Since the Enlightenment period, scientists, organizations, and other thinkers have established multiple theories on criminal behavior. Some have focused on how criminal behaviors are fostered while others center their studies on prevention and correction. Some of the theories presented over the years are the Psychological or Psychoanalytic theories, the Sociological or Cognitive Development theories, and the Biological and Learning theories. Each of these theories addresses different factors relating to the initial stages of and the fostering or supporting factors of criminal behavior. We discuss three of the theories that are most relevant to society and behaviors today. The Psychoanalytic theory (Sigmund Freud) suggests that humans have
…show more content…
According to Lawrence Kohlberg there are also multiple stages of the moral reasoning involved in this line of thinking; the Preconventional stage, the Conventional stage, and the Postconventional stage. During the preconventional stage is said to be at the point of middle childhood where a child’s moral reasoning is based upon being obedient to avoid being punished. During the conventional stage, the child is at the end of their middle childhood phase and beginning to understand the overall moral and behavioral expectations of their parents and society around them. The postconventional stage is said to be reached during early adulthood. By this point young adults can typically surpass their parents’ and friends’ perceptions and develop their own true values of laws and the social system. According to the cognitive development theory, those who do not successfully age through these stages become deviants or criminals. Being stuck at lower cognitive level leaves theses persons vulnerable for development in the deviant and criminal …show more content…
Aside from true mental disorders, there has been an increase in both severe and petty crimes committed by younger adults. In most cases, when the investigations set it, it is discovered that these adolescents were exposed to deviant, criminal, and/or abusive behaviors as young children through the period at which they were caught committing the crime themselves. Statistics prove that there are millions of ‘parents’ in jails and prisons across the country. As recently as 2008 it was determined that more than 50% of state prisoners and more than 60% of federal prisoners were parents (bjs.gov). More than half of the state and federal inmates are setting a poor example to their children by breaking the law. We can only hope that as these deviant and criminal parents, friends, or acquaintances are captured, sentenced, and incarcerated it will influence their children in a positive way…to not follow suit with the same
According to Lawrence Kohlberg there are also multiple stages of the moral reasoning involved in this line of thinking; the Preconventional stage, the Conventional stage, and the Postconventional stage. During the preconventional stage is said to be at the point of middle childhood where a child’s moral reasoning is based upon being obedient to avoid being punished. During the conventional stage, the child is at the end of their middle childhood phase and beginning to understand the overall moral and behavioral expectations of their parents and society around them. The postconventional stage is said to be reached during early adulthood. By this point young adults can typically surpass their parents’ and friends’ perceptions and develop their own true values of laws and the social system. According to the cognitive development theory, those who do not successfully age through these stages become deviants or criminals. Being stuck at lower cognitive level leaves theses persons vulnerable for development in the deviant and criminal …show more content…
Aside from true mental disorders, there has been an increase in both severe and petty crimes committed by younger adults. In most cases, when the investigations set it, it is discovered that these adolescents were exposed to deviant, criminal, and/or abusive behaviors as young children through the period at which they were caught committing the crime themselves. Statistics prove that there are millions of ‘parents’ in jails and prisons across the country. As recently as 2008 it was determined that more than 50% of state prisoners and more than 60% of federal prisoners were parents (bjs.gov). More than half of the state and federal inmates are setting a poor example to their children by breaking the law. We can only hope that as these deviant and criminal parents, friends, or acquaintances are captured, sentenced, and incarcerated it will influence their children in a positive way…to not follow suit with the same