The link between Self Concept and Crime

The link between Self Concept and annoyanceSelf concept is the idea of behavioring at 1s ego both with high or low regard. angiotensin-converting enzyme stub look at herself or himself with high or low regard. The main objective of self concept is to deliver w here(predicate) mess should non itemize any 1 who they be alternatively you should recount yourself who you would deal to be. Self-confidence, self-worth and self-esteem be not tangible uprights they ar cultivated and make soften of human- universes. This paper sh alone focus on self-image and how it whitethorn lead to aversion. It pull up s hook ons explore theories that define how crime is maketed in relation to valuing themselves. Generall(a)y this paper depart shed light into slipway the clubhouse can create criminals or jockstrap humiliate un natural behavior with demonstr equal enlightenment.2. Self-Concept and Crime(Overview)Self concept is the idea of k straightawaying who you ar and the ab ility to accommodate yourself and, stay off of trouble. Self-control is the idea where battalion as well as differ to an extent they ar vulner open to the temptations of the moment and so in opposite speech their ability to restrain themselves (FrankMerilyn, 1999 p.197). (Thio 2010 p.7) harmonise to the positivist attitude deviance is determined or ca employ by forces beyond the case-by-cases control. Studies show that a strong self-image leads to self-confidence and high self-esteem which prevents the y poph from listening to what the human would like them to do.thither argon so many reasons the y fall let onh or any other soul involve in deviate behaviors. any(prenominal) of them whitethornbe the Relationships they catch with sight. Relationships involve those from relatives, the society and friends. Thio, 2010 in his view of relativism sound outs that abnormal behavior of which leads to crime does not defy any intrinsic purposeistics unless on that stoppage is a thought to of these characteristics. The so-called intrinsically aberrant characteristics do not come from the behavior itself instead they come from peoples minds. These person can be our friends, our family or our society. Delinquents often measures suffer self-images because their relationships do not ease them unfiting what they think some themselves. (FrankMerilyn, 1999, p22) Crime consists of a transgression against a hearty contract and in that respectfore crime is a object lesson villainy against the society. They go onward to say that punishment is besidesified alone to hold back the brotherly contract and therefore the purpose of punishment is to prevent in store(predicate) transgressions by deterring friendlyly harmful behavior. The society ineluctably to do all it can to help prevent its members from involving in crime and that is why relationships in the biotic community assume a big role in create self-image which minimizes crime or transgr ession.3. Containment Theory(Frank and Marilyn 1999, p 192) explains delinquents as the interplay between 2 forms of contraol Internal (inner) and external (outer).4. Self-EnhancementAdolescents are always out to number compliment of any little thing they do. This often times leads to gang-life. (Barsani Marvin1970 p 283) gives a story of how deviance can happen. He says that hanging out happens gradually. One does not realize herself or even himself. Those bear on know that the other guys will be at a particular corner so they will go finger them. This hanging-out commence into cutting up now and then. Later on bigger crimes happen and many suffer because it was not their initiative. From the explanation it is clear that adolescents do so many things just to be ornery. They do what others do until they realize that it often leads them into trouble. They do all these in pursuit of self-enhancement.Barsani goes ahead to say that almost every person pauperisms to hangout at a c ertain age or point so that they experience away from monotony. The gang often does things that they think are petty as far as insulting cops so that they get chased. They fail to stop at street lights and expect no one to care that they are making a mistake against the law. To them, they think they should be left alone to do as they please. Gang-life can too be Normative collections. Thio, 2007. P.229 says that if they feel threatened, rebuked or belittled, they may experience self-rejection and because of this rejection they may turn to deviant groups make up of youths who ache been similarly rejected to meet their need for self-esteem. While pompous society may reject them, their modern criminal friends give them positive feedback and support to advance enhance their new individuality, that may pledge in deviant behaviors. This is why the society or relationships have a bigger role to playing streamlining how the youth in the society behave. If the only people who approv e who they are belong to the normative group then it will be hard for them not to engage in what they do in pursuit for self-fulfillment.Self-rejection can be a very serious hassle leading to delinquency. Self-rejection causes the youth to loose direction. (Barsani Marvin E. 1970, p 253) says criminal behavior is versed in interaction with other persons and in the sour of communication. The principle part of the learning of criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups. Groups play a major role in enhancing crime especially among adolescents or high school teenagers. They always want to feel wanted and authorize for what they can do and if the conventional society does not do that, psyche else will which is the gang or normative groups.5. kind Bond Theory and crimeSocial Bond possible action according to (Radsonwicz 1977, p 394) says that the idea that the societys ride to eleviate social problems of deviance by means of establishment of public policy may aggrav et or perpetuates the problems is by no means a novel. (Thio 2010 p 22) says there are four elements of social bond theory. The first one which is attachment is just the virtue that people sort of get attached to the conventional people and society. The twinkling is commitment to conformity which brings the idea that individuals in the society strive to do the crush for the whole societys well-organism. Activities like getting an education, improving professional status, getting a job are just mere commitments individuals undertake for the good of the society as well as their own wears. Failure to do so may lead to other ways of meeting needs which unquestionably will be involving in deviant behavior. The third is the involvement in conventional activities. (Siegel 2007 P 230) says that heavy involvement in conventional activities leaves little time for illegal behavior. When people die involved in school, recreation and family, they stimulate so insulated from potential invo lvement in crime whereas idleness enhances it.(Thio 2007) says that the hold out which is a belief in the incorrupt validity of social rules. People who live in the same social setting often share greens moral beliefs they may adhere to such determine as sharing, sensibility to the rights of others and admiration for the legal code. (Siegel, 2007) goes ahead to give evidences to the social bond theory. Siegel farther points out that the following show that social bond theory is aline and can workThe youth who were strongly attached to their parents were less li up to(p)(predicate) to commit criminal acts. They had strong egos and high self esteemCommitment to conventional values such as striving to get a good education and refusing to drink alcohol and cruise nigh was indicative of conventional behavior.Youths involved in unconventional behavior such as smoking and drinking were much delinquency-prone.Those who shunned unconventional acts were attached to their peersDelinq uents and non-delinquents shared similar beliefs just about the society.Social control theory has its own opposing views for example friendship. Whereas Hirschs view about friendship says that delinquents are detached loners whose bond to their families has been broken but the reality is that a number of delinquents maintain relationships with deviant peers and family members. The other element that critics have found shimmy is that deviant peers in relating with parents whereby Hirschi says that youths attached to drug-abusing parents are more likely to become drug-users themselves. That particular view often times is not true. Restricted stretch has also been disapproved where research shows that control variables are more predictive of female person than male behavior. Changing bonds is another opposing view whereby (Siegel,2007) says that it is possible that at one age level weak bondsParents lead to delinquency darn at another strong bondsat peers leads to delinquency. The last is that criminal behavior weakens social bonds and vice versa (Siegel, 2007)Social control theory in general attends to any position that discusses the control of human behavior. Among their various forms such theories admit explanations based on genetics, neurochemistry, sociobiology, temper and environmental design. Social control theories attribute crime and delinquency to the usual sociological variables (Family Structures, education, peer groups) says (Frank Marilyn 1999, p 188)5.1. Testing Social check off TheorySocial control theory may be surpass for explaining less serious forms of delinquency. Because of its grounding in self-report studies which traditionally have cerebrate on less serious forms of behavior, it makes sense that social control theory works best for minor to moderate delinquency(Frank Marilyn 1999. P 200). The deuce come across that if the theory is followed, it will help control minor crimes and delinquency.6.0. Social reply TheorySocial t heory is roughtimes or also referred to as labeling theory. (Siegel 2007, P 232) defines it as explaining how passages form based on destructive social interactions and encounters. (Thio 2010, P 35) says that labeling theorists interprets deviance not as a static entity whose causes are to be sought out but rather as a dynamic process of symbolic interaction between both deviants and non-deviants. insofar (Becker 19633-18) noting other definitions depend on statistical, pathological, or relativistic views of deviance verbalise that none of them does justice to the reality of deviance thus he see that deviance can often be in the eye of the beholder because members of various groups have different conceptions of what is right and proper in certain situations.Social chemical reaction theory or labeling theory emanates from symbolic interaction theory by Charles Horton George which was later picked on by Plumer. (Siegel 2007 232) says that the symbolic interaction Theory holds t hat people communicate via symbols-gestures, signs, words or images that stand for or submit something else.6.1.Labels and labelers(Thio, 2007) According to labeling theorists, people who support the forces of law and order as well as conventional ethical motive typically apply the deviant label to those who have allegedly go against that law and morality. (Becker, 1974) Says that a major element in every horizon of drama of deviant is the imposition of definitions that is of situations, acts and people-by those powerful enough legitimated to be able to do so.Labeling aspects have a wide range of intellectual governs. These include social psychology, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. primarily speaking labeling perspectives have strong links to the symbolic integrationists perspective in sociology. The perspective employs concepts such as self and symbol in order to explain social behavior and social action.A symbol can be said to be anything that stands for something else. All human beings have to learn how to respond to different situations by accurately reading the symbols around them. The self is not psychological concept just like personality but refers to how people see themselves. This in turn is built through and through social interaction. The term used is looking glass self which means that your image of yourself is exclusively what you see of yourself reflected in those around. Siegel, (2007) emphasizes on the concepts of interaction and interpretation. Siegel says that throughout their lives people are disposed(p) a variety of symbolic labels and ways to interact with others. Rob Fiona (2000) say that human interaction involves role-playing. Individuals go ahead to say that for it to occur, each individual has to be able to take the role of the other and to see things as others see them. The essence is that interaction only occurs because each person is able to attribute appropriate meaning to the symbols.The self does not simply passiv ely respond to events and people around it. It also plays an active part in selecting how it depends on people and events around it. How people respond to other people in our social interactions depends upon how they define situations.Everything should be understood though as cited by Siegel (2007) that not all denominate people have chosen to engage in label-producing activities such as crime. Some contradictly charged labels are bestowed on people for behaviors over which they have little control. Some of these negative labels include the mentally ill and the mentally deficient.6.2. The Labeling processSiegel says that it takes a process for someone to show deviant behavior when tagged. thither are two types of labeling positive and negative. Victims of negative labeling can change their behavior when given a chance. The labeling process occurs in six stages namely initial act, detection by the justice system, decision to label, creation of a new identity, acceptance of label s and at last deviance amplification. Labeling advocates maintain that depending on the visibility of the label and the manner and harshness with which it is applied, a person will have an increasing commitment to a deviant career. Stigma is acquired through the process. (Rob and Fiona, 2000) Once a person has been denominate a particular kind of person, they are liable to be treated in a different kind of way from others who may engage in the same kind of behavior, but who has not been labeled. This process can be encountered asNegative LabelingStigmatizationNew individuality formed in response to negative labelingCommitment to new identity based on available roles and relationshipsSiegel and the two agree on how labeling render deviants simply because particular weak individuals of the society decide to do what everyone thinks or the labelers have said or think they are.6.3. Stigmatization and as a major consequence of Labeling(Barsani Marvin E.1970) says that smeartizati on describes a process of attaching visible signs of a moral inferiority to persons, such as invidious labels, marks, brands, or publicly disseminated information. The Greeks who are apparently strong on visual aids, originated the term stigma to refer to bodily signs designed to expose something unusual and bad about the moral status of the signifier. The signs were cut or burnt into the body and advertised that the carrier wave was a slave, a criminal or a traitor who was a blemished person, ritually polluted, to be avoided, especially in public places. According to (Radzinowicz 1977) later, in Christian times, two layers of metaphor were added to the term. The first referred to bodily signs of holy grace that took the form of eruptive blossoms on the skin and the second is a medical illusion to this religious illusion referred to bodily signs of physical disorder. In the present world, according to the preceding(prenominal) author the term is widely used in something like the original literal sense, but is applied more to the disgrace itself than the bodily evidence of it. (Siegel, 2000) says that labeled people may find themselves turning to others similarly stigmatized for support and companionship. Isolated from conventional society, they may refer themselves as members of an outcast group and become locked into a deviant career. So in all essence stigmatization is the biggest negative effect of labeling.6.4.Preliminary conceptions about Stigma confederacy according to (Becker, 1974) establishes the means of categorizing persons and the compliment of attributes felt to be ordinary and natural for members of each other of these categories. Social settings establish the categories of persons likely to be encountered there. Becker goes ahead to say that the gets we make might give be called demands made in effect and the character we impute to the individual might better be seen as an imputation made in potential retrospect which is a characterization in effect a virtual identity.(Radzinowicz 1977 p. 389) The term stigma and its synonyms conceal a double perspective which is does the stigmatized individual assume his differentness which is known already the evidence on the spot, or does he assume it is neither known about by those present nor instanter perceivable by them? The first perspective deals with the plight of the discredited while the second deals with that of discreditable. This is a very important difference when dealing with stigma although some individuals often times have experienced both perspectives of the stigma.There is always the positive and negative side of labeling which eventually leads to stigmatization. If the society stays together when labeling, research shows that this may help reduce crime. Radzinowicz (1977) says that those generally stigmatized may offer flying or relatively stable solutions to life problems despite the fact that they represent a lower order of human existence. If effective stig matization imposes penalties, and circumscribes plan of attack to conventional means of life satisfactions, it may also provide new means to end sought. For example, becoming an admitted homosexuals which is known as coming out may endanger ones livelihood or his professional career, yet it also absolves the individual from failure to assume the heavy responsibilities of marriage and parenthood. It is also a ready way of fending off painful involvements in heterosexual affairs. exchangeable being sent to a camp for delinquent boys is degrading and a career threat, but at the same time it may be an passage of escape from intolerable home situation where degradation is greater. Another scenario like being committed to a mental hospital is a blemish on ones reputation, where it may be one sure way of stopping a divorce action by a straying spouse, the moment would be even more intolerable if the action is not undertaken.Contrally to the above positive side of labeling (Radzinowic z 1977) says that there are reasons why stigmatized persons may try on and find gratifications as well as having to endure painful degradation and frustrating restrictions associated with deviant status. One has to do with the dialectical qualities of cultural values, public policies, laws and social control the other with complex ways in which personal evaluations are made of things and experiences objectively represented as rewarding or punishing.6.5. derived function EnforcementThis is where the law or legal institutions favor the more privileged than the underprivileged. (Radzinowicz, 1977) says that this is a mechanistic image of deviance. Such an image shows the individual as being mechanically pushed into deviant involvement by an association with deviants. This ignores the individuals role-taking and choice-making ability. (Barsani Marvin E. 1970) continues to say that further on, in pursuit to correct this mechanistic image suggests that the experience of associating wi th deviants is inoffensive unless the individual identifies with them. He says that deviance is likely to occur if derived function realization intervenes between it and differential association differential association which connects to differential identification and then yields deviant behavior. The concept of differential enforcement according to (Siegel, 2000) emphasizes the idea of labeling theory. Siegel says that the minorities and the poor are more likely to be prosecuted for criminal offenses and to receive harsher punishments when convicted. Judges may sympathize with white defendants and help them avoid criminal labels, especially if they seem to come from good families whereas nonage youth are not afforded that luxury. The law is generally differentially constructed and applied, depending on the offenders. It favors the powerful members of society who direct its content its content and penalizes people whose actions represent a threat to those in control, such as min ority group members and the poor who demand equal rights (Thio, 2010).6.6. Differential Social controlA process of labeling may arrive at re-evaluation of the self, which reflects existing or perceived appraisals made by others. (Siegel, 2000) When they believe that others view them as antisocial or troublemakers, they take on the attitudes and roles that reflect this assumption they expect to become suspects and then to be rejected. According to Siegel this process has been linked to delinquent behavior and other social problems including depression. Enhancing or promoting reflective role adheres to informal and institutional social control processes. This helps them get over what they have been thought to be.6.7. Retrospective reading(Siegel, 2007) Labelers try to define what the person is. They give a person a new being making them either powerful (for positive labeling) or making him a lesser and more prone to deviance in the cases of negative labeling. When a person is labele d, people start to react to the label description and what it signifies instead of reacting to the actual behavior of the person who bears it and that is what is called retrospective reading.6.8. Dramatization of Evil(Bersani Marvin E. 1970) In the conflict between the young delinquent and the community there develops two opposing definitions of the situation. In the beginning the definition of the situation by the young delinquent may be in the form of play, adventure, interest, mischief, fun. To the community these activities may seem to be a nuisance and evil. The attitude of the community hardens definitely into a demand for suppression. Thus there is a gradual shift from the definition of the detail acts as evil to the individuals evil. In such instances, the young delinquent becomes bad because he is defined as bad and because he is not believed if he is good. There is persistent demand in consistency in character and the community cannot deal with people it can define. Ther efore reputation is sort of a public definition and once it is established, then unconsciously all agencies agree to maintain this definition even when they apparently and consciously attempt to defy their own implicit judgments.Tagging, defining, identifying, segregating, describing, emphasizing, making conscious and self-conscious are some of the criminal-making processes it becomes a way of stimulating, suggesting, emphasizing and evoking the very traits that are complained of. The way out of this situation is through refusal to dramatize the evil and the less said about it the better while the more said about something else still better too. The concept of dramatization therefore tends to precipitate the conflict situation which was first created through some innocent maladjustment.Therefore, in dealing with delinquent-the criminal, the important thing to think back is that its dealing with human beings who are responding normally to the demands, stimuli, approval, expectancy , of the group with whom they are associated. Generally speaking, its dealing with an individual and not with a group.6.9. Primary deviance(Siegel, 2010) says that immemorial deviance involves norm violations or crimes that have very little influence on the actor and can be quickly forgotten. They are what can be termed as petty crimes.6.9.Secondary deviance(Barsani Marvin E, 1970) The most general process by which status and role transitions take place is socialization. (Siegel, 2007) Secondary deviance occurs when a deviant event comes to the attention of significant others or social control agents who apply negative label. The newly labeled offender then reorganizes his or her behavior and personality around the consequences of the deviant act. It becomes part of them and they practice it.6.10. personal effects of labelingLabeling has adverse effects on so many people. (Siegel, 2007) Children who are labeled as troublemakers in school are the ones most likely to drop away out and dropping out has been linked to delinquent behavior. Even as adults, the labeling process can take its toll for example male drugs users labeled as addicts by social control agencies eventually become self-labeled and plus their drug use. Labeling causes parents to become alienated from children and increase child delinquency that is in cases of negative labeling. People labeled often bring out their negative behaviors. Self-image is the best thing that everyone should try to foster in order to reduce crime and delinquency.6.11. Family image contextual discriminationWhen dealing with self-image, the family is very important. (Barsani Marvin E. 1970) says that good relationships in the family yields good character. If the family plays their role in keeping and upholding morals, then children and members of the society will set up with a sense of belonging. When a family is labeled, it should try the much it can to disqualify the label so as to be able to come out of it. The so ciety is made up of families and if single families play their role, it definitely will work.6.12. Re-evaluation of Labeling Theory(Thio, 2010, P. 37) Many sociologists have criticized labeling theory for not being able to answer the question of what causes deviance. The truth is that the theory is not supposed to tell what causes deviance it is intended to be nonetiological meaning that it should be concerned about casual questions about deviance. The other thing is that, research shows that the theory has failed to produce consistent support to labeling theorists assumptions that the deviant label leads the individual into further deviant behavior. The truth is in this form of example, there are so many poor girls who have been labeled but due to the fact that they have strong bond with their parents, but they end up succeeding. The idea here is not labeling, it is inner-drive and relationships.(Thio, 1973) gives a view that labeling theory cannot logically deal with hole-and-cor ner(a) deviance and powerful deviants. This theory insists that no behavior can be deviant unless labeled as such and often the powerful commit hidden crime. Labeling theorists in effect say that the powerful cannot be deviants because they can only be labelers.7.0. ConclusionSelf concept and crime seeks to find out what is the root cause of crime in relation to self-esteem and self-control. Studies show that being labeled deviant produces unfavorable consequences for individual labeled and also labeling individuals as deviant generates favorable consequences for the community. Low self-image or self-esteem as found by many researchers is what leads people to commit crime. If people tell someone that they are this and they just revoke it and work towards the best. Therefore, individuals will not have to think about why it did not happen it was intended. Teenagers, adolescents and everyone in the community need a good communication system, a shoulder joint to lean on, souls to confi de in and a strong person to look upon as a role model. The society needs to take up this responsibility by providing helpful ways to save members who show characteristics of deviant behavior. If this process is applied, it would yield a healthy society.