Juvenile Delinquency, Theories of 

Using what you have learned so far,

a. which theories would best explain this action? (Use chapters 3,4,or 5).

Choice theory in Chapter 3 page 55

Psychodynamic theory in Chapter 3 page 74-75 (Larry and Brandon)

Question 2

Pick two theories.

1. Identify, explain and justify the theories you have chosen including the chapter(s) from which you choose your theories.

Choice Theory

Jeremy Bentham and Cesare Beccaria, fathers of utilitarian philosophy argued that human beings choose and weigh the consequences of their actions. Human beings have freewill and they will choose and violate the law in accordance to the benefits and costs o the outcome. Delinquents violate the law since they find it attractive and they choose their actions. Harris and Dylan Klebold choose o destroy lives and the school. It was a rational choice of killing and setting bombs in the school. They made a choice of eliminating people, property, and themselves.

Psychodynamic theory

The theory was posited by Sigmund Freud. He claims that a personality has three components. The id is present in every born child and it is pleasure seeking. The ego develops through the reality of living. It works to restrain the id from attaining immediate gratification. The superego develops after interaction with parents, the social world and nurtures morals in a person. The id, ego, and superego work simultaneously and they must be balanced. When an imbalance occurs, people lack sensitivity for other people's needs, become aggressive and psychotic. In general they act on the id; they want to gratify