Analysis Of Juvenile Delinquency Theory, Practice And Law

1. In Juvenile Delinquency Theory, Practice and Law by Larry J. Siegel and Brandon C. Welsh explains in chapter 4 the different causes of delinquent behavior (128). One of the more familiar theories used to explain why juveniles commit crimes is Strain Theory, Merton’s Theory of Anomie. Robert Merton used a slightly different concept of anomie that would explain the environments in the U.S society (142). Children of Low income families, who don’t receive good education and proper resources, are excluded of things they need and want such as sufficient amounts of money, authority and to fulfill their accomplishments,. Later, many result in alternatives such as stealing in order to fulfill their desires and dreams. Merton explained that an individual has its own goals and dreams they wish and how to achieve them. …show more content…
Conformity is the concept that many people desire things such as being wealthy and successful and the only way it can happen is through receiving a good education and working at a job that pays enough (142). Innovation involves the lack of financial stability, many children wish to have high fashion materialistic things but with little funds they are unable to get it, resulting in them participating in criminal behavior. (142). Ritualism involves a practice of religion and belief that nonetheless may not have a meaning behind it (142). Retreatism involves the denial of both the goals objectives and the meanings of trying to achieve them (142). And lastly, Rebellion involves the attempt to create and improve new goals to replace the old goals