The Importance of Awareness and Resolutions

There are many factors that can contribute to crime; therefore it is nearly impossible to place the blame on one particular factor. Criminal behavior analysis identifies multiple factors that are in correlation with crime. We know that these factors evolve from an individual’s environment and genetics. Realistically speaking, all people experience environmental and genetic factors that influence their personality, behavior, and life style; however what aspects ultimately separate the criminals from the non-criminals are important to know. Researchers need to study and identify patterns dealing with that issue, as well as considering the severity, multiplicity, and the combination of factors to figure out what associates more with crime. For instance, is an individual who has family structure, but lives in poverty and receives a poor education, more susceptible to criminal behavior than an individual whose environment lacks family structure, and suffers from a disorder, but excels in academics? By conducting analysis on all the different variables, findings can be beneficial in the fight to prevent criminal behavior, and providing successful opportunities for our youth outside their crime influencing environment.  Every criminal-influencing factor can take part in predisposing an individual to criminal behavior, but there are specific factors seen as providing gateways into being susceptible to other factors, and the main cause of crime.  These specific factors that are obvious to me are; family, education, disorders, inheritable gene traits, and substance abuse.

A crime preventative plan should research the source of the problem by dealing first and foremost with the family factor. According to Jones, “The rival explanations for the apparent relationship between family and crime can roughly be divided between the ‘sociological’ and the ‘psychological’. The ‘psychological’ explanation is that families are responsible for shaping the mind and personality of the individual” (105). The sociological explanation is the family’s environment. For example, a child can have parents that teach the child to be respectful, honest, and caring, but the child can lack attention from their parents due to sociological factors such as poverty, single parent, and having multiple children.  “It would seem there is evidence that the family does have a role, at the very least as a factor that interacts with other variables” (Jones, 105). Parents should be educated concerning all risk factors associated with family and crime through parent meetings, parenting classes, crisis help lines, and through other sources of help that are easily accessible. Equally important are the implementation of diverse programs that divert youth and decrease the pressures that weight on youth to commit crime.

Research, research, and research can not be stressed enough, because without research Jones would not be able to state that, “evidence points to the significance of detrimental family experiences in the background of those who might be deemed to suffer from personality disorders” (104). Parents need to be aware of information like that, so parents understand how vulnerable youth are in becoming a product of their environment. Parents can protect their children by acknowledging that children follow in the foot steps of their parents, relating to the saying “the apple does not fall far from the tree”. The behavior and decisions that parents make, always impact the lives of their children. The prevention of at risk youth starts at home with the family. When families fail these at risk youth, there needs to be reinforcement.

Where can youth find structure and positive attention, if they can not find it at home? School/education is the next place where youth spend most of their time; therefore teachers are in the position to identify at risk youth, when parents neglect to do so. Anderson points out that, “But it is possible to add structure to the life of a child even if the home situation is not stable. A stable long-term relationship with a teacher or teacher’s aid can help; special assistants in schools and behavior assistants for CD (conduct disorder) children are now proving their worth. Teaching children themselves to respect diversity and changing the caring atmospheres in schools can help” (112). Sometimes at risk youth run the risk of not being acknowledge, or are non receptive to help; therefore there needs to be training class for teaches, counseling, tutoring  and programs in all forms that aim at the efforts of helping these youth. The longer it takes for these at risk youth to be identified, their willingness to be assisted, and provided resources, the further these  youth fall behind educationally. Youth will then be failed twice, and will run the risk of being more vulnerable to associate themselves with substance abuse, gangs, and disorders that increases the probability of criminal behavior.

 A sobering study done by Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and President of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reveals that,

“Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction are implicated in the crimes and incarceration of 80 percent--some 1.4 million--of the 1.7 million men and women behind bars in America. Those 1.4 million offenders in state and federal prisons and local jails violated drug or alcohol laws, were high at the time they committed their crimes, stole property to buy drugs, or have a history of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction--or share some combination of these characteristics. Among these 1.4 million inmates are parents of 2.4 million children, many of them minors.” Those are astounding percentages; overwhelming to think that most of those 2.4 million children will be cheated out the opportunity of becoming a productive, successful member of society, and unfortunately will become our future criminals. Substance abuse is another stringent factor that can lead to criminality and the propensity of individuals obtaining mental disorders.  

Understanding and analyzing what makes one individual more predisposed to crime than another is essential and imperative to do, when examining all the factors of an individual’s environment and genetic history.  Having enough people; parents, teachers, youth, and preventative crime and children welfare activist will enhance the efforts of awareness and knowledge of the issues. A combined effort will alert parents and society to take part in diluting the problem through the formulation of programs, organizations, training, medical support, and many more ways. Without this effort many youth will be plagued with criminal influencing factors causing these youth to eventually become society’s future criminals.

References

Anderson, Gail S. Biological Influences on Criminal Behavior. New York: Simon Fraser University, 2007.

Jones, David W. Understanding Criminal Behaviour. London: Willan, 2008.

Califano, Joseph A. Jr. Behind Bars: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse At Columbia University. Jan. 1998: 1.

Disorders, Substance Abuse and Crime

Environmental and genetic factors were briefly discussed in the previous blogs, but it is important to mention that an individual, who is subjected to these criminally-influenced factors, can consequently face substance abuse and the development of a disorder(s). Substance abuse can also contribute to the development of a disorder, as well as having a disorder can contribute to substances abuse. We know that disorders and substance abuse can be inherently related to genetics and environmental factors, but these two factors should be looked at separately because there is a high percentage of criminals that have disorders and engage in substance abuse. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) conducted an interview with the National Institute of Medical Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program which declared that, “For those with either an alcohol or other drug disorder, the odds of having the other addictive disorders were seven times greater than in the rest of the population” (1). Unfortunately, it is not enough that some individuals are genetically and environmentally predisposed to crime, but they also run the risk of encountering other factors indirectly related such as disorders and substance abuse.

 Anxiety, mood, psychotic, substance dependency, sexual, and personality disorders are some of the disorders that can control an individual, making them a criminal threat to society and themselves. One might ponder what causes such disorders that might contribute to criminality. “Although the exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, it is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.” (Web MD) A disorder can develop in more ways than one. Awareness is important.  People need to know that there is a correlation between criminals and disorders. Hence, more analysis needs to be done with the focus on crime and mental disorders as well as factoring in substance abuse. Once there is more research then it is much easier to determine how to prevent and solve a problem. Substance abuse should not be an excuse to why an individual commits a crime, but the reason why individual’s abuse substances should be understood to formulate a resolution to reduce drug abuse in society which will result in a decrease in crime. 

I witnessed environmental factors, genetic factors, disorder(s), and substance abuse overwhelming a family member of mine, which created a criminal-minded, self-destructive person. This person was brought up by an over protective mother and a controlling, alcoholic father. He also had a schizophrenic brother who physically took out all the emotions on his brother that he was experiencing at the beginning stages of the disorder. As a result of his environment and possible genetic factors, this person developed depression, anxiety, and antisocial personality disorders, in which he tried to compensate through alcoholism and drug use. There was plenty criminal misconduct that came along with these factors such as driving under the influence, spousal abuse, assaults, possession of drugs, and theft. Fortunately, the unexpected pregnancy of his first born shed light on all the darkness in his life. He finally found a positive way to compensate, which was making sure his daughter wouldn’t encounter the same or similar misfortune as he did. It wasn’t easy, but through the inspiration of his daughter, family support, anti-depressant medication, running, and meditation he is a completely different person. He also received his GED, enrolled in vocational training, and obtained a job. He is a proven fact that individuals who share similar or different experiences are not a lost cause, and that there is hope for these individuals to live a better life.

It is difficult to help a person when they cannot see the harm in what they do, and can not control the effects of the many different factors that alter their mental state. Helping them may be a difficult process because it is vital that any criminal behavior is not condoned; however it is important not to give up hope in them because they are expecting to be abandoned and let down.


References