Adolescent Violence: A Socioeconomic Perspective

1294 Words3 Pages

Both victims and offenders of crimes of violence tend to be of a younger demographic, and incidents tend to be concentrated in poor neighbourhoods. Therefore, it is important to determine the process through which adolescents come to participate in violent behaviour and the conditions particular to disadvantaged neighbourhoods that foster adolescents’ propensity for violent behaviour. Sutherland’s theory of differential association is particularly useful for explaining the process involved in engaging in deviant behaviour, and it is helpful in explaining why disadvantaged neighbourhoods have the conditions that encourage deviant behaviour. Therefore, by applying socialization theory to crimes of interpersonal violence, this paper will argue …show more content…

Violent crimes include criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and forcible rape (Clinard and Meier 2015). One form of violent crime is criminal homicide, which refers to killing someone unlawfully (Clinard and Meier 2015). When someone accidentally kills someone, it is referred to as manslaughter (Clinard and Meier 2015). Aggravated assault refers to physical force used to intentionally inflict harm. Another form of violent crime, is forcible rape. Forcible rape “results when one person unlawfully compels another to engage in sexual intercourse against that victim’s will” (Clinard and Meier 2015:137). The conceptualization of violent crimes were based in English common law. The perception of forcible rape has changed over time. From 1892 until 1983, it was not legally possible for a man to be raped, and it was legal for a husband to rape his wife. In 1983, the law changed to make it legally possible for men to be the victims of rape and for rape to be applicable to married couples. Both victims and perpetrators of crimes of violence are overrepresented in the lower class (Clinard and Meier

Open Document