Dominate integrated theories

Dominate integrated theories

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Institution

Juvenile delinquency refers to criminal or antisocial act performed by a person under eighteen years. There are three dominant integrated theories that try to give an understanding of juvenile delinquency; these include physiological, sociological, and biological theories. According to biological theories, persons are predisposed to committing crime; individuals that commit crimes usually inherit some genetic and biochemical factors from their lineage. The biological theory further argues that individuals that are criminals tend to possess some physical traits that are usually considered a predisposition to commit crimes (Champion, 2004). Besides, the biological theory utilizes the idea of genetic abnormalities; these abnormalities lead to criminal and violent behavior. Rather than predisposing factors in the biological theory, physiological theory is based on the condition processes. According to this theory, the id controls an immediate gratification to a person committing crime. The physiological theory is also based on the development of a person’s ego and superego (Champion, 2004).

On the other hand, the sociological theory is usually based on how a person is socialized. The learning process that an individual undergoes determines how an individual responds to crime; a person that learns how to commit a crime as he grows is likely to engage in criminal activities before he becomes an adult (Bartollas & miller, 2011). The physiological and sociological theories are similar in that both theories involve a learning process. Besides, there is the notion of conformity in both theories. In addition, the two theories are similar in that they involve the concept of adaptation. The sociological theory is the most relevant theory in explaining the understanding of juvenile delinquency since most minors today engage in criminal activities as a result of learning it from their role models.

References

Bartollas, C., & Miller, S. (2011). Juvenile justice in America (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Champion, D.J. (2004). The juvenile justice system: delinquency, processing, and the law. {4th Ed}. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Inc.