Crime and Juvenile Delinquency in Sociology

Core Concepts in Sociology

Introduction to Crime and Juvenile Delinquency

  • Authors: Joseph Asomah, Hongming Cheng, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Definition: Crime and juvenile delinquency are universal public concerns that vary in scope by country.
  • Legalistic Approach:
    • Views crime and juvenile delinquency as actions prohibited by law.
    • Consequences include formal punishment and/or treatment for the offender.
  • Sociological Approach:
    • Focuses on crime and juvenile delinquency as violations of social norms.
    • Examines the relationship between crime/delinquency and social factors using various sociological methods (e.g., surveys, experiments, historical data).

Deviance and Its Definitions

  • Deviance:
    • Defined as any departure from societal expectations, including acts that violate laws.
  • Crime:
    • Committed by adults when they break criminal laws.
  • Juvenile Delinquency:
    • Refers to minors (youths) who violate legal or social norms.
    • Defined sociologically and legally as engaging in behaviors deemed delinquent.
  • Legal Framework:
    • Establishes age limits for minors (e.g., in many Western countries, under 18).
  • Status Offenses:
    • Violations applicable only to minors (e.g., alcohol consumption laws), which adults are legally exempt from.

Prevalence of Juvenile Delinquency

  • Growing Concern:
    • The nature and extent of juvenile delinquency vary by context.
    • Key questions in sociology: Why do some exhibit deviant behavior? Why do others conform?

Theories of Crime and Juvenile Delinquency

Historical Overview
  • Adolphe Quetelet:
    • 1830s; pioneered crime data collection and analysis, linking crime socially.
  • Enrico Ferri:
    • Published Criminal Sociology in 1884, contributing to formal sociology of crime.
Major Sociological Theories
  1. Social Structure Theories:
    • Propose that societal structures contribute to crime and delinquency.
    • Emile Durkheim:
      • Crime occurs when societal structures stop fulfilling their roles.
    • Social Disorganization Theory:
      • Prominent in Chicago School; attributes delinquency to poor neighborhood support systems.
      • Link to Burgess's Concentric Zone Model:
      • Suggests geographic factors correlate with delinquency rates.
  2. Merton's Strain Theory (1938):
    • Posits that societal pressures lead youth in poverty to adopt illegitimate means to realize the American Dream.
  3. Cohen's Status Frustration Theory (1955):
    • Suggests urban boys face challenges meeting middle-class expectations, leading to delinquent subcultures.
  4. Cloward and Ohlin's Differential Opportunity Theory (1960):
    • Differentiates access to legitimate and illegitimate opportunities; impacts the forms of delinquency.
    • Focus on types of gangs:
      • Criminal gangs
      • Retreatist gangs
      • Conflict gangs
Learning Theories
  • Propose crime and delinquency are learned behaviors.
  • Edwin Sutherland's Differential Association Theory (1947):
    • Both delinquency and conformity are learned through social exposure.
  • Neutralization Theory by Sykes and Matza (1957):
    • Discusses the rationalizations youths use to justify delinquency:
    • Denial of responsibility
    • Denial of injury
    • Denial of the victim
    • Condemnation of the condemners
    • Appeals to higher loyalties
Social Control Theories

  • Address reasons for conforming instead of deviance.

  • Based on Durkheim's view of societal norms.

  • Travis Hirschi's Social Bonds Theory:

    • Identifies four types of bonds:
    • Attachment: Emotional connections
    • Involvement: Participation in conventional activities
    • Commitment: Investment in conventional society
    • Belief: Acceptance of norms and values

  • General Theory of Crime:

    • Developed by Hirschi and Gottfredson (1990), it emphasizes low self-control from ineffective parenting leading to delinquency.

  • Laub and Sampson's Approach (1993):

    • Suggests social changes can redirect delinquent paths.
Interpretive and Critical Theories
  • Focus on contextual factors like power dynamics and societal reactions.
  • Labeling Theory (Becker 1963):
    • Argues stigmatization from authorities can lead to deviant identities and lifestyles.
    • Implications for policy:
    • Suggests decriminalizing minor offenses and reducing youth incarceration.
  • Conflict Theories:
    • Address the power struggles within society, linking crime rates to class conflicts and the treatment of lower-class youths.
  • Feminist Theories:
    • Challenge male-centric sociological narratives, advocating for studies that accurately represent female experiences.

Conclusion

  • The sociology of crime and delinquency is vital for advancing legal and juvenile justice systems.
  • Future insights depend on collaborative efforts in research and theory in the field.

References

  • Becker, H. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York: Free Press.
  • Cloward, R.A., & Ohlin, L.E. (1960). Delinquency and Opportunity: A Theory of Delinquent Gangs. New York: Free Press.
  • Cohen, A.K. (1955). Delinquent Boys: The Culture of the Gang. New York: Free Press.
  • Gottfredson, M.R., & Hirschi, T. (1990). A General Theory of Crime. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
  • Hirschi, T. (1969 [2006]). Causes of Delinquency, 5th ed. New Brunswick, NJ, and London: Transaction.
  • Laub, J.H., & Sampson, R.J. (1993). "Turning Points in the Life Course: Why Change Matters to the Study of Crime." Criminology, 31(3), 301-325.
  • Merton, K.R. (1938). "Social Structure and Anomie." American Sociological Review, 3, 753-758.
  • Shaw, C.R., & McKay, H.D. (2006). "Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas." In Cullen, F.T. & Agnew, R. (Eds.), Criminological Theories: Past to Present, 3rd ed. Los Angeles: Roxbury.
  • Sutherland, E. (1947). Principles of Criminology, 4th ed. Chicago: J.B. Lippincott.
  • Sykes, G.M., & Matza, D. (1957). "Techniques of Neutralization." American Sociological Review, 22, 664-670.