When Kids Get LIfe - A PDF

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This Essay is based on an assigned film regarding kids who get life in jail....

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Writing Assignment 

The documentary When  K   ids G  et L  ife  i ncluded four different cases in which three different delinquency   theories   explain   why   these particular   crimes   occurred.   The   first   case mentioned in the documentary, was the case of Jacob Ind.   Jacob Ind   was sent to life in   prison   for  brutally murdering both his mother and father. The theory that best explains why Jacob  committed the   crime   is   Robert   Agnew’s   General  S train T   second case that   was  heory. The presented in   the   documentary   was   the   case   of   Nathan   Ybanez.   Nathan   Ybanez   was   sentenced   to  life in   prison   for   brutally   murdering   his   mother.   The   theory   that best explains the actions of

 heory as well. The third case mentioned in Nathan Ybanez is Robert   Agnew’s   General  S train T the documentary   was   the   case   of   Trevor   Jones.   Trevor   Jones   was   sentenced   to   life   in   prison   for  robbery and   the   murder   of   one   of   his   classmates.   Trevor’s   actions   can   be   best   explained   by  Robert King Merton’s   S train T  heory.  The final case presented in the documentary was the case of Andrew Medina. Andrew Medina was sentenced to life in   prison for   the   murder   of   a  man   by the name of Kristopher Lohrmeyer. The theory that best explains the actions of Andrew Medina

 ond  T  heory. is Travis   Hirschi’s   Social  B Robert Agnew’s G   the   best   theory   to   explain   the case   of   Jacob   eneral S train  T  heory is Ind. The theory focuses more on   an individual’s direct social environment and negative stimuli than the   original   Strain   Theory.   The   theory   introduces   four different characteristics of strains.  These characteristics   include   strains   that   are   seen   as   unjust,   strains   that   are seen in high magnitude, strains that are associated with low social control, and strains that create pressure   to

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engage in criminal coping. Jacob Ind   seemed to have dealt with three out of the four characteristics of   strains   as   a  result   of   his   parent’s   abuse.   Jacob   Ind   definitely   felt that   he   was  given unjust treatment by   his parents. The abuse was unquestionably high in magnitude because  it occurred   so often   and   it   eventually   resulted   in  Jacob   Ind   murdering both of his abusive  parents. Agnew   also discusses   three   different   categories   of   strains. These   three include the inability to   achieve   positively   valued goals, the removal of a positively valued stimuli, and   the  presence of a threat with   noxious   or negatively valued stimuli. In   the case of Jacob Ind, the  physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from his mother and stepfather acted as a negatively valued stimuli.   General   Strain   theory   explains   that noxious stimuli can promote aggression and many other negative outcomes. The theory also explains that the noxious stimuli can cause  juveniles to engage in delinquent behavior to escape, terminate, or seek revenge against the negative stimuli.   This   thoroughly   explains Jacob Ind’s aggression leading to the brutal murder of  both his mother and his stepfather. The murder was a way   for Jacob to both terminate and   seek  revenge against   the   negative   stimuli   that   haunted   him. It can also be said that Jacob endured   a removal of   a positive stimuli when   his older brother moved out of the house.   The removal of a this particular   positive   stimuli most likely also caused strain for Jacob.  Similar to   the   case   of   Jacob   Ind,   the   case   of   Nathan   Ybanez   can   be   explained   by Robert Agnew’s General S train T  heory as well. As a result of the physical abuse inflicted on Nathan by his step   father   and   the   sexual   and   emotional   abuse   inflicted   by his   mother,   Nathan   dealt   with   a strain that   he   felt   was   unjust,   a  strain   that   occurred   regularly,   and   a  strain    that eventually caused  him to engage in serious delinquent behavior. Nathan’s mother did not allow Nathan to spend as much time with   his   friends   as   he   would   have   liked. She also forbid him from staying over at his 

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friend’s houses.   This   can   be   described   as   the   removal   of   a  positive   stimuli   for   Nathan   which, according to Agnew, can also cause strain. Agnew also states that the removal of a positive stimuli could   lead   the   individual   to delinquency as the individual tries to prevent the loss of the stimuli or   seek   revenge   on those   who   caused the   loss. Also, the physical, emotional, and sexual  abuse that   Nathan   endured   during   his   adolescence   acted   as   a  negative   stimuli.   With   both   the removal of a positive stimuli out of Nathan’s life as well as a constant negative stimuli, Nathan  had extreme   aggression   and   eventually   ended   up   brutally murdering his mother. This   was Nathan’s way of   escaping   and terminating the negative stimuli.

 heory. The The case of   Trevor   Jones   can   be   explained   by   Robert King Merton’s Strain  T theory states that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals even  though the individual may lack the means. This constant social pressure leads to strain which eventually may lead the   individual   to commit crimes. Robert K. Merton also argues that   socially  accepted goals   put   pressure on   people to conform. People are forced to work within the system or become members of   a  deviant   subculture to achieve the desired goal. When individuals are faced with   a  gap   between   their   goals    and   their   current   status,   strain   occurs.   Merton   argues   that there are   five   ways   to   adapt   to the strain. The five ways include, conformity, innovation,  ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Conformity is described by Merton as pursuing cultural goals  through socially approved means. Innovation refers to using socially unapproved or  unconventional means to obtain culturally approved goals. Ritualism is described as using   the  same socially   approved   means   to   achieve   less   elusive   goals.   Retreatism   is   simply   to   reject   both  the cultural   goals   and   the   means   to   obtain   it,   then   find   a  way to   escape   it,   and   rebellion   refers   to rejection of    the   cultural   goals   and   means,   then   work   to   replace   them.   In regards   to   the case of 

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Trevor Jones, Trevor took a more innovative approach to solve his problem. There is a societal  pressure for individuals to have a lot of material possessions as well as the money to acquire  such amenities and assets.   Trevor Jones felt this societal pressure intensely, so much so that he decided to   rob one   of   his   classmates.   Trevor   needed   money   and   lacked   the   legal   means   to   acquire the money, so he decided to use criminal means to acquire what he needed. Merton would  describe Trevor’s adaptation to his financial strain as innovation because Trevor used   an  unapproved mean to obtain a culturally approved goal.  Lastly, the case of   Andrew   Medina can best   be explained by   Travis Hirschi’s Social  B  ond

  social bond describes a person’s connection to society and consists of four elements. Theory.  A  These elements   are   attachment,   commitment,   involvement,   and   belief.   Each   component   can   in   a sense be   measured from low to high. The more an individual is attached, committed, involved, and believes   in   their   society,   the   less   likely   it   is   for   the   individual   to   commit   a crime. Hirschi argues that the best predictor of delinquent behavior is a youth’s attachments to parents, schools,  and peers.   Children   who have strong   bonds with their parents are less likely to be delinquent because the children do   not want to disappoint their parents and jeopardize their parent’s  affection. It   was   mentioned   in   the   documentary   that   Andrew   Medina’s   mother   was   often   absent  and his father was an alcoholic and not present in Andrew’s life. Andrew was part of a broken  family.  It can be said that the lack of a bond with both of his parents made it more likely for  Andrew to engage in delinquent behavior. The commitment aspect of the Social Bond   Theory  refers to   success,   achievement,   and   ambition.   The   social    bond   theory   states   that   ambition   or  motivation to achieve keeps juveniles on   a straight path because they know that getting into  trouble will hurt or limit  their chances of success.   The more energy and time an   individual   puts

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into education   or   a  career   the   less   likely   it   is   for   them   to   jeopardize   it   by   engaging   in   delinquent  behavior. It was stated in the documentary that Andrew often skipped school and that he had a learning disability   as   well.   Since   Andrew   often   skipped   school,   he   did   not have much to lose in regards to education and because of this, he engaged in delinquent behavior. The involvement  component of the Social Bond   Theory proposes that involvement in conventional activities can  act as   a  way of   preventing   juvenile delinquency because the juvenile would have less time to  commit crimes.   It   was   not   mentioned   in   the   documentary   if Andrew was involved in any  programs or activities; however it seems that the lack of a bond with his parents as well as a lack  of ambition for education resulted in Andrew participating in a crime that cost him his freedom. ...