Reply to both 250 words please
1)
Casey, S. (2011). Understanding Young Offenders: Developmental Criminology. The Open Criminology Journal 4(1). (pp. 13-22). Retrieved from https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOCRIJ/TOCRIJ-4-13.pdf
Summary:
Sharon Casey’s research study discussed the relationship between youth and criminal behavior, also known as developmental and life-courses (DLC) theories, because not like other non-developmental theories, Casey argued that developmental theories can help to explain the human behavior and criminality especially in young age because changes of lifespan can cause human to act in criminal behavior. Furthermore, developmental theories focus on “the development of offending and antisocial behavior; risk and protective factors at different ages; and the effects of life events on the course of development” (Casey, 2011, p. 13). The researcher used previous research studies to discuss young offenders and criminal behavior. In the article, Casey discussed the perspective of rehabilitative and developmental and life-courses theory into youth and criminal behavior. For example, Casey stated “From rehabilitative perspective, DLC approaches are documented and explained within-individual variations in offending throughout life; more relevant to causes, prevention, and treatment than the between-individual variations articulated in many of the static theories”; whereas for DLC perspective in criminology, “human development can be understood in: the potential changes across the lifespan; there are relationships which occur within the multiple levels of factors (biological, psychological, social relational, and socio-cultural) to the changes during the lifespan; each factors face a consequences of its fusion or inter-relation with other factors (continuity or discontinuity); individual development is embedded in the historical period of study” (Casey, 2011, p. 14-15). Furthermore, Casey cited Thornberry’s argument on disadvantages of non-developmental theories (rational choice theory, social control theories, social process theories, and so on) by claiming that non-developmental theories “failed to identify and offer explanations for many important aspects of offending career; failed to identify types of offenders based on developmental considerations; insufficient examination of the precursor behavior of the young or the outcomes of such behavior; neglected to relate developmental changes of the life courses as it relates to delinquent behavior” (as cited in Casey, 2011, p. 15).
Opinion:
I strongly agree with Casey’s research study on developmental theories and argument against the non-developmental theories for various reasons. First, the non-developmental theories do not provide explanations of aspects of lifespan which can cause humans to behave in criminal behavior. For example, developmental theories focused on lifespan changes or events during childhood to adulthood; for instance, a child who grew up in divorced parents can lead the child to change his/her behavior by showing aggressive and/or trouble with friends and at schools. Whereas non-developmental theories focused only on biological, psychological and social relations to criminal behavior; for instance, social process or social structure theories focused on humans’ behavior to social relations which can impact humans’ behavior to criminal behavior. Second, developmental theories may help to identify offenses which may lead youths to commit in the future; for instance, a youth who committed habitual petty theft at a young age can lead to commit robbery in adulthood. Third, the developmental theories focused on causes and preventions; for instance, a youth who committed habitual petty theft at a young age can be prevented to commit further crimes by receiving help from behavioral counselors, school supports, and parents. Overall, developmental theories correlated non-developmental theories to human behavior and criminality; however, developmental theories should be focused more because changes during lifespan can change human behavior from good to bad or vice versa. Also, I do believe that developmental theories can help youth offenders from further crimes and prevent criminality in adulthood because of understanding of change in humans’ behavior in lifespan.
Weak Points:
Within the research study, I do believe there were weak points, such as correlation from young offenders to adult criminal behavior and lacking statistical analysis. The research study was basically descriptive research study, so it was a helpful resource to understand developmental theories. Another weak point of the research study was that it lacked correlation of developmental theories of youth offenders to adulthood criminal behavior. If there was a statistical analysis and further explanation of connection of youth offender to adulthood criminal behavior, the readers may be more convinced to the research study.
2)
Developmental Approach: Terrie Moffitthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__eZol2qwSILinks to an external site.
Developmental Theory
The video I chose for this discussion discusses Terrie Moffitt’s work on adolescent-limited and life course persistent offenders. The video looks at the differences between the two groups. Adolescent-limited offenders refers to those who will commit offenses in their youth years, but grow out of it as they get older. These individuals can engage in criminal activity due to who they choose to hang out with, make connections with, or their lower level of maturity for their age. These individuals “age out of crime,” (Harper, 2020). Life course offenders refers to those who continue to commit crimes into adulthood. To distinguish why youth may be life course offenders can have neurological differences in their behaviors and brain functions. Life course offenders can have issues with risk evaluation, memory, and information processing. The individuals can be antisocial in life. Neurological tests can be conducted to determine this. Moffitt believed that life course offenders possess certain biological propensities, but social environment can mitigate these. This group of offenders tend to be more vulnerable unless they have a strong family presence. Risk factors and protective factors are discussed. Risk factors are those that can generate criminal activity such as poor home life, poor school experience, maturity, neurological issues, and peer influence. Protective factors are those that protect against risk factors. These can include, good home life, positive influence from peers and maturity due to upbringing.
I agree with this prospective to a degree. I do believe that there are other factors that play in the reason individuals commit crimes but I do believe that having a strong healthy childhood plays a major role in future decision making for individuals. I am also a believer in mental health and feel that neurological issues can also play a role in a person’s ability to understand their decision making and realizing the true degree of a risk. Social environment is a crucial part of an individuals personality and aids in what their values are as they grow up. Adding in peers or negative influences that engage in criminal activity can mitigate a person’s values and beliefs. You can take a child who grows up in the perfect scenario with very supportive parents, great friends at school, and having all of their essentials at hand, and this child could make contact and connect with a negative influential peer in their teenage years. If this influence is powerful enough, that child could begin to act in ways their peer does or be influenced enough to believe their way of life is “easier.” I have always been a believer that it only takes one person to change who you are if you let it.
No perspective is perfect and they will all have some weaknesses. With this perspective, I feel this way of looking at neurological issues gives an offender an “excuse” to use in the future when confronted about their behavior. I feel this same way about individuals who grow up in a poor family life. At the end of the day, there are many factors that play in a reason a person will engage in criminal activity, but that choice is ultimately their own. Coming from being raised in an area that could have been very negatively influential myself, I chose to learn from the mistakes of those around me and understand that I wanted a different life for myself.
REFERENCE:
Harper, Craig (October 3, 2020). Explanations of Crime: Developmental Approaches-Terrie Moffitt.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__eZol2qwSI
