PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF DELINQUENCY (FROM CRIMINOLOGY IN PERSPECTIVE - ESSAYS IN HONOR OF ISRAEL DRAPKIN, 1977 BY SIMHA F LANDAU AND LESLIE SEBBA - SEE NCJ-45543)

• NCJ Number: 45550
• Author(s): F FERRACUTI; G R NEWMAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 23 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF DELINQUENCY ARE CONSIDERED RELATIVE TO UNCHANGING INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS, CHANGEABLE INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS, AND INTERPERSONAL FACTORS; DIFFERENT PREVENTION IMPLICATIONS ARE NOTED.

Abstract

UNCHANGING INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS MAY BE DEFINED AS FACTORS WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL THAT INFLUENCE THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR BUT ARE GENERALLY NOT SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY THE INDIVIDUAL HIMSELF. CHANGEABLE INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS ARE THOSE FACTORS WITHIN AN INDIVIDUAL WHICH MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, EITHER BY THE INDIVIDUAL HIMSELF OR WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF EXTERNAL AGENTS. INTERPERSONAL FACTORS ARE THOSE WHICH INFLUENCE THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR AS A RESULT OF HIS INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS. GROUPED UNDER THE RUBRIC OF 'UNCHANGING INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS' ARE DISPOSITIONAL THEORIES, WHICH PRESUME THAT THE INDIVIDUAL DELINQUENT IS IN SOME WAY A DEVIATION FROM THE NORMAL AND THUS DISPOSED TO DELINQUENCY; INSTINCT THEORIES, IN WHICH BASIC GENERAL DISPOSITIONS TO ACT ARE POSTULATED AND ACCORDING TO WHICH ALL PERSONS POTENTIALLY ARE DELINQUENTS OR CRIMINALS; AND MATURATION THEORIES, UNDER WHICH THE IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MATURATION AS RELATED TO ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR IS POINTED OUT. THE CATEGORY OF 'CHANGING INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS' INCLUDES: THEORIES OF EMOTIONAL CONFLICT, OR FREUDIAN THEORY, WHICH EMPLOY THE PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH AND SEE THE INDIVIDUAL IN CONSTANT CONFLICT WITH HIS OWN PRIMITIVE URGES; IDENTITY THEORIES, WHICH EMPHASIZE THE ROLE OF SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S DEVELOPMENT OF AN EGO IDENTITY; THEORIES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT, IN WHICH PIAGET AND OTHERS HAVE SEEN THE MORAL DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD AS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HIS COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT; AND 'BOTTLING' THEORIES, ACCORDING TO WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL'S FRUSTRATION AT BEING THWARTED IN SEEKING A GOAL OR REWARD TURNS TO AGGRESSION. NUMBERED AMONG THE 'INTERPERSONAL THEORIES' ARE THE SOCIAL LEARNING THEORIES, INCLUDING STIMULUS CONTROL, REINFORCEMENT CONTROL, COGNITIVE CONTROL, AND MODELING, ALL OF WHICH EXPLAIN HOW BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED, REGULATED, AND MAINTAINED; FAMILY DYNAMICS THEORY, WHICH EXPLAINS INDIVIDUAL MOTIVATIONS TO DEVIANCE BY POINTING TO COMMON MALADJUSTED PATTERNS OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS; AND ATTRIBUTION THEORY, WHICH RELATES TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR AS PERCEIVED BY THAT INDIVIDUAL AND AS PERCEIVED BY OTHERS. CONCLUSIONS INCLUDE: (1) PREVENTION STRATEGY SHOULD BE LEVELED TOWARD THE SCHOOL; (2) A MAJOR STRATEGY SHOULD BE TO REDUCE SCHOOL FAILURES; (3) RESEARCH IS NEEDED INTO COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES TO SCHOOLING; (4) STATEGIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR USE WITH THE SCHOOL TO REESTABLISH THE TEACHER'S ROLE AS AUTHORITY FIGURE AND TO INCREASE THE ACCURACY OF STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEMSELVES AND OF OTHER'S BEHAVIOR; (5) RADICAL MEASURES, SUCH AS THE USE OF DRUGS TO CONTROL BEHAVIOR, SHOULD ONLY BE USED WHEN THE ILL EFFECTS OF THEIR USE WOULD BE OUTWEIGHTED BY THE ILL EFFECTS OF PROLONGED INCARCERATION; (6) TREATMENT OF DELINQUENTS, IF PROVIDED, SHOULD BE ALONG THE LINES OF FAMILY THERAPY; AND (7) A MULTIFACETED, INTEGRATED MODEL OF PSYHCOLOGICAL THEORIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. (DAS)