John Bowlby's Attachment Analysis

How children are raised and how well they form an attachment with their mothers is the subject of John Bowlby’s attachment theory. Whether a parent ignores the cries of their child or responds with love and care determines the mother-child bond and can contribute to a child’s growth, future relationships, and even their propensity to commit criminal acts.
Those that have a close and continuous relationship as they grow up tend to develop a secure, healthy personality. They tend to have good relationships with others and be well-adjusted overall. This means that they are more likely to behave acceptably, which discourages involvement in criminal activity. Those that do not form a healthy attachment due to abandonment, abuse, or traumatic conditions as an infant are more likely to exhibit maladjusted behavior in one of two forms- either anxious-avoidant or anxious resistant.
This occurs when a child feels rejected or does not feel they can count on support and adequate care from their parents so they tend to avoid contact with others as well. According to Catlett (2016), “Parents of children with an avoidant/anxious attachment tend to be emotionally unavailable or unresponsive to them a good deal of the time.” This lack of attention leads to a sense of isolation and can lead to a child acting out in the form of aggressive behavior and bullying. These children tend to be narcissistic. In turn, these traits can lead to criminal behavior such as burglary, assaults or murder (Grey, 2014). The crimes tend to be for personal gain or enjoyment. Their emotions are so detached and distant that they do not empathize with other