As we’ve covered previously, there are a lot of potential warning signs and risk factors for eventual violence early in life. We’ve talked about several of those, including early aggression, peer rejection, certain parental styles, neglect, abuse, drugs, and there are many others. You’ve probably realized that lots of problems start early and blossom into worse issues as the person moves through life. What makes this even more complex is that the juvenile years are already marked by problems of their own.
Ordinary (non-criminal) juveniles are already a little rebellious, seeking independence and willing to push boundaries – even legal ones at times. Because of these normal, developmental tendencies, society tends to look very harshly at juveniles; they get accused of a lot more than they actually do. Poor kiddos. It’s not even uncommon to hear people talk about an ‘out of control’ juvenile crime rate and linking it to broken families, school shootings, etc. In truth, the juvenile crime rate, just like overall crime, has been decreasing for about 30 years. Even so, we all know that there are some very troubling cases of juvenile criminals who commit horrible offenses. How does this happen?
Check out this video from Dr. Jordan Peterson called “The Birth of the Criminal Mind.” If you’ve never heard anything from Dr. Peterson, you’re in for a treat (and a ride)! He’s pretty deep and very intelligent, so you need to pay attention. You may need to watch this more than once. Take some notes about the key points he makes. He discusses a very compelling developmental trajectory that leads to extreme juvenile delinquency (i.e. the criminal mind).
Before you start the video, you may need a little background; Dr. Peterson uses the biblical story of Cain and Abel to illustrate his points. If you’re not familiar with the story, here it is from Genesis chapter 4, verses 2b-7:
“Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time, Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering, he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.“
https://youtu.be/UuPvdGmXb3o link to video
Requirements for Your Initial Post
After you’ve watched this video, post your thoughts and analysis (350-500 words). Given what you know so far, does Dr. Peterson make a good case for how criminals come to be? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Be thorough in your analysis, pointing out specific aspects of what Dr. Peterson alleges. Your initial post is due by Thursday at 11:59 pm CST.
Whether you agree or disagree, defend your position. Use knowledge from this and other courses, texts, articles and other information you’ve learned to justify yourself. If you reference recent news or other media stories that substantiate you’re your position, even better (and highly recommended – just remember to cite each source.)!