Bailey Smith

RCO 390-03

Dr. Sara Littlejohn

The Origin of Violent and Criminal Behavior in Adolescence

Infamous English serial murderer John Haigh once stated, "As I grew up I realized,

though imperfectly, that I was different from other people, and that the way of life in my home

was different from that in the homes of others....This stimulated me to introspection and strange

mental questionings." Many crime causation theories related to youth development explain the

importance of understanding the concept of nature vs nurture. This procedure has limited success

in exploring the motives of violent crime and should be altered to include the sociological

aspects that have a direct causation of these behaviors. Using scholarly articles, blog posts, and

books including Diverting Children From a Life of Crime: Measuring Costs and Benefits by

Peter W. Greenwald, there is evidence that when exploring biological, environmental, and

psychological components simultaneously, there is a higher effect rate of crime prevention

programs directed towards adolescents. Understanding the sociological factors that cause

delinquency in young adults and children is imperative when exploring the causes of crime

rather than using the framework of nature or nurture.

The modernized belief on the causes of criminal behavior are due to environmental

influences or mental health issues that can lead to violence. However, there are instances in

which violent behavior is not associated with genetics or mental disorders. As some would argue,

not all behavioral changes are caused by sociological issues and can be explained through

physical evidence or one sociological perspective such as biological or psychological theories.

For example, damage inflicted upon the brain can result in a change of personality and
demeanor. Damage to specific parts of the brain, including the cerebrum, thalamus, cerebellum,

or brainstem could cause varying consequences as each section has a different function. For

instance, the Cerebrum is accountable for intellect and higher functions of the brain and divided

into 4 areas known as lobes. The frontal lobe controls one’s decision making skills and processes

as well as the personality of an individual. If this area were to be damaged, it could affect the

evaluation of a situation, the personality, and the actions under certain circumstances. “An injury

to this part of the brain can cause changes in emotional control, initiation, motivation, and

inhibition. An intolerance for frustration and easily provoked aggressive behavior are typical.

Promiscuity and lethargy may also result” (Betty Clooney Center). Concussions or impact to the

frontal lobe could result in sociopathic traits without the presentation of a mental illness. Using

this theory, the events surrounding Phineas Gage is applicable. Gage had an occupation was a

worker on a railroad when an accident involving one of the railroad spikes penetrated his skull.

When the iron pole impaled his head, it went through his frontal lobe causing him to suffer

drastic changes in personality. Multiple testimonies from family and friends described the

difference in his behavior before and after the incident. They explained before the injury, Gage

was loving towards his family and children and polite to friends and strangers alike. Once

waking after surgery, he was acting rudely towards everyone, including the doctors, and would

communicate threats. Unfortunately, he continued to have this criminalistic behavior until his

death. This is a rare example in which the application of one theory could explain violent

behavior, however, the simplicity of one explanation doesn’t work for every crime or perspective

of abnormal social issues.

Many criminological theories apply only one aspect or reason in their explanations of

delinquent behavior. This range of ideologies include biological theory regarding early concepts
of physical attributes as well as the modern-and more relative-ideas of chemical imbalances or

hormones and a vast amount of sociological issues such as race, socioeconomic class, and the

environment in which a child is raised, composing the general sociological theory. In a

classroom setting, these theories are taught separately and expected to be applied in an isolated

manner rather than exploring all of them simultaneously. Instead of examining these theories

separately, they should have an intersectional analysis of data in order to cover all aspects of

each criminological theory that applies to crime as well as everyday human interaction.

Intersectionality has been practiced in a number of sociological concepts in women and gender

studies, classical sociological thought, and racial inequalities courses over the past few years.

“The theory of intersectionality was originated by feminist and critical theorists to describe

logical approaches to revealing meaning and consequences associated with membership in

various social groups” (Brown). When considering the population, people typically have it set up

in groups such as gender, race, and class. The problem arises when consequences happen based

on an individual’s involvement in one or more groups.

Another sociological concept that must be explored is the environment in which a child is

raised. Those born where they have limited experiences have limiting thinking, therefore, the

lottery of birth determines a person’s beliefs and opportunities until they are able to recognize

their own limitations to go beyond them. A person’s class and race greatly influences their

actions, this can easily be translated into looking at the causation of crime. Class influences large

aspects of life such as access to education, job opportunities, leisure activities, and even

neighborhoods that one is raised in and chooses to continue living in during their adult years. If a

child is raised in a low income area, the environment surrounding them will most likely be one

where crime is more prevalent. In the article How Poverty Influences Crime Rates, Crystal Ayres
explains “Being in poverty often leads to high levels of stress. An overwhelming desire to meet

certain basic needs becomes the highest priority. Over time, if those needs cannot be met, then

some individuals will commit robberies, burglaries, and other forms of them”(Ayres). Crime

rates increase in poverty stricken areas because when the high stress for basic human needs

becomes excessive, one will go to extreme measures to satisfy those needs. When a child is

exposed to the despiration for these needs, it could lead to two possibilities. They will witness an

adult committing a crime such as robbery or burglary for things to satisfy their demands, leaving

the impression that this behavior is condonable. Or, the child will be forced to act on these

behaviors in order to appease the need for themselves.

Through the ideas formed from Edwin Sutherland’s differential association, Daniel

Glaser’s differential identification, and Burgess and Aker’s differential reinforcement, the social

learning theory was developed. Social Learning Theory suggests that individuals learn deviance

through the actions of others, typically those in which one identifies with. For example, the

action of one smoking illegal substances such as marijuana fits this process. Sutherland explains

that one will see someone else smoking and associate that behavior with the person. If a child

looks up to the individual partaking in the activity, they will associate the action as desirable,

which results in condoning the deviant behavior. Glaser then describes the next stage as

identifying with a group and relating to other people who share the same interest of smoking

marijuana, resulting in further exposure to the behavior. Finally, Burgess and Akers specify that

this then leads into the reinforcement of the idea and deviant behavior. In the example of

smoking marijuana, the person associated with the group will try it, then enjoy the effects and

outcomes, which will cause them to continue the act. These concepts can be applied to criminal

behavior and juvenile delinquency by looking at the environment in which a child is exposed.
 In an interview conducted with Abdoul Barry, a sophomore attending the University of

North Carolina at Greensboro, the topic of criminal activity committed by adolescents was

discussed. Barry was raised in the urban community of North Durham, North Carolina. He

described the neighborhood as a “ghetto, because it was a suburban area right next to a project.”

He continued to explain how he remembered his family throughout his childhood. Barry was the

only child to be born on American soil as many members of his family immigrated from West

Africa. He explained his family values as being detachment from American customs and beliefs

due to their background in another country. While being raised in the “ghettos,” Barry witnessed

large amounts of crime committed by children and young adults such as dealing drugs, stealing

automobiles, and getting into fights. He describes an event in which he was accused of a serious

crime based on his racial ethnicity where he was arrested and taken to the police station. Once

the officers realized their mistake, they called his parents to provide a character statement and

released Barry. Growing up in that area, he saw many of his friends turn towards criminal

behavior because of the influence of older peers and mentors partaking in crimes. This is a prime

example of the Social Learning theory proposed by Sutherland. Fortunately, Barry decided to

continue down a path that would allow him to attend college and become successful. He explains

that he feared if he followed in the steps of his previous friends, he would have been killed or in

jail. Barry did not allow the influence of others in his area to pressure him into a life of crime and

instead, apply himself and work hard to provide stability for himself and his family.

When applying each concept and theory simultaneously, it provides a deeper

understanding of the underlying causes of criminal activity with a concentration in juvenile

delinquency. One example of conflicting sociological perspectives includes a nation-wide known

event, the Columbine school shooting. When looking at this case, environmental sociologists
will blame the lack of social connections with other students and conflicts at school such as

bullying. However, if one were to look at the school records of the perpetrators, Eric Harris and

Dylan Klebold, there would be no record of bullying incidents or violent outbursts. In the case of

undocumented conflicts with other students, this wouldn’t completely explain the reasonings

behind the crime as most cases of social issues in students do not result in violent outbursts

towards others, instead, it typically would cause self harm or mutilation. The behaviors and

demeanors of the students do not fit the criteria of the standard “lone-wolf” students who are

ostracized by peers. Eric was a seemingly normal teenager who dressed in preppy clothes, played

soccer, and got along well with others in a polite manner. Dylan, although more introverted,

displayed normal behavior with interests in baseball, video games, and bowling. Sociologists

would then explain the crime as a result of the strain from socioeconomic struggles, however,

this was quickly dismissed as both of the boys were raised in upper-middle class houses with

parents who work to help others.

Different sociologists that study the psychological or even the biological reasons behind

crime have a stronger argument. They would suggest that certain mental health issues displayed

by both of the students caused a psychological disturbance that led to the massacre of several

students. When looking deeper into character of Eric Harris, there are concerning behaviors that

were later diagnosed as Antisocial Personality Disorder, commonly known as psychopathy. In

one of Eric’s journals, multiple disturbing entries were found describing his psychotic thoughts

and desires to tear out the throats of others with his teeth like a wolf and other gruesome details

of how he would kill someone. As for Dylan, no physical evidence was found of his desires to

commit violent acts, however, he was believed to be severely depressed and psychologically

vulnerable. These psychological theories seem to explain how it was mentally possible for Eric
and Dylan to commit the heinous crime of murdering 13 students on school grounds, but it does

not quite explain the motive behind the massacre other than psychosis and disturbance. It also

does not explain why they chose the school as the target of their violence.

Now, if one were to look at the shooting from each sociological perspective- biological,

psychological, and environmental theories- simultaneously, it would explain the complex reasons

for the crime. The psychological and biological theories describe the main part of their ability to

murder other students and teachers, however, they do not explain the motives behind the

massacre or the location chosen. This is where the environmental theories come into play. Both

Eric and Dylan bonded over a dissatisfaction of the school in general and began to cast

themselves as the “lone wolf” characters in the school due to possible outcasting or fear from

other students. Once they started associating with darker institutions of Nazism and Gun

communities, their hatred for others began to grow. This hatred towards the school and its

students was amplified by the psychological issues and led to the shooting. It was also their

dependence on each other that allowed the courage to follow through on their plans. When taking

one’s focus away from a specific theory and redirecting it to the broad subject of criminology,

the missing pieces from one theory to another becomes clearer and fall into line.

There are multiple theories in criminology that propose the aspects that lead to crime,

however, a crime cannot simply be explained by using one perspective. In modern society, the

cause of violent criminal behavior is examined through the use of a framework commonly

known as nature versus nurture. However, these actions are a result of the sociological

components of biology, psychology, and environment present during a child’s development.

Looking at environmental factors such as peer influence, upbringing, and social inequalities

alongside psychological or biological factors including mental health and genetics would help
the process of understanding and preventing juvenile delinquency in adolescence rather than

looking at one aspect of the structure of nature versus nurture.

 Citations

Ayres, Crystal. “How Poverty Influences Crime Rates.” Vittana.org, Vittana, vittana.org/how-

poverty-influences-crime-rates.

Brown, Wyatt (2015) "An Intersectional Approach to Criminological Theory: Incorporating the

Intersectionality of Race and Gender into Agnew's General Strain Theory," Ralph Bunche

Journal of Public Affairs: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 6.

Betty Clooney Center. “Behavioral Problems of TBI.” Behavioral Problems of TBI. Betty

Clooney Center.