“Why?” That’s usually the first question that pops into my head right after I close my eyes and begin shaking my head in disbelief. Another school shooting was just broadcasted on the news, this time it was at a small community college in Oregon. News like this seems to have become more common, especially over the recent years. Other mass shootings have included fatalities at Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Aurora’s Century 16 movie theater, and Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, all of which totaled 80 fatalities and many more wounded. What do all of these examples have in common? All of these crimes were committed by just one person. What else do these examples have in common? The crimes were committed by someone under the age of 25. These are just a handful of examples, compared to many other terrifying acts of violence that are publically known. Whether these crimes resulted in many victims or just one victim, the end result always leads us to ask the same question in each and every act of crime… “Why?” There seems to be three consistent questions that people start asking when a horrific act of crime has been committed. The first two questions are “What was their motive?” and “What was their violent history before this incident?” People ask these two questions because each one can explain a different attribute or characteristic of the perpetrator. The motive – What was their mindset? What kind of home or culture did this individual grow up in? The third question always seems to be “could this have been prevented?” The prevention – “could have this been stopped?” leads me to discuss two types of theories that can help explain why a person might be inclined to commit a crime. These theories explain the biological and sociological understandings that may help explain why a person would do such an act. The last topic I would like to discuss is ways we can prevent, or at least, try to minimize, certain acts of crime.
Biological theories are internal and it is how we are classified, or programmed, as an individual. Current understanding of these mechanisms suggests that certain biological factors, such as particular genes, neurological deficits, low serotonin activity, malnutrition and environmental pollutants may all affect a person’s biological propensity for criminal or antisocial behavior (Akers, Sellers, 2008). Studies have shown that much of this can be narrowed down to two particular causes: heredity, and pregnancy. If a child is born into a family that has had a criminal history, chances are greater that the child will also be likely to attempt certain crimes during their lifetime. Prenatal and perinatal factors can significantly influence mental health and personality. A woman who takes alcohol and/or drugs, such as methamphetamines, heroin, etc., puts her unborn child at risk for issues such as premature birth, low birth weight, neurological and developmental delays, and feeding difficulties, just to name a few negative birth defects. These are the children who later on are more prone to learning difficulties, and are associated with poor impulse control and criminal behavior.
Sociological theory looks at the influence of environment, and ways in which the environment, including home, community and culture, can cause an individual to act or think a certain way. Theories of this type often focus on the relationship between crime and factors such as: social inequality, the influence of peers, social disorganization in a community, the consequences for an individual unable to achieve social success, and the role of criminal subcultures, including gangs (Akers, Seller, 2008). Sometimes we are limited by the cultural and social options available to us. Is an individual going to school working towards a career? Is he or she active within the community, and surrounding themselves with positive people? Or will other outside influences dictate decisions that would ultimately lead to another life that would be less fulfilled.
Now that I’ve discussed two possible main causes of why a person commits a crime, let’s discuss some of the things we can focus on to help overcome these biological and sociological disorders. From a biological standpoint, the treatment needs to begin before the child is even born. Meaning, we have to initiate programs that would educate parents about the early stages of a child’s development. Parents have to be more aware, especially expecting mothers, that their own personal health affects their child’s health. Once the child has been born, then there needs be more advanced parental education and programs available to help parents raise children who are healthy and developing appropriately. As part of a sociological focus, parents and communities need to effectively support positive opportunities for their children. Education programs that lead to gainful employment and community-based programs that enhance positive behavior (e.g. sports, clubs, etc.) are crucial to the development of at-risk children. And finally, it is important to make programs available that give support to families who struggle with issues such as violence, poverty, and mental and health issues. Children can always strive to do their best in school, with work, within the community, but if they don’t have the support at home, then that child will follow those who do give them attention, and it may not always be the right kind of attention.
This is a brief little insight into some of the factors that might make a person more at risk of committing a crime, and some of the ways in which we can be proactive to help reduce the potential for criminal behavior. This by far is not the ultimate solution to eliminate crime all together, but it will help us gain a better understanding of, “Why?”
References:
Akers, RL, and Sellers, CS (2008) Criminal Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and Application. 5th Edition. Los Angeles; Roxbury