Developmental Crisis and Crime

Abstract

I proposed a “crisis theory” which comprises a conceptual framework for understanding and hypothesis for explaining crime and delinquency.

In the latter, I consider that the main task in bringing-up infants is “having a definite love-object” . Those infants who have definite love-objects become healthy, and internalize attachment, basic trust (Erikson), and guilt feeling. But, those who do not, have a crisis of maternal deprivation. Frequently their delinquency sqrings from personality disorders such as psychopath, or psychotic states, or from “affectionless character” (Bowlby). Next important task is “living under warm , protective circumstances and accumulating the readiness to independence” in childhood, and those brought-up appropriately in this way do not show serious behaviour problems , although some may demonstrate some minor unsocial types of problems. This task may be related to such psychological needs as love , safety , belongingness, curiosity, search and new experience. Those placed in cold or other inappropriate circumstances such as parental inability to provide consistent affection or insecurity of family life also show behaviour problems even if other options are available.

Those two failures to attain the tasks form a part of basic crisis. Delinquents in great basic crisis may feel difficulty in coping with daily social life and mandane affairs because of their personality problems and their general lack of living skills ; they do not have any feeling of security and belongingness.

Adolescent’s task is “becoming an adult” , which comprises four subtasks : establishment of gender identity , parental separation , joining membership and orientation to the way of life. Adolescence means a switchover from an adjustment of childhood (dependent , protected , obedient) to that of adulthood (independent , autonomous) , and brings anxiety and crisis to adolescents. So adolescent crisis is strong even for those who had no developmental problems in childhood. By experimentation youth must prove how far they can attain adulthood and sometimes this is realized by doing delinquency. However their anti-social behaviour is diminished in course of their development in proportion to their anxiety.

The adult’s task is “living contented in his way of life” . Crisis arises when task is not fullfilled.

I challenged to apply this theory to some case studies.