Chapter 2
Juvenile Justice: The System, Process, and Law
by Rolando V. del Carmen and Chad R. Trulson
Prepared by Chad R. Trulson: University of North Texas
Theories and Measurement of
Juvenile Delinquency
THE EMERGENCE OF THE CLASSICAL
SCHOOL

The Devil and Delinquency
Prior to the 1700’s, the dominant view was that
“criminal behavior” occurred because of “temptation”
or being “possessed” by the devil
 “Trial by ordeal” was designed to test whether the
individual was under the influence of the devil or
would be protected by God

THE EMERGENCE OF THE CLASSICAL
SCHOOL
 Beccaria



and Free Will
Classical school – human beings rationally
weighed the costs and benefits of committing a
crime
Theorized a system of punishments where the
costs of committing a crime outweighed the
benefits of that crime
To deter crime, punishment should be swift,
certain and severe but must also be
proportionate to the crime committed

Certainty was said to be most important
BIOLOGY, DETERMINISM AND THE
POSITIVE SCHOOL
Determinism – the causes of delinquency are
predetermined to the individual or environmental
factors. Crime is not the result of choice and free
will
 Positivism – a perspective of thought in which
causes of behavior can be measured and observed
 Positive school – application of scientific
principles to the study of crime

BIOLOGY, DETERMINISM AND THE
POSITIVE SCHOOL
 Lombroso


and the Atavist
Cesare Lombroso proposed that criminals were
biologically inferior or different than non-criminals
Atavists – born criminals that could be recognized
through certain physical characteristics or
“stigmata”
PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF
DELINQUENCY
 Sigmund
Freud believed criminal behavior
was caused by improper formation of the three
components of the personality:
Id – desire for things, primitive instinct
 Ego – part of the personality that organizes and
decides between choices and alternatives
 Superego – a person’s conscience, which
suppresses impulses

 Proper
or improper formation is determined
early in a person’s life
 Emphasized the importance of parents
SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF
DELINQUENCY
 Sutherland’s
Differential Association
Theory
Criminal behavior is learned through
communication with primary influences
 A person becomes delinquent because of an
exposure to more definitions favorable to violation of
law than unfavorable
 Definitions are rationalizations and attitudes for or
against criminal behavior
 May vary in frequency, duration, priority and
intensity
 Much more than a theory of “bad companions”

SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF
DELINQUENCY
 Akers's

Social Learning Theory
Delinquency occurs when individuals:
 Associate with others who commit criminal behavior
 Are more exposed to definitions favorable to committing
crime
 Define criminal behavior as desirable or justified in a
situation
 Have received in the past or expect in the future greater
rewards than punishment for the behavior
SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF
DELINQUENCY

Social Bonding and Control Theory

Social bonding tries to answer why everyone does not
commit crime. Travis Hirschi states it is because people are
bonded to society:
Attachment – to parents, schools and peers
 Commitment – degree to which an individual is invested, if they
have a “stake in conformity”
 Involvement – in conventional activities
 Belief – extent to which individuals subscribe to general laws and
rules


Delinquency occurs when the bonds to society are
weakened or broken
SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF
DELINQUENCY
 Labeling



Theory
Societal reaction – negative activity could lead to
labeling and a self-fulfilling prophecy
People can have identity transformations – based on
how others react to them because of a label
Primary deviance vs. Secondary deviance