Factors that Affects Criminal Behaviour

Criminal Behavior has always been a focus for psychologist. There are many factors for criminal behavior but the top risk factors for criminal behavior are (in no particular order);family issues, psychological/mental characteristics, peer influences and socioeconomic status. In criminology and the study of behaviors, they talk about risk and contributing factors. If a kid name Bob was raised by absent parents, in a bad neighborhood and was victim of a crime, it is not a guaranteed for him to become a criminal. At the same time, those factors does increase his risk factors for possibly becoming an adult criminal. In 2011, the book ‘Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General’ reveals that there are no single risk factor that is big enough to predict without a doubt that a youth will become a criminal.

A child with multiple risk factors, (six or more) is 10 times more likely to beincredibly violent by the time the child has hit the age of 18 years old, than his friends who is exposed to only one risk factor. One of the risk factors I had previously mentioned is Mental Illness, according to National Institute of Mental Health. More than 50% of the populations in jails and federal prisons have some sort of mental illness, compared with 18% of all U.S. adults. Many People wonder how our socioeconomic status contributes to delinquency. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 20% of children who come from poor neighborhoods are typically charged with crimes by the time they are 24 years old, comparing that with 16% of children from middle-class families and 12% of upper-class families. The U.S. Department of Justice has previously stated that more than half (68%) of inmates have not received a high school diploma. In other terms, people with a higher education and a steady employment decreases a person’s chances to becoming a criminal. Another risk factor that is talked about is Peer Pressure and how Peer Pressure influence criminal behavior.

In 2009, The Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (JACP) has stated that there is not enough research as well of support the theory that peer pressure has any true negative influence on a behavior on a child. Peer pressure is also a debate and researchers suggest that it is there next area for research in the near future. The JACP article does in fact suggest, counselors, therapists and scientist should definitely keep in mind the influence and power that peer pressure has in group setting, especially in counseling and treatment. “We may be harming inadvertently the very children we are trying to help,” the authors say. Another huge risk factor of criminal behavior is the family issue and how they play a role to criminal behavior. According to Risk Factors Delinquency of Criminal Justice have study that a negative family factors might influence criminal behavior. Researchers for the Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice has study multiple family relations and how they might be a factor to criminal behavior, but they are not the major reason to why someone might become a criminal.

There are currently people who studies the behaviors and thoughts of criminals and they are referred to as criminal psychologist. Since the last 10 years, criminal psychologist popularity has increased due to a number of popular television such as Criminal Minds and CSI. Many people wonder what exactly a criminal psychologist do. Most of the time, a criminal psychologist studies why criminals commit crimes. They also analyze or make educated guesses about the actions that a criminal may have taken after commiting a crime.

Another question people have for criminal psychologist is where do they work? Many people who work in this field mainly spend a great deal of time in their office or even in court. A criminal psychologist could spend a time interviewing people or providing expert testimony in the courtroom. To learn more about criminal behavior, personality disorder and traits is well known in the criminal behavior community. Personality traits and disorders have become essential with antisocial or criminal behavior. Personality disorders and traits do not normally appear as an adult but they are seen in children. It seems logical that theses disorders and traits first come in contact in childhood. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD), and finally Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are the three of the main disorders that are linked to criminal behavior. Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is normally characterized by argumentativeness, noncompliance, and irritability, which can appear in the early stages of life. As time passes with children with ODD, their actions can change dramatically. Common signs are lying, stealing, and even vandalism.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is normally linked with attention to one specific thing. Studies has shown that children who have ADHD have the inability to analyze and anticipate consequences or learn from their mistakes. Throughout time it is believe that there mistakes continue and get worse over time, possibly leading them to commit such violent crime. Conduct Disorder (CD) is characterized with a person violation of societal rules and norms. Children who are diagnosed with ODD are risk factors for developing Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).

Environmental Influence is common when it comes to criminal behavior. We have witness the problems that is associated with children who is diagnosed with disorders such like ADHD and how it can lead to to violent act. It is proven that families with poor communication had been shown to have a family member to develop an aggressive/criminal behavior. Another fact of families is that if a parent is showing less attention to their children and more on their work/preterites, then the child will develop a greater chance of becoming a criminal in his adulthood.

This has been one of the most popular topic argue by many people to why children develop antisocial or delinquent behaviors.In conclusion, criminal behavior can happen to anyone. At the same time, there isn't enough evidence provided that shows that genetics play the most important role in an individual.