Criminals are made according to Banduras' Social Learning Theory. The influence of parents and siblings play a significant role in the development of the child. The peer group a child keeps is also an influence upon the child. As school cirriculums are inadequate, children have time for mischief and inappropriate behavior left uncorrected develops into criminal deviance in adult life. The community at large plays part by allowing and accepting criminal deviant behavior to take place. The media condones and glorifies criminal behavior to a point where children choose to emulate their heroes. Finally, the fact that poverty is not an extremely comfortable lifestyle, people do what they have to, to make best of what they have. Criminals are not born, they are made.
The way parents rear their children and the influence of siblings determines whether or not a child is going to be a criminal or not. According to Bandura (1989), a child is influenced by its family. Familial surroundings are extremely crucial in the development of a child. The knowledge and values of a family passes onto the child. If there is drugs and alcohol present in the home, it is through observation that the child learns what is acceptable. If a family member spends time in prison, the child learns to think that doing time in prison is not only acceptable but a rite of passage. Some people think that involvement in criminal activities is not only acceptable, but a way of life that deserves respect. Criminal mentors, family idols pass their knowledge and values onto their children, turning them into criminals. Criminals are made.
The friends one keep, plays an important factor in determining whether or not a person is going to be criminal or not. From as early as primary school, children are influenced by their peer group. As some children are taught that crime is acceptable in the home, the criminal behavior begins in the school. From stealing another childs' lunch money and breaking into lockers to stealing cars, the childs' peer group is of great influence. Even children who have had the luxury of a good home, are at risk as there is the need in early child development to fit into a group. In order to fit into a group, gang initiation in some older groups, the need for approval, to fit into some type of 'norm', a child will indulge in criminal behavior. It is the influence that the available peers will have on a child that determines whether or not a person will be a criminal. Criminals are made.
Present day public schools are inadequate and as a result are contributing factors to the development of criminal minds. Schools are breeding grounds for criminals. It is at the school that children go to learn. It is at school that their little brains are developed. Some schools are extremely demanding with their cirriculums, keeping children busy and stimulated, while other schools battle to get the attention of their pupils. It is these schools that do not offer their students a quality education that promote mediocricity. When the state does not intervene to improve the quality of education and extra cirricular activities delivered, the child is set for failure. As the much needed attention is not provided for children, they are free to mischief with idle time. It is this lack luster attitude that breeds criminal mentality. It is in schools, that children test the boundaries of acceptability. As deviant behaivior is left uncorrected in schools, it is considered acceptable and develops into criminal activities out of the school. Criminals are made.
The mentality of the community, the activities of the community and the general community morale play a significant part in the development of criminal minds. Due to an unforgiving economy, there are always suburbs of low demand within cities. Run down cities with poor infrastructure and council involvement develop into urban ghettos with the provision of affordable housing to low income households. It is widely known that low economic status neighbourhoods have higher rates of crime. As children walk through their neighborhood, they soon discover what is acceptable. From underage drinking in the local park to drug and stolen goods trade in the local soup kitchen, the 'norm' sets in through observation. As police are unable to put a stop to all criminal activity, poor children are unable to afford constructive extracurricular activities, and the councils’ inability to manage the communitys' moral development, criminal minds are formed during the process of community involvement. Criminals are made.
The media plays an important role in the development of childrens' minds. As children spend a lot of their time in front of the television, especially in low socioeconomic households, they are bound to be influenced by the media. The media fall into Banduras' (1989) social learning theory. Movie stars are idols to children. Children want to be like their idols. When Hollywood glorifies criminal behavior, it has a negative impact on children. Movies like Oceans 11 and Ordinary decent criminal make out that it is not only acceptable to indulge in criminal activities, but criminals are heroes. The heroes in the movies are participating in armed robberies. The children are developing the idea that the global community condones criminal behavior. The hero not only gets away with criminal acts, but gets the beautiful girl and lives happily ever after. The media promotes criminal behavior and society emulate the media heroes. Criminals are made.
Poverty is a contributing factor to criminal behavior. Although the statistics would show otherwise, a great proportion of the world live below the poverty line. The need for basic necessities like shelter, food, water and security, Maslows' first level needs, drives people to a life of crime. When people are faced with the realities of a life in the slums, they are left with little choice but crime. Poor people without employment or any employable skills have no choice, but beg, steal, sell drugs or prostitute. The structure of the capitalistic economy dictates that those who are unsuccessful in the marketplace, are left out in the cold. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to make a legitimate dollar, anyone in their right minds would do whatever it takes to survive; crime might put a roof over a family and food on the table. The need for money is a crucial factor in the development of criminal minds. Criminals are made.
Criminals are not a result of nature. A criminal mind is not formed in the gene of the person. There is no identifiable DNA structure that determines whether or not a person is going to be a criminal. Criminals are nurtured. It is a combination of factors, the social and environmental surroundings that determine whether or not a person is to indulge in criminal activity. The family and friends of a person are the most immediate factors to influence criminal minds. The quality of the schools available to children play an important part in the determination of criminal behavior. The mentality of the community at large forms the notion of acceptability within the mind. The media also play their part as they create idols for children to emulate. Finally, the failure of the capitalistic economy creates a lower and middle class that are stuck in poverty and find it absolutely necessary to participate in criminal acts to make ends meet. Criminals are made.
