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Abstract

The barbaric murder of James Bulger in 1993 and the tragic events of the Columbine school shooting in 1999 have, to this date, sparked debate on how children come to commit such heinous crimes. Existing research on juvenile delinquency lacks coherence, with many studies attributing deviant behaviour to a single social context. According to Social Learning Theory, behaviours are shaped by a combination of social influences, including family dynamics, peer influence and media exposure. However, most studies which utilise this do so inefficiently, often focusing on only one social force, overlooking the influence they have collectively. This study employs a thematic analysis of the select cases to argue that deviant behaviours are a product of a combination of influences. The findings are consistent with Learning Theory, revealing that the influence of family dysfunction, peer rejection and influence as well as violent media exposure fuse together to normalise delinquent behaviours. The influence of all three contexts plays a pivotal role in shaping prolific offenders. This is because the normalisation of deviant attitudes across all areas significantly desensitises an individual to criminal themes such as violence, which reduces the likelihood of reform and increases the probability of recidivism. This study aims to reinforce these findings in order to redirect criminological thinking regarding juvenile offenders.

Course: Criminology and Criminal Justice - BSc - UP586PYC

Date Deposited: 2024-11-11

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14506.html