Biosocial Interaction and Juvenile Delinquency Behaviors of Thai Juvenile Delinquents

Abstract

IntroductionJuvenile delinquency has long been considered a critical social problem. In Thailand, it was reported that this group of young offenders has tendency intended to solve their problems with violent behaviors (Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, 2009). It is crucial that adolescents' crime and deviant behaviors should be resolve because it may pervasively impact the children themselves, their family, as well as, other people around them. Previous adolescent crime and deviant behavior studies mainly focused on sociological factors like socialization, sub-culture, group influence and neighborhood, etc. (Beaver, 2009). Thereafter, there was a development of criminological concepts corresponding to social context which saw a shift from Positivism to Modern era; the age of integrated body of knowledge. These integrated theories of criminology which looks at the analysis of causal behavior of human are far more complicated than looking at just a single aspect.Juvenile delinquency is derived from multiple factors. However, there is no specific factor which helps to determine the cause of deviant behavior. This study calls attention to the integrated theories which emphasized the importance of factors in relation to biological, psychological and sociological factors and explain the reaction of each factor which may influence the criminal behaviors; such as, Multifactor theories. In the past two decades, there are several interests expressed upon the reactions between biological factors and social factors which leads to person's behavior and increased of behavioral disorders, there were several study made to that issues (Beaver, 2009); such as, in a study of risk factor in juvenile's deviant behavior, it was found that personal factor which is the risk factor; such as, anti-social behavior, factors in relation to emotional stimulants and difficulties in deterring their behavior, low cognitive development, low intellectual quotient, hyperactive behavior. Risk factors in terms of family; such as, parenting patterns, torture and family violence, divorce, family structure, pathology of parenthood, teenage parents. Peers factor; such as, relationship with deviant peers group and being rejected from a group, for social and community factor; such as, lacking of relationship with school, poor academic performance, living in a poor family, bad neighborhood and disorganization community; including easy accessible to weapons (Loeber & Farrington, 2001).Self-control theory (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990), theorized in integrating biological, psychological and social schemes, became imperative in criminology. They explained that people were more likely to commit crime due to the level of their self-control. With low self-control, individual might express impatience, risk-taking, self-centered, hot-tempered and impulsive physical responses, desires, which is a temporary satisfaction rather than emotional gratification. Low self-control and opportunity of committing crime could eventually lead to deviant behaviors (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). The theory considers the attribution, which allows an individual to commit crime, will attach to the person itself (Wright & Beaver, 2005). It is the biological factor that drives us to behave in the impulsive, insensitive, risk taking, imprudent, non-verbal, excitement appreciated, hyperactive, and egocentric ways, influencing all types of crime committing decision. In addition, social factor; such as, family factor, peer and school are considered to influence levels of self-control as well (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990; Turner, Piquero, & Pratt, 2005). Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) noted that social factors that cause poor self-control were due to the deprivation of being trained and the absence of good parenting during childhood (Child-rearing practice). With the lack of a very good care from parents and guardians and no proper punishment after committing wrongdoings or misbehaving comes low self-control in young people. …