Juvenile Crime

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the emergence of juvenile crime as a significant criminological issue, raising concern among parents, local and federal police authorities, and government officials alike. The paper focuses on murder committed by juveniles. It then describes several criminological theories that have been applied in an attempt to understand the underlying rationale behind serious criminal acts committed by juveniles.

Table of Contents:
Introduction and Overview
Brief Background of Juvenile Crime
Subculture/Symbolic Interaction Theory
Application of the Symbolic Interaction Theory
Conclusion and Future Recommendations

From the Paper:

"Thus, a review of the literature indicates that Symbolic Interaction theory can best be applied to explain the underlying causes of juvenile crime. This theory best explains juvenile crime because of its focus on self-identity and how the behavior of an individual is both created and influenced by how that individual is categorized and described by others in their society. This can be further demonstrated by stereotyping that occurs everyday in society. As a result, each individual is aware of how they are judged by others because he or she has attempted many different roles and functions in social interactions and has been able to gauge the reactions of those present. This builds a subjective conception of the self, but as others intrude into the reality of that individual's life, this represents objective data which may require a re-evaluation of that conception depending on the authoritativeness of the others' judgment. The more differential the treatment, the more the individual's self-image is affected."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blumer, H. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
• Dunford, F., Osgood, D. & Weichselbaum, H. (1982). National evaluation of diversion projects: Executive Summary. Washington: US Government Printing Office.
• Frost, L. & Shepherd, R. (1996). Mental Health Issues in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings. Retrieved March 28, 2007, from the American Bar Association's Juvenile Justice Articles Web site: http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/503r.html
• Josephson, M. (1998). 1998 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth. Retrieved March 22, 2007, from The Josephson Institute of Ethics Web site: http://www.josephsoninstitute.org/98-Survey/98survey.htm
• Mattiuzi, P. (2006). Why Do Kids Commit Murder? Retrieved March 30, 2007, from http://everydaypsychologyblogspot.com.

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