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In addition, the third type of strain is the presentation of negative stimuli. This type includes child abuse, family and peer conflict, neighborhood conflict and other stressful life events. In a study by Hoffmann and Miller (1998: 106), it was found that negative life events that include such things as parental unemployment, deaths in the family, and illness impose a strong impact by increasing delinquent behavior in adolescents. Strain causes number of negative feelings. Anger is one of them and is the main cause of delinquency. Agnew stated that individuals become angry when they blame their negative circumstances and relationships on others (Agnew, 1992: 59).
Anger was found to incite a person to action, lower inhibitions, and create a desire for revenge (Agnew, 1992: 60). Anger and frustration may also enable the individual to justify crime (Agnew, 1995 b: 390). According to Agnew's theory, there are also two types of behavior, criminal, and non-criminal, which also influence the delinquency. For example, if the person has another resources for survival such as creativity, high self-esteem or any special type of ability, this person is less likely to participate in criminal acts.
Another reason for delinquency is the different perception of society fairness among juveniles. In addition, those individuals with high level of social control and without means to commit crime may be less tending to be delinquent. The society also plays a very important role in a development of a criminal behavior of the individual. All of these factors can determine whether strain will result in delinquent or non-delinquent coping strategies (Agnew, 1992: 71 - 73). Child maltreatment represents the negative stimuli and therefore is the source of strain. The main idea of the General Strain Theory is that increase in strain leads to the increase in anger and aggression, which both lead to the increase of criminal behavior.
This means that child maltreatment, which is the negative stimuli, causes strain that is the reason for juvenile delinquency. Ineffective parenting is the main reason for acquiring deviant and antisocial behavior. Severe physical punishment towards a person in childhood results in a violent behavior of the person in adulthood. The person is modeling all the actions of his / her parents and when becomes adult is being aggressive towards own child or spouse.
Such a transition of violent behavior through the generations does not solve the problem of maltreatment and therefore, delinquency. The prevention of delinquency is a very important part of crime prevention in society. The society needs to help young individuals to develop positive emotions instead of fear and anger. In this way, the number of juveniles with criminal behavior will be substantially lower. What the society is capable to do concerning this issue? First, people should stop punishing a child for the behavior that does not harm others and the development of a child.
People should not act in aggressive manner. Besides, we should provide good educational opportunities in order to meet the needs of young persons in the legal ways of pursuing their strive for success. When adolescence will have an opportunity to use their mental or physical potential not on the streets, but in performing a favorite job, the rate of young criminals will be significantly lower. We should give them a broad selection of opportunities and chances. We also should consider the fact that for some juveniles their conduct, which maybe does not fit in the general social norms, is sometimes a part of growth process. It will disappear in most individuals as they reach adulthood.
The society should be aware of the fact that labeling a youngster as delinquent or pre-delinquent often turns the development into pattern of undesirable behavior.
Free research essays on topics related to: criminal behavior, strain, child maltreatment, life events, violent behavior
Research essay sample on Criminal Behavior Violent Behavior
