How Uncontrollable Early Life Factors Of Criminal Behavior

Criminality has many definitions, each with a distinct twist that tends to confuse the general populous. Criminals have always had a mysterious stigma attached to them, with many people giving conflicting explanations as to the reason behind their heinous behaviors. However while their motives are unknown, it is known that criminals share a multitude of common characteristics. By analyzing these characteristics, a relationship can be found between uncontrollable early life factors and increased tendencies for criminal activity. These factors can be examined through 3 main lenses: social, economic, and scientific. Each lens contains substantial evidence that suggests through uncontrollable factors that directly correlate to future criminal
These bonds establish precedence for what a human should act like, and with normal socialization, deviant behavior is punished from an early age. According to Lawrence Kohlberg, a famed psychologist who taught at Harvard University, a person’s likelihood of committing a crime revolves around correct development of morality and the sense of the law. This theory, called the Cognitive Development Theory, states that the development of morality is dependent on outside factors. In early childhood, what is right or wrong is defined by punishment (Crossman). Thus, it is the responsibility of those around a child to punish immoral behaviors. In addition, another important step of moral development states that moral reasoning is based on the expectations that the child’s family and significant others have for that child (Crossman). Without a proper upbringing around those who support and advance moral development, a child is unable to properly develop a sense of morality, increasing the inclination towards illegal activities. People who cannot differentiate between right and wrong behaviors are more naturally inclined to engage in more wrong or criminal behaviors throughout their
This phenomenon can be explained through the Social Learning Theory. The Social Learning Theory, developed by psychologist Albert Bandura, a professor at Stanford University and one of the world’s most influential psychologists, states that people engage in criminal activities because they associate with others who engage in crime (Crossman). When a child observes their parents engaging in criminal activities, the child then learns to imitate this behavior by observing them. This is reminiscent to how most people learn, as Albert Bandura states, “fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action” (Crossman). Therefore, criminals are likely to have been exposed to people who are also criminals from a young age, as deviant behaviors have likely been learned. In the same study by UK Ministry of Justice, it was found that “thirty-seven per cent of prisoners reported having family members who had been convicted of a non-motoring criminal offence, of whom 84% had been in prison” (Booth, Kim, Papadopoulou, and Williams). Children tend to mimic their caretakers, and while usually this is how they learn morals and values, children of criminals pick up