Juvenile Antisocial Behavior

It was not a topic that was brought up earlier, because there was tainted history of using biology to figure logistics of criminal behavior. Instead, criminologists look at social and environmental factors such as poverty rates, drug/weapon accessibility, and socialization. Over 100 studies have shown genes play a role in crime. Kevin Beaver, an associate professor at Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice states approximately 50 percent of a human’s aggressive behavior is comprised of the thousands of expressed genes affected by the environment (Cohen). The other half of a human’s aggressive behavior is usually environmental or social factors such as, neighborhood, wealth, and education. It is important to also know the other factors that “make” someone a criminal because it will also help researcher see what else contributes to criminal activity (Eysenck).

Modern biology is focused more on understanding behavior, like violence and crime, through research on indicators and influences. Rather than attempting to determine a single root cause, researchers are discovering markers of predisposition and identifying factors of risk. In a recent interview about his new book, The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime, criminologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Adrian Raine asserts that there is a “biology of violence” that should not be ignored; “Just as there’s a biological basis for schizophrenia and anxiety disorders and depression… there’s a biological basis also to recidivistic violent offending” (Gross, 2013).

Genetics and behavior relations has been a controversial topic for several years, however, as time has passed so has the demand for proof or disproof of the relationship. One of the most important reasons for the need to define this relationship is to uncover the truths behind violent or delinquent behavior. Also, it is important that we can weed out people who make false claims that their genes are responsible for their actions in order for us to appropriately distribute penalties or treatment. Another reason is that if we do find truths to these claims we can find ways to treat these behaviors for better outcomes. Though many studies have been conducted to reveal associations, more research is yet to be done that explores all connections and detailed backgrounds of those involved in the studies. To begin validating our theories, we must use genotyping, which is the comparison of an individual’s genetic make-up through exploration of their DNA sequence then comparing it to the DNA sequence of another individual or a reference sample. Utilizing genotyping, we are able to view the alleles an individual inherited from their parents (slide 4).

“Although the genes MAOA and CDH13 are not shown to be directly linked to crime, the prisoners who had a combination of MAOA and CDH13 were extremely more likely to be in a small group of super violent repeat offenders”(“A Gene For Violence”). With a risky grouping of certain gene combinations, the said person has a much higher chance of reacting violently to scenarios when it is a fight-or-flight situation. “Intoxication, they say, is a feature of most of the violent crimes in Finland. They propose that intoxicants interact with MAOA-L to affect brain neurotransmitters and produce impulsive aggression”(“Do the MAOA and CDH13”). Even though the way the genes MAOA, CDH13, and MAOA-l affect the brain’s ability to function correctly, it is not the only factor that goes into more violently natured people. Alcohol goes hand in hand with MAOA and people with MAOA become extremely more violent when intoxicated. MAOA, CDH13, and MAOA-l affect the way the brain functions by distorting the way the signals are received in the

One factor that influences the likelihood of criminal behavior involves a person’s genetics. Certain inherited behaviors can lead people to be more likely to have criminal behaviors. Stated in the article "The Criminal Mind,” Arian Raine explains, “More than 100 studies of twins and adopted children have confirmed that about half of the variance in aggressive and antisocial behavior can be attributed to genetics.” (Raine). Aggressive and antisocial behaviors are found in many criminals. Research proves that these behaviors can be due to genetics, and this makes these behaviors a genetic influence to criminal behavior. Additionally, anybody can be a criminal, but gender plays a role in their chances as well. In the article “Born

Evidence indicates that genetic factors may play a role in development of disruptive behavior disorders (Hansell & Damour, 2005). A biological structure of an infant’s brain has preposition genes and chemical responses to develop into an adult (Perry, 2002). Disorders in lifespan development are not biologically set to occur (Dombeck, 2010). Issues’ dealing with environment, education, and way of life has made changes in developments, childhood behavior keeps a child on a continuum between normal and abnormal behavior (Hansell & Damour, 2005). Several disorders currently exist in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) because studies on children, adolescent, and young adult disorders evolved from DSM-II (Hansell & Damour, 2005).

Antisocial behavior can commonly be described as disruptive acts of hostility and aggression toward others. Gang or gangs is described as an organized group of criminals. This essay will discuss the nature and scope of juvenile antisocial behavior as it relates to organized gangs, discuss three of the most common forms of antisocial behavior in organized gangs, and discuss three proactive solutions to gang violence.

Family characteristics such as poor parenting skills, family size, home discord, child maltreatment, and antisocial parents are factors linked to juvenile delinquency. “Child maltreatment roughly doubles the probability that an individual engages in many types of crime. This is true even if we compare twins, one of whom was maltreated when the other one was not" (Currie, Tekin 6). Similarly, having a parent who ever struck, hit or kicked them increases the probability of criminal activity, and the effect tends to be greater impact if the parent struck them frequently, and are thought to have many harmful long term consequences that could predispose child to risky, self-destructive or aggression behavior and are more likely relative to children in the general population to engage in delinquency. They focus on crime because it is one of the

An estimated heritability rate of 40-50% was found in retrospective reports. Plus, a considerable amount of evidence of prospective reports showed 40-70% of heritability rate in genetic influence in boys and girls with symptoms of conduct disorder (Dick et al. 2011). Genes contribute to half of the variance in antisocial behavior, and the other half is distributed to the non-shared environment (J. C. Barnes and Bruce A. Jacobs,2013) Molecular genetics has already produced a plethora of insights into these links. For example, certain genetic polymorphisms have been associated with various antisocial behaviors such as ADHD, childhood conduct disorder, and adulthood violent

The principles of the biological theories allow us the understanding that all biological theories should evaluate common factors that relate to each other from one biological theory to the other (Schmalleger, 2012). The first parts of the biological theory assess the importance for the theories to make a connection between criminal behavior and the human brain and a person’s personality and the studies of neurology and neurochemistry. This meaning that a person’s ability to control antisocial behavior stems from their environment and the and family genes gives the person directly into right and wrong. There is also a standard that should evaluate the connection between different groups such a sex and racial makeup that that of criminal behavior as well as human instinctive behavior (Dretske, 2014). The link between the evolutionary development of a person criminal behavior or ability to

Juvenile Delinquency is the participation of illegal behavior by a minor who falls under a statutory age limit. A delinquent is a minor who commits a crime or a status offense. A status offense is conduct that is illegal only because the child is under age i.e. smoking cigarettes (Senna 10, 20). The cases of Eric Smith, Lionel Tate, and an unidentified NJ child are similar only because, they are guilty of killing another child, but the Criminal Justice System treated and punished them very differently. In August 1993 in Savona, New York 13 year old Eric Smith killed 4 year old Derrick Robie. Smith lured Robie into the woods and strangled, beat with large rocks, and sodomized Robie. Smith was questioned by police and kept changing some

Society has created four categories, with a possible fifth category, that people fit into. They are childhood, youth, juvenile, adult, and the possible category, the emerging adult, which would fit between juvenile and adult. An emerging adult is someone who has not had certain experiences, such as leaving home, marriage, or employment (Meiners 2011:554). There is also a lack of knowledge or experience that separates children and juveniles from adults, emerging or otherwise. Children are a protected category/class that people have decided needs to be protected. By making these distinctions, people become concerned with what to do to protect children. Meiners states, “childhood is at the heart of prison expansion as false promises of safety

When it comes to juvenile delinquency an adolescent personality is usually impacted from different factors such as early child hood experiences of witnessing a crime, seeing a violent act, being the victim of a crime, or being around others or family who engaged in criminal activity, these factors can either create an adolescent with a positive or negative attitude, or an anti-social behavior which could create a path for a delinquent behavior (Wilson, p. 34). A study has shown that family interactions accounts for about 40 percent of the cause of an adolescent with an anti-social behavior, the study also shown that aggressiveness which is a common trait of adolescent who engage in delinquent acts is usually created from peer influences (Wilson, p. 34).

This essay will compare and contrast some psychological and sociological approaches to studying juvenile delinquency and disorder behaviour. The question is what makes people behave disorderly. Youth disorderly behaviours are studied using different approaches including psychological and sociological approaches. Both psychological and sociological approaches to studying juvenile delinquency are necessary. This essay starts with outlining and defining disorderly behaviour and juvenile delinquency. Then, it will look at the work of Eysenck, the Cambridge Study of Delinquent Development research which was a longitude study and the Integrated Cognitive Antisocial Potential theory by Farrington, all fit in psychological approach; studying the connection between personality and disorder. It will then look at Sociological approach by looking at the work of Howard Becker, Stan Cohen and Stuart Hall. This essay will be analysing and comparing their theories and separating the differences and noting the similarities in their ideas. This essay will provide evidence for each theory. It will then conclude by specifying significant similarities and differences in the light of the evidence presented.

Through an understanding of causes of juvenile delinquency society may come to deal preventively with delinquency; certainly treatment of the offender needs to be based upon an understanding of the causal mechanisms that have produced him. In this paper we'll describe three theories of juvenile delinquency such as Social Learning Theory, General Strain Theory and Behavioral Theory and discuss appropriate preventive programs based upon these theories.