Criminology is the study of lawmaking, lawbreaking, and society’s response to crime. It involves investigating the reasons behind criminal behavior and societal reactions to it. One theory in Criminology is the Life Course Theory, which focuses on understanding how antisocial behavior develops, identifying risk factors at different ages, and examining the impact of life events on individual growth. The goal of this theory is to comprehend the causes and elements that contribute to criminal actions. Another theory in Criminology is Integrated Theories of Crime, which aims to unify diverse ideological perspectives by incorporating variables from various theoretical approaches.
These theories surpass older ones criticized for reductionism by incorporating ecological, socialization, psychological, biological, and economic factors into a comprehensive framework. One possible approach to understanding crime is investigating its causes, such as how growing up in an abusive household can impact individuals’ adoption of similar behaviors later on. Antisocial behavior typically initiates early in life and frequently persists throughout adolescence and adulthood.
Early antisocial behavior can result in more severe outcomes, but early intervention can deter delinquency. There are two categories of people: adolescent-limited delinquents who solely engage in illegal activities during their youth, and life-course-persistent offenders who persistently partake in criminal actions and antisocial behavior into adulthood. The Integrated theory brings together explanations of crime based on strain, self-control, and social learning to create a comprehensive comprehension of various forms of antisocial behavior and the interactions that foster crime and delinquency.
For instance, individuals who have a higher degree of control imposed on them compared to the control they exercise over others are prone to becoming antisocial. A concrete illustration of this is a child who gets physically abused by their parents, as they are more inclined to engage in delinquent actions compared to those who don’t experience such maltreatment. Conversely, individuals who exert excessive control over others are also prone to displaying antisocial behavior. Those who maintain a balance of control are less likely to adopt antisocial tendencies and partake in illegal or unacceptable conduct.
As per the Life Course Theory, aggressive or antisocial behavior in children is persistent and can result in delinquency during adolescence. Studies suggest that this conduct can be recognized as early as three or four years old. If it persists until third grade, it transforms into a chronic issue necessitating intervention. Consequently, prevention and early intervention play a vital role in steering children away from this harmful trajectory.
There are three types of students in every school: regular students, high-risk students, and those who already display antisocial behavior. To effectively tackle possible issues, a recommended strategy involves prevention and intervention. This strategy encompasses primary prevention – engaging in school-wide initiatives to prevent the development of antisocial patterns – as well as secondary prevention, which concentrates on specific preventive measures for at-risk individuals.
Simply put, tertiary prevention involves providing continuous and intensive assistance to students who consistently display antisocial behavior, delinquency, violence, and destructive tendencies. The aim of these services is to involve children in activities that discourage antisocial behavior. Life-course criminology focuses on three primary factors: the emergence of antisocial behavior, inadequate parenting and misconduct during early childhood, and the negative effects of school failure and social rejection on antisocial behavior. Insufficient parenting often serves as an initial catalyst for delinquency by setting a negative precedent through harsh disciplinary actions.
Moreover, when parents neglect to monitor their children’s activities, it heightens the chances of their offspring getting involved in antisocial conduct. This absence of adequate parenting and detrimental behaviors can result in more severe problems during middle childhood. As indicated by the social development model, children predominantly acquire behavior patterns, whether positive or negative, from the influences of their family and school during elementary school years. Nonetheless, as children advance through elementary school, the impacts of peers and the neighborhood start to have a greater impact.
Research suggests that children who display antisocial behavior tend to have lower academic performance. They disrupt the learning environment, ignore assignments, and spend less time on academic tasks. Moreover, they lack important skills such as consistent attendance and active participation. Antisocial behavior is also influenced by social exclusion. Additionally, different age groups are susceptible to involvement in criminal activities due to factors associated with their age. Juvenile delinquents can make a significant contribution to overall criminal behavior.
Some youths, referred to as life-course persistent offenders, do not fully fit into society and are constantly on the edge of different social groups. This eventually leads them into the juvenile justice system. These individuals consistently engage in criminal activities throughout their lives. Their antisocial behavior evolves over time, starting from acts like biting and hitting at age four, progressing to shoplifting and truancy at age ten, then moving on to selling drugs and stealing cars at age sixteen. At age twenty-two, they commit robbery and rape, and ultimately engage in fraud and child abuse by age thirty.
The expression of disposition may vary as new social opportunities arise during development, but the core disposition remains unchanged. This pattern of change is also apparent in cross-situational consistency. People with persistent antisocial behavior throughout their lives engage in different types of misconduct, such as theft, cheating, and fighting. They may even commit embezzlement at work. Moreover, the influence of life events on development is another crucial aspect of the life course. Genetic and social factors, along with family dynamics, contribute to shaping the development of individuals, societies, and cultures.
The development of individuals is influenced by genetics, which are ingrained in their bio-chemical makeup. Gazzaniga (1985, p. 11) states that the psychological traits of individuals depend not only on environmental events but also on their innate architecture. Humans must have their basic needs met to function, but for effective functioning in society, it is crucial for individuals to have their fundamental social needs met in an emotionally satisfactory way for personal security (Montagu, 1966, p. 9). The early belief and value systems of individuals are often shaped by their family social environment. In summary, the Life Course Theory demonstrates how a person’s analysis stems from their environment, culture, and social connections; this can lead to a tendency towards anti-social behavior.
Work Cited
- Fuller, John R. Think Criminology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
- Gazzaniga, M. S. (1985). The Social Brain – Discovering the Networks of the Mind. New York; Basic Books Montagu, A. (1966).
- On Being Human. New York: Hawthorn Books;
