Sociologists say that childhood socially constructed (which means that it is created and defined by society). They say that the position children have in society is not permanently fixed, it changes over time. This is obvious by looking at how childhood is seen in other cultures and the past. It is accepted in our society now that childhood should be a special time of life, children are seen as being different from adults so should be treated differently because they are physically and psychologically immature and are not able to be dependent. So they are seen to need a lengthy period of time where they are nurtured and socialised before they are seen as responsible adults in society.
I believe the theory that would be the most applicable to the case is the developmental theory. The Social Disorganization Theory could relate because as a kid Craig Price might have already been exposed to disruption, violence, and incivility. The environment he grew up in was more than likely a urban community which affected why he became a delinquent so early. Delinquency rates are sensitive to destructive social forces operating in lower-class urban neighborhoods. I believe the Cultural Deviance Theory relate because youth from a lower class environment have their own lifestyle and set up their own rules and values.
The stresses of wants and needs can be intensified by a society that is materialistic. Also, social changes can create anxiety and disillusionment for adolescents causing them to commit delinquent acts. Clearly, people have a tendency to mature in different stages until adulthood. When a juvenile does something wrong, they are then considered to be juvenile delinquent. All juvenile delinquent behaviors are influenced not only by the environment in which juveniles live, but also by what they observe in adults.
They argue that the position that children occupy in society is not fixed, but differs between times, places and cultures. Childhood is not fixed but socially constructed, we know this as there are many laws out there which have been put there to construct the way childhood should be. It is generally accepted in our society today that childhood is a very special time of life, and that children are fundamentally different from adults. Sociologist such as Jane Pilcher sees it that children have a certain lack of skills, knowledge and experience and need a long time before they mature into adults and are responsible to understand the responsibilities that come with adulthood. As Jane Pilcher (1995) believes the most important feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness.
The article titled “Juvenile Justice” was quite intriguing as I read further and further. It astounded me to learn how young some individuals are when they enact in particular sexual offences, especially in regard to victims even younger than the offender himself. While it is clearly recognized that the brain is not fully mature until the mid-twenties, it is difficult to depict the consequences for such a serious action taken by a premature individual. As sexual offenses continue to surface among children aging from as young as ten years old up to the early twenties, it is argued that convicting them as adults is wrong and in many ways unethical. In order to be prosecuted as an adult, shouldn’t the defendant’s mind be fully mature as an
As adolescents we tend to act more on impulse rather than thinking things trough. As teenagers reach adulthood the frontal lobe of the brain which controls our rational thought begins to develop. This is why it would be inhumane to recruit young children into the military. The adolescents would act on impulse instead of thinking about any of the consequences, or making sure they receive what is best for themselves. How and when the human brain develops is not voluntarily controlled by us.
I always feel that unless you are learning something from young people then you’re not really working with them. Unfortunately, so many adults do not understand that young people have their are their own culture and discriminate against them accordingly without giving them a real chance to change people’s perceptions this again is one of my aims in working with these disaffected young
Media Representations and Impact on the Lives of Black Men and Boys. Retrieved from http://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/Media-Impact-onLives-of-Black-Men-and-Boys-OppAgenda.pdf Hatice, H. (2015). The Relationship of Media & Crime & Media Portrayals of Criminals Based on Age, Gender, Ethnicity & Social Class. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/3723580/The_Relationship_of_Media_and_Crime_and_Media_Portrayals_of_Criminals_Based_on_Age_Gender_Ethnicity_and_Social_Class Center for Children's Law and Policy. (2015).
Teenagers, especially the African-American teenagers, have been taught about sex. The critical factor is what teens chose to do with this information. Should they put it to use or stash it away? This applies equally to both genders. Leon Dash a reporter from
Thus, The UN assert that young people integrate the local and global cultures in different levels. The first level is hybridization, which the UN defines as young people struggle to negotiate the local and the global elements to cultivate their personal identities. On one hand, young people are rooted in their local communities. On the other hand, western media is weakening the local media, which affects young people on their value system, lifestyle, and consumer culture. This contradictory makes young people feel they exclude to both cultures.