INSTRUCTIONS: Who is to blame, the individual or society?
James T. Johnson is a 24-year-old construction worker who lives at
home with his mother. During the week, he goes to work on time, does
his work, and comes home. Occasionally, he will go out with a group of
coworkers on a Friday evening. He has one other secret. He burglarizes
homes and garages in the neighboring communities, selling what he
steals via the internet or at pawn shops two counties over.
This past weekend, he was arrested during a burglary when he entered a
home where the home owner was present. His mother had to mortgage her
home to bail him out of jail. While driving him home, she started to
berate him, stating that he has ended up "just like his father, a
criminal" and that she will probably end up dying early due to the
stress of having a criminal son.
James was angry and blurted out that it was her fault, that this was
the only life he knew because his father never taught him anything
worthwhile. He said that his mother and father fought all the time,
and the main subject of the their fights was his constant drinking.
Assignment Guidelines
•Using the scenario above, address the following in 1,000–1,250 words:
& #9702;Do you think James learned his behavior from his father?
Explain your reasoning.
& #9702;Could there have been other contributing factors that would
have an effect on the problem? Explain.
& #9702;Do you think that if James were removed from his home as a
juvenile, he would have become a burglar?
& #9702;Are the statements from James about responsibility only used to
shift blame? Why or why not?
& #9702;Research reaction formation, and apply this theory to James's
situation.
& #9632;How is this related to strain theory? Explain.
& #9632;How is this related to subculture perspective? Explain.
•Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.
Criminology
Numerous scholars agree that
parents with criminal behavior highly impact their children which could then
result to juvenile delinquency. In fact, a large body of studies show that
convicted mothers or fathers often have children who are law offenders as well.
In this case, it is worthy to note that James’ mother blurted out the statement
that he will “end up just like his father, a criminal”. Such line therefore
suggests that James’ father may have been convicted of a crime before.
Consequently, it is also probably that James’ behavior may have been influenced
by his father’s. Similarly, it is also likely that as a child, James may have
acquired or learned such behavior from his father but was only developed during
his adult years (Farrington, 2010, p. 210).
Apart from the father’s
criminal history, there are a number of factors that may have contributed to
James’ behavior. Child experts maintain that parental style and upbringing as
well as the child’s environment are two of the most influential factors that
affect a juvenile’s behavior. According to recent research, children who were
brought up in homes characterized by lack of love and affection, whose parents
lack proper parental skills, and whose lives are filled with violence or abuse
will more likely develop to become delinquents. Alternatively, children who
grew up with a supportive and loving family will more likely develop a positive
attitude of trust and responsibility. In addition to this parallel studies
suggest that individuals convicted of a serious offense are often a product of predictors
such as low parental affection and warmth, constant parental discord, and
improper parental discipline and supervision among many others. The findings of
these researches therefore suggest that the presence or absence parental
monitoring is an essential element commonly related to delinquency.
In this case study, James
was apparently a product of a chaotic household as his parents are constantly
arguing and bickering. As such, it is likely that James compulsive behavior to
steal roots from his unhappy childhood filled with by parental discord and
conflict.
Another contributing
factor that caused James’ theft behavior is his family’s economic condition.
Studies show that family with low socio-economic status is a predictor of an
individual’s criminal behavior (Farrington, 2010, p. 211). It can be therefore
suggested that James participation in criminal activities such as theft or
burglary is a result of growing up in a deprived and impoverished environment.
This case study can be
analyzed by using the Strain Theory, which posits that social structures or
culture within a society are the main reasons why an individual chooses to
commit a crime. Merton suggests that the deviance within society is in fact, a
product of the culture and society’s shared values and beliefs. In addition to this, the subculture
perspective asserts that certain groups or subculture within a community
display attitudes and values that fosters negative behaviors such as crimes and
violence. In this situation, it can be noted that James’ family and low
socio-economic status is represented by his family and his environment. As
James grew up in a surrounding filled with parental conflict, it is highly
probable that the subject grew up in a social structure with crime, tension,
and conflict as the dominant values. These strains therefore exposed James to negative
emotions such as anger or frustration which then caused the subject engage in
unlawful activities (Merton, 2013, p.125).
References
Farrington, D. (2010). Family Influences on Delinquency. NY: Jones and Barlett Publishers
Merton, R. (2013). Social Theory and Social Structure. NY: Free Press
Smith, C. & Stern, S. (1997) Delinquency and
antisocial behavior. Social Science Review,
71,
382-420. 
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