Criminal Behavior
By Wendy Michaud
CRJS410 ~ Unit 1
American InterContinental University
IP
March 30, 2014
Abstract
Everything you do in your life says something about you and your character. I tell my kids this all the time. If you act like a respectable young adult, you will be treated like one. I guess you could say that same thing about criminals. If they act like a criminal, and by that I mean commiting crime, then they are criminals. I refer to my friend “Joe” a lot in this paper because he did not and still does not carry himself like a criminal. Even though he is prison now for commitng crimes, you would never know just by looking at him that he is a felon. Labeling someone is a horrible way to get people to change their ways. All it does is set these people back and put them back to an attitude of why even try, and there is no hope for us.
I hate to say it but now a days there are more people that have had some sort of run in with the law than not. When people go to jail or do something to get in trouble, they are considered criminals. When people go to prison and get released, they are considered ex-felons. One of my oldest and dearest friend is now residing in Pelican Bay Prison for an extended vacation. He has been in and out of jails and prisons his entire life. Because of the mistakes he has made (some minor offenses some big mistakes) he is labeled everywhere he goes for the rest of his life.
There has been times where he has been released from jail and attempted to walk a straight line, get a job, find a place to live, ect. He was never able to do this due to him being labeled an ex- felon. This labeling made it more difficult for him to want to stay on that straight line and ended up back in jail/prison. A theory and strategy to avoid stereotyping people in the criminal justice system would be people in lower class culture with absent parents
CRJS410 ~ Unit 1
American InterContinental University
IP
March 30, 2014
Abstract
Everything you do in your life says something about you and your character. I tell my kids this all the time. If you act like a respectable young adult, you will be treated like one. I guess you could say that same thing about criminals. If they act like a criminal, and by that I mean commiting crime, then they are criminals. I refer to my friend “Joe” a lot in this paper because he did not and still does not carry himself like a criminal. Even though he is prison now for commitng crimes, you would never know just by looking at him that he is a felon. Labeling someone is a horrible way to get people to change their ways. All it does is set these people back and put them back to an attitude of why even try, and there is no hope for us.
I hate to say it but now a days there are more people that have had some sort of run in with the law than not. When people go to jail or do something to get in trouble, they are considered criminals. When people go to prison and get released, they are considered ex-felons. One of my oldest and dearest friend is now residing in Pelican Bay Prison for an extended vacation. He has been in and out of jails and prisons his entire life. Because of the mistakes he has made (some minor offenses some big mistakes) he is labeled everywhere he goes for the rest of his life.
There has been times where he has been released from jail and attempted to walk a straight line, get a job, find a place to live, ect. He was never able to do this due to him being labeled an ex- felon. This labeling made it more difficult for him to want to stay on that straight line and ended up back in jail/prison. A theory and strategy to avoid stereotyping people in the criminal justice system would be people in lower class culture with absent parents
References: Cooper, Tabetha. Criminology and Justice. Retrieved from http://criminologyjust.blogspot.com/2011/06/social-theories-explaining-gang.html#.UzisVWawpjo “Joe”. Prisoner at Pelican Bay State Prison. Wilson, John J. (April 2000). Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Predictors of Youth Violence.