supplementary way of deterring the occurrence of criminal activities, governments and authorities need to set the new technology to operate across the streets and help in tracking street criminals. Public communication centers that operate at lower prices should be established along the streets to ease communication procedures and costs in case of occurrence of any crime. Moreover, education needs to be given the first priority in all the societies as findings have largely indicted that lowly educated individual are likely to cause crime in the society. Support In support of the modalities of preventing and deterring crime as postulated in the Developmental crime theory, Lo indicates that individuals needs to explicit education to create awareness and sensitize about the negative impacts of criminal offences as well as the charges. Lo further elucidates that information and communication systems needs enhancement to provide easier opportunity for accessing and reporting criminal offences to the police officers and alert centers. In further support of the Developmental crime theory, Sherman points that proper care and management of children defines the fate of future war on crime. Sherman further describes that introducing special education in schools targeting war on crime will help a great deal in stopping criminal activities in the future world generation. Sherman expresses clear hopes that engaging youths and adolescents in war and education programs on crime would see the world make bid steps towards exoneration of crimes from our societies. Criminal activities have become very synonymous with our societies. Due to the detrimental effects of crimes on the individuals and society as a whole, it becomes necessary to search for ways of fighting and stopping crimes. The most viable ways of countering and preventing crime should include societal reforms to touch various aspects of society. Access to education programs and facilities also need to be expanded in order to ensure that every individual gets education and becomes reasonable in maintaining societal peace. Sporting activities should also be increased and promoted as these will work to keep youths busy and avail minimum or no time for crime. Punitive laws against parents who maltreat and dump their children needs establishment and adoption to maximize and improve the value of parental care that is key to the upright growth of children. Conclusion Developmental crime theory is one of the theories used to study, analyze and investigate criminal cases. Analysis of Developmental crime theory bases on life course and trajectory. Typically, Developmental crime theory is all about social issues and community safety as far as the study of crime is concerned. With Developmental crime theory, an investigator will be able to understand the main psychological and sociological problems that pushed an individual into committing certain type of crime. Developmental crime theory will also offer solution to the individual crime investigator to ensure that similar crime does not reoccur in the future. Just like any other item or feature, Developmental crime theory has both strengths and weaknesses that need thorough speculation before being applied in studying crimes. The first strength attributing to Development crime theory is the fact that it highlights the framework within which investigation has to be done. The theory provides clear guidelines for investigation and ensuring that nothing is ignored until the achievement of rightful and comprehensive results. The probable weakness with Developmental crime theory is its failure to define the qualifications of individuals who should apply it in conducting investigations. The theory also has expanse overlaps with other theories thus making it a bit complex and confusing when studied alongside other theories. Developmental crime theory is typical for conducting and studying criminal activities and offences. The good thing with Developmental crime theory is that it seeks to inform the investigator about the finer details that needs exploration before jumping into conclusions. This theory also provides means of preventing and deterring crimes from occurring in the societies. Furthermore, this theory provides an explicit benchmark for identifying and studying the possible causes of crimes in our societies. Developmental crime theory therefore encourages thorough and mistake free investigations for various criminal offences. Works Cited Cohen, Nick. What causes crime? Some argue moral breakdown, others social deprivation. the answer has profound implications, says Nick Cohen. 1995. Web. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/what-causes-crime-1584969.html. Farrington, David P. Integrated developmental & life-course theories of offending. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers, 2005. Print. National Crime Council. Tackling the underlying causes of crime a partnership approach. 20002. Web. . Sherman, Lawrence et al. Preventing crime: what works, what doesn’t, what’s promising. 1998. Web. . Siegel, Larry. Criminology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Tilidari. Defining the causes of crime in order to design right solutions.2012. Web. . Read More