Criminological Theory

Criminological Theory

Question 1

Based upon your understanding of Megan's Law how could Howard Becker's Labeling Theory apply to the offenders, the criminal justice community, and the citizens who want to enforce the law? Start with an explanation of Megan's Law.

Megan's law was initiated with the aim to provide community with a protection system so that it becomes easier for everyone to effectively deal with the individuals that are involved in criminal activities. Megan's law was developed as Megan was a seven year old girl who was sexually assaulted by her neighbor and was suffocated to death; it was horrifying news for the public to hear that such a tragedy occurred in a residential area and in which criminal was the neighbor thus after which law was enforced with the name of Megan to protect community from such crime that would help to notify the community that an offender is entering in their neighborhood. The most significant aspect of the law is to provide protection to the communities.

Howard Becker's labeling theory suggests that individuals deviate from their behavior and they are different from those individuals who are abiding to the laws and regulations of the society he has defined the two steps of deviation the primary step of deviance in which the individual involves in crime either intentionally or unintentionally however later at the second step he opts crime as his career and accepts the label of deviant. He stated the best way to protect the community from these criminals is to control the use of Marijuana that will help to influence the behavior of these perpetrators. Thus this would keep the public informed about the offenders in the community and make it easier to enforce the law.

Question 2

Juvenile crime rate has increased over the years. It has become attractive for the youth to be involved in such criminal activities they often found an easier source of getting money as their demands are increasing they are deviated from the moral behavior and do not abide to the laws of the state. These criminals are in the primary phase of becoming criminal and eventually they are tend to opt for becoming criminal as their profession and will be involved in crime intentionally.

The crime rate is increasing rapidly amongst the youth; they are being involved in threatening people and asking them for valuable things, the article talks about the death of an employee who was found arguing with a group of teenagers after which the argument broke out into fight and the employee of the coffee shop was violently assaulted in public. After which police approached and arrested one of the four teens that were involved in the crime, however rest of them ran away, later in the afternoon the victim died. After investigating the matter police did not find any bruises on man' body yet others stated that he persecuted by these youngsters.

Based on the psychology of the juveniles there are many predictors that can lead to juvenile ...