Theories of Juvenile Offending: CRI30010 Youth Justice and Crime

This project, for the CRI30010 Youth Justice and Crime course, examines various theories of juvenile offending. It begins with an overview of the prevalence of juvenile crime and the different theoretical perspectives used to understand it, including classical, sociological, and labeling theories. The project explores rational choice theory, sociological perspectives such as social strain and opportunity theory, and labeling theory, which emphasizes the impact of societal labels on youth behavior. It also considers social inequality and structural explanations, including Marxist perspectives, and situational factors such as parenting and peer influence. The project includes references to key studies and researchers, such as ABS, Cunneen, White & Richards, Siegel, and others, to support the discussion of these theories. The assignment highlights the complex interplay of individual, social, and structural factors in juvenile offending, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

CRI30010: Youth Justice and Crime
Assignment 1B: Team Powerpoint
Weighting: 10%
Due date: 5pm AEST Monday 8 April 2019
(Week 5)
Theories of Juvenile Offending

Introduction
● Juvenile offending accounts for 13% of the total offender population
in Australia according to a study in 2015-16 (ABS, 2018, Youth
Offenders, para. 6).
● Theories of juvenile offending focus on individual, social and
structural factors or a combined focus on all of these factors
(Cunneen, White & Richards, 2015).
● Biological and psychological dynamics can be associated with
juvenile offending (Siegel, 2011).

Classical Theories
● Individuals choose to offend based on punishments and rewards; if
the reward of the crime is greater than the likelihood or severity of
the punishment, than the offender is likely to commit the crime
(Siegel & Walsh, 2014, p. 76).
● Rational choice theory focuses on the individual and assume that
youth are capable of assessing risk and reward
before choosing to commit a crime
(Barry, 2016).

Sociological Theories
● The sociological perspective on youth crime focuses on society
rather than the individual. Social strain theory describes the
disconnect between socially defined goals and the inability to
achieve these goals as one reason for deviance (Roach Anleu,
2006).
● Opportunity theory places emphasis on individuals’ methods of
achieving goals, e.g. educated person acquires goals through
traditional means compared to an
uneducated individual who resorts to
criminality (Cunneen et al. 2015, p. 32).

Labelling Theory
● Labelling youth as ‘bad’ or ‘deviant’ can define future behaviour,
identifying with the label and becoming stigmatised (Kroska, Lee
and Carr, 2017).
● Youth who are labelled by the criminal justice system are more likely
to be re-arrested or police contact in future (Kroska, Lee and Carr,
2017)
● Lack of family and social attachments influences labelling and
delinquent behaviour (Jackson & Hay, 2013).

Social inequality, conflict & structural
explanations
● Marxist perspective on social inequality focuses on the capitalist
ruling class setting the laws to retain their power and control over
the unequal social situation (Cunneen et al. 2015).
● Supportive parenting and social environment are important
situational factors for youth to develop self-control (Simons & Burt,
2011).
● Peer rejection, bullying and abuse can lead to antisocial and
delinquent behaviour (Higgins, Piquero & Piquero, 2011).

References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Youth Offenders, Recorded Crime Offenders, 2015-16, (Catalogue No. 4519). Retrieved
from: https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4519.0~2015-16~Main%20Features~Youth
%20offenders~4
Barry, M. (2013). Rational choice and responsibilisation in youth justice in Scotland: Whose evidence matters in evidence‐based
policy?. The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, 52(4), 347-364. doi:10.1111/hojo.12019
Biological Causes of Crime [image]. Retrieved from:
http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/criminology/theories/biological-theories-of-crime/
Cunneen, C., White, R. & Richards, K. (2015). Juvenile Justice: Youth & Crime in Australia (5th Edition), Oxford University
Press, Australia & New Zealand.
Ellis, L., & Das, S. (2012). Delinquency, androgens, and the family: A test of evolutionary neuroandrogenic theory. International
Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 57(8) 966-984. doi:10.1177/0306624X12440564

References (continued)
Higgins, G.E., Piquero, N.L., & Piquero, A.R. (2011). General strain theory, peer rejection, and delinquency/crime. Youth &
Society, 43(4) 1272-1297. doi:10.1177/0044118X10382032
Howsley, S. Courts vs Parental Authority: Who Decides What’s Best for a Child? [image]. Retrieved from:
https://thsc.org/court-vs-parental-authority/
Kroska, A., Lee, J. D. & Carr, N. T. (2017). Juvenile delinquency and self‐sentiments: exploring a labeling theory proposition.
Social Science Quarterly, 98(1). 73-88. doi:10.1111/ssqu.12307
Kuhns,Joseph B., I.,II. (2005). The dynamic nature of the drug Use/Serious violence relationship: A multi-causal approach.
Violence and Victims, 20(4), 433-54. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1891/088667005780927566

References (continued)
Labelling process. (2017). [image]. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?
q=labelling+theory&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj3mtKnl7DhAhXZXisKHUhYBTUQ_AUIDigB&biw
=1920&bih=963
A developmental progression for antisocial behaviour [image]. Retrieved from
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1920&bih=963&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ubCiXPegAs-5rQGk06CgAQ&q=peer+rejection
&oq=peer+rejection&gs_l=img.3..0j0i8i30j0i24l8.377017.379312..381303...0.0..0.243.2667.0j13j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img....
...0i67.6zH6JnPn198#imgrc=9RVHdPi2iYTCUM
Roach Anleu, S. L. (2006). Deviance, conformity and control, (4th ed). Pearson Education Australia
Siegel, L.J. (2011). Criminology: The core (5th ed.). Stamford, USA: Cengae Learning.
Siegel, L. J., & Welsh, B. C. (2014). Juvenile delinquency: Theory, practice, and law. Cengage Learning.

References (continued)
Simons, R. L. & Burt, C. H. (2011). Learning to be bad: Adverse social conditions, social schemas, and crime. Criminology,
49(2). 553-598. doi:10.1111/j.1745-9125.2011.00231.x
Smith, B. (2000). Marginalized Youth, Delinquency, and Education: The Need for Critical-Interpretive Research. The Urban
Review, 32(3), 293-312
Study.com, The Rational Choice Theory of Crime [image]. Retrieved from:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-classical-school-of-criminology-its-influence-today.html
Tontodonato, P. & Hagan, F. (2008). What causes delinquency? Classical and sociological theories of crime. In P. Benekos & A.
Merlo (2nd edn), Controversies in Juvenile Justice and Delinquency (pp. 27-51). Routledge, New York.