Criminology theories, such as positivist, zone, and cultural deviance theories are a part of the foundation of criminal justice, specifically crime causation. Criminology theories lead crime causation and prevention practices in a direction according to the department implementing practices, such as a community system that will inform law enforcement of crimes being committed as they unfold. The theory would be the foundation to explain how this practice can prevent and lower crime rates. For example, unicausal theories posit one source for everything they are seeking to explain. It is an integrated approach that attempts to merge concepts from different sources into one.
An example of this theory in practice is seen in juvenile delinquency policy formulated by a police district that is based on the premise that juvenile delinquency is due to poor parenting. Many concepts were used to come to the conclusion that poor parenting is the root of the problem, but in using a unicausal theory, the source for all juvenile delinquent crime would only be poor parenting, which would be questioned since there is empirical evidence that demonstrates other variables are part of juvenile delinquency, such as peer pressure.
Criminology theories provide a path on what causes a specific crime. Crime causation is the outcome that criminology theories identify because they provide cause and effect of crimes and also identifies the source that causes a crime.
Please answer the following questions on the Discussion Board.
- Pick 1 of the 3 criminology theories that could be used in juvenile delinquency.
o Rational choice theory
o Biosocial theory
o Cognitive theory of desistance
- Explain why you chose this theory for the cause of juvenile delinquency? Which of the theories do you feel produces minimal or nothing to any explanation on the causes of juvenile delinquency?