Individual or Society to Blame?

User Generated

OrpxlYO85

Humanities

colorado technical university online

Description

Who is to blame, the individual or society?

James T. Johnson is a 24-year-old construction worker who lives at home with his mother. During the week, he goes to work on time, does his work, and comes home. Occasionally, he will go out with a group of coworkers on a Friday evening. He has one other secret. He burglarizes homes and garages in the neighboring communities, selling what he steals via the internet or at pawn shops two counties over.

This past weekend, he was arrested during a burglary when he entered a home where the home owner was present. His mother had to mortgage her home to bail him out of jail. While driving him home, she started to berate him, stating that he has ended up "just like his father, a criminal" and that she will probably end up dying early due to the stress of having a criminal son.

James was angry and blurted out that it was her fault, that this was the only life he knew because his father never taught him anything worthwhile. He said that his mother and father fought all the time, and the main subject of the their fights was his constant drinking.

Assignment Guidelines

  • Using the scenario above, address the following in 1,000–1,250 words:
    • Do you think James learned his behavior from his father? Explain your reasoning.
    • Could there have been other contributing factors that would have an effect on the problem? Explain.
    • Do you think that if James were removed from his home as a juvenile, he would have become a burglar?
    • Are the statements from James about responsibility only used to shift blame? Why or why not?
    • Research reaction formation, and apply this theory to James's situation. ?
      • How is this related to strain theory? Explain. ?
      • How is this related to subculture perspective? Explain.
  • Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.

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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

1

Running head: POOR PARENTING
POOR PARENTING
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POOR PARENTING

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Do you think James learned his behavior from his father? Explain your reasoning.
Yes, James learned his behaviors from his father. Parents act as role models to their
children. Young children learn a lot from their immediate environment hence responsible
parenting is required when a child is at that stage. The child learns from every action that they
see as well as experience in their immediate environment. For this reason, parents should act
responsibly as well as teach their children the good things. This way, the child will grow up
being morally upright. James father was a criminal, and as James laments to his mother, he was
taught nothing else to help lead a better life apart from engaging in criminal activities such as
burglary. This is clear evidence that James learned his behaviors from his father.
Irresponsible parenting of James led to him having bad behaviors and being immoral as
he engages in burglary activities. Children should be taught to act and behave responsibly in the
society at their young age. Behaviors learned at a young age sticks to a child`s mind and will
always behave in that manner even in their old age (Bilgin & Wolke, 2015). As such, had James
father taught him something worthwhile, he would not be engaging in criminal activities.
Additionally, children copies what their parents, as well as their elders, does in the society. If a...

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