Latent Trait Theory And Juvenile Delinquency

The do not believe that there is a latent trait that makes a person delinquency-prone based on the following factors: the environment where the child is raised, the socialization where the child interacts, and their ethnicity. With the content provided and my experiences in observation in adolescents I have come to realize that there are many determining factors that could have a child become a child delinquent. The most important factor between the two that I have come up with is the socioeconomic model. My husband has been in education for ten years and has been in many different districts around the state of Oklahoma. He and I have observed students who are exposed to different cultures and atmospheres. He has been to a smaller school
where the family demographics are more, “country” based. In this you find students with single family homes where many children grow up without fully functional homes. Currently my husband is at a low socioeconomic school that has a melting pot of young adolescents in the school; many of these being African American, Hispanic, & Caucasian. In this scene you see again single family homes, but you see a different socioeconomic background where the adolescent is amongst different cultures and backgrounds. The socioeconomic model is the largest deterring factor in which children can become a juvenile delinquent. Adolescents begin to interact with other adolescents that may not have the same background as the other.
The belief in a latent trait that makes a young person a delinquent is argued amongst researchers today.
However, researches have said that the delinquency trait is minimized when the child is exposed to a fully functional home. The main reasoning for my latent trait theory is that you find people who become delinquents even without the trait. A person can turn into a delinquent just by the environment that he is exposed to. A adolescent with a good family background, where you do not see a single parent home are more prone to not becoming a juvenile delinquent. You can even see this in a single parent home as long as the adolescent is exposed to a good home environment with structure and different procedures to make the child understand how you are supposed to act in a civil
environment.
Previously stated, a latent trait should not be the deterring factor on if an adolescent becomes a juvenile delinquent.
My best argument is the way the child is raised in their environment and who the person chooses to be friends with in their socialization. An adolescent is exposed to the family environment almost immediately; the adolescent begins to understand at age three and begin to change around the age of fourteen. It is important for the environment around the person to let the child understand the importance of good morals, being a good citizen, and respect. These foundations at an early age can minimize the risk of an adolescent becoming a delinquent. Adolescents begin to see different backgrounds when they are exposed to peers at school. Sometimes you see young people hang out with different crowds that may alter their possibility of becoming a delinquent. It is inevitable that a child will go through this in their life. Having peers and choosing friends is something the parent should overlook and give advice about whom their child is hanging out with. The foundations that have been expressed give the adolescent the tools needed to get through these times. And if they get in trouble disciplinary action is needed. Sometimes fear is a good thing when you are parenting an adolescent. Fear can mean they respect your authority and the choice that the adolescent will make when they are in those tough situations will make them think before they
react.
Finally, I believe there is not a latent trait that can determine delinquency, I believe that the environment in which the adolescent is raised makes the biggest impact in the determination. Adolescents have a choice and if the person is raised in a structured environment the adolescent will make the correct choice. Everyone has a choice and all adolescents are faced everyday with peer pressure. There is an old saying that if you water the grass, the grass will grow green and strong. I believe it is the same way with our adolescents of America.