Perhaps, though, it is not necessarily just the label of delinquent that is the cause of a juvenile’s recidivism, but rather the stigmatization that occurs from the label of delinquent. Contrary to Chiricos (2007), Klein (1974) suggested that things such as social bonds and other’s perceptions of those labeled as a felon are more so the reasons for recidivism, not just the fact that the labeled juvenile now sees him/herself as a delinquent. The so-called delinquent “stigma” is more powerful than the label of delinquent itself. Haggard et al. found that after being incarcerated, half of the participants in the study confirmed that they were forced to live restricted lives and cope with societal stigmatization (2001). In agreement with Klein
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Robert K. Merton once wrote in his Social Structures and Anomie: “Today, as then, we have still much to learn about the processes through which social structures generate the circumstances in which infringement of social codes constitutes a “normal” (that is to say, an expectable) response” (Lemert, p. 175). This quote by Merton effectively captures the societal need to identify all of the possible causes of juvenile delinquency and use the findings to identify effective preventative measures to juvenile delinquency. This would diminish the number of infringements of social codes by showing juveniles what constitutes “normal” and acceptable behaviors. Prevention of deviant and delinquent behavior should be the main focus of sociologists, psychologists, and criminologists alike, not punishment or rehabilitation. This is mentioned because Haggard et al. (2001) found that sanctions for disobedience to the law, did not decrease the incidences of offending behavior, therefore stopping the behavior before it happens would be more effective. Certain preventative measures might include simple programs that focus on integration within a society by establishing societal norms and boundaries, as well as establishing life purpose for juveniles to boost self-control and esteem. Juveniles are a vulnerable part of our overall population, and therefore appropriate care should be taken to prevent juvenile delinquency. In doing so, juveniles have the chance they deserve to have an improved future with less adult criminality and related
Robert K. Merton once wrote in his Social Structures and Anomie: “Today, as then, we have still much to learn about the processes through which social structures generate the circumstances in which infringement of social codes constitutes a “normal” (that is to say, an expectable) response” (Lemert, p. 175). This quote by Merton effectively captures the societal need to identify all of the possible causes of juvenile delinquency and use the findings to identify effective preventative measures to juvenile delinquency. This would diminish the number of infringements of social codes by showing juveniles what constitutes “normal” and acceptable behaviors. Prevention of deviant and delinquent behavior should be the main focus of sociologists, psychologists, and criminologists alike, not punishment or rehabilitation. This is mentioned because Haggard et al. (2001) found that sanctions for disobedience to the law, did not decrease the incidences of offending behavior, therefore stopping the behavior before it happens would be more effective. Certain preventative measures might include simple programs that focus on integration within a society by establishing societal norms and boundaries, as well as establishing life purpose for juveniles to boost self-control and esteem. Juveniles are a vulnerable part of our overall population, and therefore appropriate care should be taken to prevent juvenile delinquency. In doing so, juveniles have the chance they deserve to have an improved future with less adult criminality and related