Explain the critical social factors believed to cause or affect delinquent behaviors. Which do you find to be most significant? Explain your rationale

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• Interpersonal interactions. Social relationships with families, peers, schools, jobs, criminal justice agencies, and the like, may play an important role in shaping behavioral choices. Inappropriate and disrupted social relations have been linked to crime and delinquency.
• Community conditions. Crime and delinquency rates are highest in deteriorated inner-city areas. These communities, wracked by poverty, decay, fear, and despair, also maintain high rates of criminal victimization.
• Exposure to violence. Kids living in poor neighborhoods are exposed to a constant stream of antisocial behaviors. Even when neighborhood disadvantage and poverty are taken into account, the more often children are exposed to violence within their residential community the more likely they are to become violent themselves.
• Social change. Political unrest and mistrust, economic stress, and family disintegration are social changes that have been found to precede sharp increases in delinquency rates.
• Low socioeconomic status. Millions of people have scant, if any, resources and suffer socially and economically as a result. People who live in poverty may have the greatest incentive to commit delinquency.
• Racial disparity. The consequences of racial disparity take a toll on youth. Poverty rates among minority groups are still significantly higher than that of whites.
• Student views will vary.