Juvenile Delinquency | EssayIvy.com

Running head: SOCIAL STRAINS THAT PROMOTE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 1

Social Strains That Promote Juvenile Delinquency

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SOCIAL STRAINS THAT PROMOTE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 2

Social Strains That Promote Juvenile Delinquency

Many criminological theories have emerged over the years seeking to establish the

causes of prevalent criminal acts in specific segments of the society. The theories continue to

be reviewed, both individually and in combination, by stakeholders exploring on ways to

control or prevent crime from happening (Crow & Smykla, 2013). On this basis, the

subsequent paragraphs of this paper are centered on the Strain Anomie Theory, postulated by

Robert Merton, as one of theoretical frameworks that attempts to associate an array of social

factors to juvenile delinquency.

The underlying argument in favor of this theory is that certain strains or stressors

increase the likelihood of committing crime. Thus, instances of strains may include the

inability for the adolescents to achieve life goals, such as money and quality education; the

loss of a positive stimuli, such the demise of a friend or a valued possession; and the

presentation of such a negative stimuli as verbal abuse (Crow & Smykla, 2013). In response,

the victims may turn to crime as a coping mechanism for reducing or escaping from strains.

Based on the tenets of the strain theory I concur that there exists a correlation between

crime and juvenile delinquency. For instance, John Bowlby, in his Attachment Theory

independently observes that a significant number of juveniles with errant and antisocial

behaviors have a history cold relationship with parents (Hollin, 2013). Notably, parents with

a drinking or substance abuse habit may turn violent towards their children. Such negative

stimuli compel the children to begin viewing the world as unfair and one in which they have

to fight against to ensure survival. Here, survival mechanisms may include running from the

abusive parents and engaging in drug abuse in order to feel better. On the same note, the

inability by the parents to indiscipline the child also contributes to deviant behaviors that may

be irreparable in the future. An applicable scenario in this case includes the failure by the

parent to punish a child who deliberately skips school. In the end, the child is unable to

SOCIAL STRAINS THAT PROMOTE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 3

achieve life goals enjoyed by peers who went through school, and thus resorts to delinquent

behaviors.

Through the prisms of the Relative Deprivation Theory, I further find it reasonable to

agree that the loss of a positive stimulus, as exemplified earlier, can also lead to high cases of

juvenile delinquency. The Relative Deprivation theory fosters an argument that, for instance,

children who lose parents in their dependence age may feel disappointed in life because they

have certain expectations from their parents (Kendall, 2008). At least, they expect someone to

be there to provide them with basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. In the absence

of such provisions the underage will yield in to social pressure to earn a decent life like the

one enjoyed by their peers. Noteworthy, in this case, is that the end means could mean the

children engaging in crimes.

The above discourse on the correlation between juvenile delinquency and the

scholarly frameworks of the Strain Anomie theory puts emphasis on the need to have a

functional family structure as well as a caring society. Such an arrangement is devoid of

violence, abuse, and negligence towards children in the dependency stage. Ultimately, the

children begin acquiring positive values right from their formative years.

SOCIAL STRAINS THAT PROMOTE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 4

References

Crow, M. S., & Smykla, J. O. (2013). Offender reentry. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett

Publishers.

Hollin, C. R. (2013). Psychology and Crime: An introduction to criminological psychology.

Routled Abingdonge, UK: Routledge.

Kendall, D. (2008). Sociology in Our Times: The essentials. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

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