DB questions
ismails95
11Situational.pptxIs Delinquency More Likely in Certain Situations?
JD: Causes and Control (11)
1
Introduction
Juveniles predisposed to delinquency spent majority of time in nondelinquent activities
Involvement in delinquent activities heavily influenced by situational factors
Altering situations may effectively reduce delinquency
Situations conducive to delinquency
1. juveniles are strained or provoked
2. alcohol and drugs are used
3. costs of delinquency are seen as low
4. benefits of delinquency are seen as high
2
Situational Strains
Provocation by others, especially males attacking other males with verbal or physical attacks that are perceived as deliberate
1. strains
presentation of negative stimuli
threats to one’s status
2. increase likelihood for violent response
3. many offenders not innocent victims of provocations by others
offender may mistreat others and elicit negative reaction
usually series of verbal exchanges where offender demands victim apologize
if victim refuses, often verbal exchange escalates into violence
3
Situational Strains (cont)
Other situational strains
1. desperate need for money
2. threats to autonomy
3. loss of positive stimuli
Efforts to reduce crime by reducing situational strains
1. staggering bar closing hours so people enter streets at different times
2. separating rival soccer fans and reducing waiting time before and after games
4
Benefits High, Costs Low
Social learning and control theory suggest crime most likely in situations where benefits of delinquency seen as high and costs seen as low
Benefits
1. tangible (e.g., money or property)
2. intangible (e.g., social approval from others or thrills and excitement)
Costs
1. likelihood of being caught and punished
2. guilt or bad feelings
5
Benefits/ Costs (cont)
Juveniles calculation of benefits and costs
1. most not rational in sense that they consider all the benefits and costs in a particular situation
2. most give limited thought to benefits and costs in given situation
do not engage in delinquency act in presence of parents or police
attack smaller or weaker targets
degree of consideration varies
6
Benefits/ Costs (cont)
Situational features that influence calculation of benefits and costs
Attractive target
Absence of capable guardians
Presence of delinquent peers
7
attractive targets
property
visible and accessible
valuable
easy to move
unlikely to provoke guilt if stolen
person
visible and accessible
thought to possess valuable items
unlikely to offer effective resistance
unlikely to provoke guilt if attacked
efforts to make targets less attractive
reducing value of targets
target hardening techniques
increase ability of targets to offer effective resistance
increase moral costs of committing crimes
8
absence of capable guardians or individuals who might interfere with crime
examples include police, teachers, and neighbors
**Most common ones: teachers and parents**
efforts to increase presence of capable guardians
additional staffing of convenience stores
locating cashier in middle of store rather than to the side
locate store in areas where other businesses are open during evenings
presence of delinquent peers
reduce costs of delinquency
increase anticipated benefits of delinquency
9
Summary of situational features that increase the likelihood of a delinquent response
Intensified sensitivity to strain, reduced perceptions of costs of delinquency, and increased perceptions of benefits of delinquency
Use of alcohol and drugs
reduce ability to engage in legal coping
reduce awareness of and concern with costs of delinquency
Presence of attractive targets, absence of capable guardians, and presence of delinquent peers
10
Likelihood to Encounter Delinquency Conducive Situations
Factors that increase likelihood for predisposed offenders to encounter situations conducive to delinquency
Actively seek out situations conducive to delinquency
Encounter situations conducive to delinquency during routine activities
11
Actively Seek Out
Actively seek out situations conducive to delinquency
search for homes to burglarize or individuals to rob
search in convenient and familiar areas
select targets near homes and places frequently traveled
12
Routine Activities
Encounter situations conducive to delinquency during routine activities
1. unstructured, unsupervised activities with delinquent peers
unstructured activities include hanging out, going to parties, and riding around in cars
unsupervised activities are when no capable guardians are present
2. time of day
on school days violence most often occurs during hours immediately following end of school
on nonschool days violence most often occurs between 8 and 10 P.M.
3. places or locations
public setting more than private settings
settings that bring youth together in absence of capable guardians
13
Routine Activities
Factors influencing routine activities
1. Age and sex
adolescents most likely age-group to engage in unstructured, unsupervised activities
males more likely than females to engage in unstructured, unsupervised activities
2. social and technological changes
increases in parental work, single-parent families, and multi-car households have decreased parental supervision
increases in lightweight, valuable products like DVD players and computers
14
Summary
Summary of situational features that increase the likelihood of a delinquent response
Intensified sensitivity to strain
Reduced perceptions of costs of delinquency
Increased perceptions of benefits of delinquency
Use of alcohol and drugs
1. reduce ability to engage in legal coping
2. reduce awareness of and concern with costs of delinquency
Presence of attractive targets
Absence of capable guardian
Presence of delinquent peers
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