Criminological Theory Essay

Researchers have invested decades worth of time and data, attempting to answer the question of what causes crime. The study of criminological theory contains a great number of explanations, focused on discovering why exactly, crime occurs. Whether causations are biological, psychological, or sociological in nature, theory has lead us closer to answering the question of why crime happens. Perhaps causations are best explained using hybrid explanations that include a little bit of everything. A significant part of theory focuses on delinquency and the domino like effect of deviant behavior that results for children into adulthood. According to the United States government, 25-33% percent of school aged children are subject to the victimization

Although bullying etiology is well documented, there may well be a direct link between delinquency and bullying (Moon, Hwang, McCluskey, 2011). The subject matter of delinquency among adolescents is well researched among criminological theorists, but more importantly, there is at least some belief that criminological theory may be able to explain causations of bullying (Moon, Hwang, McCluskey, 2011). Perhaps bullies are made as a result of learned behavior, victimization, strenuous environments, or other reasons. Some of the theoretical research on crime may in fact supplement the research that is already known about

305). Bullies also seem to rationalize their actions as kidding or joking around (Cole, et al., 2006). Cole, Cornell, and Sheras, (2006), also state that bullies believe, “fighting is an effective way to solve a problem and that vicitms deserve what happens to them” (p. 305). Not only does this study bring up opposing views of socially acceptable behavior (i.e. fighting & problem solving methodologies), but also shows the correlation between deviance and delinquent behavior and the devaluing of positive social norms (i.e. school). This type of value system can be attributed to learned behaviors and influential