W2 Short Answer Worksheet [due Mon]

Developmental Theory

Main Theory Concepts

Limitations of the theory as an explanatory factor for juvenile delinquency

Theory advantages as an explanatory factor for juvenile delinquency

Life Couse

Life-course development theory states that life as a whole is a sequence of different socially determined roles and events that individuals have to face throughout their life. This approach studies the structure and quality of early life and learns its impact on future life and decisions made later in life including indulgence in crime, career, marriage, and divorce and way of life (Elder, 2008).

The life-course perspective of development theory tries to explain the indulgence of individuals in juvenile delinquency but there are few limitations as it does not explain why those individuals who had healthy early life turn to crimes.

This theory gives very useful insights into learning the reasons behind life decisions and choices make in their life and how much it is connected with their early life and childhood experiences. It connects the crime to its roots in early life experiences.

Propensity

The development propensity approach states that temperament of a person is substantially inherited and the response to social and economic conditions in one's life which are also considered as the personality traits are based in childhood. It argues that the major personality traits in a person are built in its childhood (Rhee & Watts, 2016).

Propensity approach of development theory provides justification for juvenile delinquency yet it fails at some points especially when a child raised with very healthy values turns out to have anger management or children belonging to happy and stable family getting involved in crimes does not have a justification in propensity theory.

Theory of Propensity successfully explains the anger management issues of many people who get involved in crimes and juvenile delinquency because of either hereditary characteristics of early childhood enablers.

Trajectory

Trajectory theory states that multiple trajectories in one's life have influenced the life choices and decisions made. These trajectories or paths include environmental factors, psychological factors, behavioral factors, sociological factors and most importantly biological factors. These trajectories and paths determine what kind of life one chooses of oneself. A single factor does not the absolute hold over one's mind. These internal and external factors shave their implications on the human mind (Hamel & Pelphrey, 2009).

Trajectory theory explains that there are primarily two categories of people, one who follows the law and the one who does not follow the law. But it fails to explain that when two kids raised in the very same environment but same parents under similar condition have such different personalities and one is law-abider and one is law-breaker because all factors are same for them even the biological hereditary traits they get from their parents.

Among the development theories developed to explain the juvenile delinquency, trajectory theory explains it the best because It employs an integrated approach and studies the implications of environmental, psychological, behavioral, sociological and biological factors to explain why certain people opted for the criminal life.