Theories of Juvenile Offending

This presentation discusses various theories of juvenile offending, including Social-Cognitive Theory, Social Disorganisation Theory, Social Control Theory, Labelling Theory, Rational Choice Theory, and Differential Social support and Coercion (DSSC) Theory. It explores the explanations, limitations, and empirical evidence behind each theory. The presentation also highlights the impact of social factors, decision-making processes, and social support on juvenile offending.

Social-Cognitive Theory
Differential Social support and Coercion (DSSC) Theory –
General Strain and Self-Control Theory
Social Control Theory
Theories of Juvenile
Offending
Labelling Theory
Rational Choice Theory
Social Disorganisation Theory
[Representation of the Juvenile Justice System] (2018)

Social Cognitive Theory suggests that moral disengagement facilitates all forms of wrongdoing from minor to
major
[Image of the social-cognitive theory] (2019).

Rational Choice
Theory
What is it?
Explains criminal behaviour through:
• A decision-making
process/personal choice that
weighs the benefits/loss of the
crime
• Employs swift and severe
punishment to prevent crime
Empirical evidence demonstrates:
• The thrills/benefits of criminal
behaviour are perceptive to juvenile
offenders
• Juveniles rationalise specific crimes for
example drug use
• Immaturity contributes to the choice
process in juveniles
Limitations:
• Fails to explain social
factors of crime
• Not all crimes are
committed under rational
pretense i.e mental illness
• Harsh and severe
punishment do not always
deter criminal behaviour
[illustration of Cost-Benefit Analysis] (2014)
[Image of the features in the Rational Choice Theory] (2015)

Differential Social support and Coercion
(DSSC) Theory – General Strain and
Self-Control Theory
[Image of Mark Colvin Differential coercion theory] (2019)
Sources of social psychological strain with three categories:
• failure to achieve valued goals
• the potential or actual loss of valued stimuli
• the presentation of harmful stimuli.
[Image of differential coercion] (2006)
Situational factors also identified that
increase prompting criminal
behaviours they are ;
- the strain is seen as unjust
- the strain is high in scale
- strain caused by low self-control
- strain creates pressure or an
incentive to participate in criminal
activity

What is it?
Criminal Behaviour is produced through:
• Social bodies negatively labelling an
entity such as ‘bad’, ’delinquent’, ‘
naughty’ or ‘criminal’.
• Individual perceives the label as
partof their identity
Social intervention will improve social
bonds and reduce negative labelling
Empirical evidence demonstrates:
• Early onset, negative labelling changes an
individual’s life course
• Stereotyping and labelling increases the
prospect of
criminal behaviour/careers
• Access to social opportunities is
decreased due to
labelling
Labelling
Theory •
Limitations:
• Research needs to be
revaluated and further
information needs to gathered
• Fails to explain why those who
[Representation of the Labelling Theory] (2019)
Illustration of types of labels] (2018)

Social Control
Theory
‘Social control theory’ [image],
• BONDS TO SOCIETY INCLUDE
Attachment to others
Commitment to conventional lines of actions
Involvement in conventional activities
Belief in moral order and law
[Images of the Social Control theory] (2019)

Social Disorganisation
Theory
What is it?
• Breakdown of communities
/social institutions guides
criminal behaviour
• Social and government
interventions will repair fractured
neighbourhoods and institutions,
decreasing criminal behaviour.
Empirical Evidence Demonstrates:
• High unemployment rates and poverty motivate juvenile
offenders. highlighted in statistical data that state theft is the most
prevalent crime amongst juveniles.
• Socio-Economic Index off Areas (SEIFA) research shows the
Supervised Juvenile Orders make up a higher percentage of
juveniles (33%)compared to the highly advantage juveniles
(5%) (Lynch, Buckman, & Krenske, 2003) ). (see graph)
Limitations:
• Fails to explain other factors of
crime beside social influences
• Prevention strategies are
expensive
• Further focus needs to be
conducted on the Juvenile Justice
System.
(Lynch, Buckman, & Krenske, 2003)
[Demonstration of the Social Disorganisation Model] (2019)

Reference
List:
[Demonstration of the Social Disorganisation Model] (2019). Retrieved from
https://slideplayer.com/slide/7685567/
[Illustration of Cost-Benefit Analysis] (2014). Retrieved from
https://nikityy94.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/rational-decision-making/
[Illustration of the Social Control Theory] (2019). Retrieved from
https://study.com/cimages/videopreview/screen_shot_2015-10-11_at_11.05.32_pm_125489.png
[Illustration of types of labels] (2018). Retrieved from http://www.assignmentpoint.com/arts/law/labeling-
theory.html
[Image of differential coercion] (2006). Retrieved from http://image.slideserve.com/544987/differential-coercion-
l.jpg
[Image of Mark Colvin Differential coercion theory] (2019). Retrieved from
http://slideplayer.com/slide/4550245/15/images/11/Mark+Colvin-Differential+coercion+theory.jpg
[Image of the features in the Rational Choice Theory] (2015). Retrieved from
https://www.shortcutstv.com/blog/2018/10/01/rational-choice-theory-1a/
[Image of the social-cognitive theory] (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.papermasters.com/images/social-cognitive-theory.png

Reference List
Continued:
[Images of the Social Control theory] (2019). Retrieved from
http://image.slideserve.com/194527/social-control-theories-cont10-l.jpg
Kurtz, D. L., & Zavala, E. (2017). The Importance of Social Support and Coercion to Risk of
Impulsivity and Juvenile Offending. Crime and Delinquency , 64(14), 1838-1860.
Lynch, M., Buckman, J., & Krenske, L. (2003). Figure 4. Retrieved from
https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi265
Lynch, M., Buckman, J., & Krenske, L. (2003). Youth justice: criminal trajectories. Trends & issues
in crime and criminal justice(265). Retrieved March 25, 2019, from Australian Institute of
Criminology: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi265
[Representation of the Juvenile Justice System] (2018). Retrieved from
https://eelawcentre.org.za/submissiononchildrenthirdamendmentbill-2/
[Representation of the Labelling Theory] (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.pinterest.com.au/djacademe/labeling-theory/
Shulman, E. P., Cauffman, E., Piquero, A. R., Fagan, J., & Eccles, J. (2011). Moral Disengagement
Among Serious Juvenile Offenders: A Longitudinal Study of the Relations Between Morally
Disengaged Attitudes and Offending. Developmental Psychology, 47(6), 1619 - 1632.