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1. Social Explanations for
criminality
HOW DIVORCE EFFECTS WHETHER PEOPLE BECOME CRIMINALS
IF WE ARE RAISED IN LARGE FAMILIES, WHETHER IT CAN AFFECT HOW
LIKELY WE ARE TO TURN TO CRIME.

2. Made Criminal
What is the perfect childhood?
Life is not perfect and experiences can influence the way a child turns out.

3. Family Patterns as an explanation for
criminality
Family patterns are the experiences children have during their family life.
These could include:
◦ Divorce
◦ Separation from main caregiver
◦ Family size

4. Divorce
Can lead to single parent housholds or so-called ‘Broken Homes’.
Research suggests that children from a broken home are twice as likely to become criminal as
those from an intact family.
Boys can be effected if they have no father figure as a role model and often become more
aggressive.
Girls become depressed rather than aggressive.

5. Maternal Development
Is there a link between and separation from the main caregiver?
The child feels a sense of security with them and can become distressed when they are
separated – this is called maternal depravation.
If this bond is broken particularly within the first 2 years, the child may suffer lasting effects.
They lose a sense of having a safe world and feel rejected.
John Bowlby (1946) questioned 44 boy offenders about their crimes and their relationship with
their parents.
Findings – 14 boys felt no guilt about their crimes or victims.
◦ 12 out of the 14 boys had been separated from their primanry caregiver before they were 2 years old.
◦ Exploring the background of the other 30 who did feel guilt. Only 5 had separated from their primary
caregiver before the age of 2.

6. Family Size
Farrington (2002)
Families with a lot of children (6 or 7) were more likely to be linked to criminality. This is
probably due to the lack of attention, parental supervision over there behaviour.
More likely to have a lower income or have to make it stretch further.
Offer fewer educational opportunities, which has been linked to persistent youth offending such
as fighting and drug use.

7. Parental occupation
The job that parents do gives only a slight link to criminal activity in children. An Australian study
of youth crime Western (2003) showed that a fathers occupation was not an indicator of crime,
even if he was unemployed. BUT the mothers occupation did have an effect.
Mothers employed as Blue collar workers, such as factory workers, had children who were more
likely to commit crime.
One Theory being that the children were suffering Maternal Deprivation as a result of their
mothers working long hours.
Rather than the occupation itself.

8. Understanding family patterns
It is hard to pin down the exact social factors that influence criminal behaviours because families
and their circumstances are so complex.
David Farrington (2002)
Studied 411 boys from the East End of London for over 40 years.
Aged 8 at the start of the study and were visited every 2 years until they were 46.
The boys Mothers, teachers and Friends were interviewed throughout the Longitudinal Study.
Findings
If the boys turned to crime, it was linked to the following factors.
◦ Low Supervision of Parents, Poor Housing, Parental Neglect,
◦ Harsh or inconsistent Parenting Separation Of Parents Low achievement at school

9. None of these factors alone determine criminal behaviour, but all involved in some way.
Providing Negative Childhood experiences could increase a child vulnerability to criminality.
The strongest research suggests that prolonged separation from a caregiver and arguments
within the family home are bad childhood experiences that may influence whether or not an
individual turns to crime, although they themselves do not produce criminals.

10. Questions – Use evidence to support
your answer.
1. Name 2 risk factors associated with criminal behaviour?
2. Explain how divorce can cause criminality?
3. What is meant by the term ‘maternal deprivation’?
4. How might maternal deprivation cause criminal behaviour?
5. Why might a child from a larger family be more likely to become a criminal?