Delinquency- behavior that is
illegal, immoral or deviant with
respect to societal values.
Crime- An action or
omission that constitutes
an offence that may be
prosecuted by the state
and is punishable by law.
Crime Rates- usually
obtained from official
sources, categorize
crimes by type and
offender
characteristics, such as
age, gender, race and
location.
Recidivism- future criminal
offences following a
previous offence and
defined through new
arrests, charges and
convictions.
Risk Factor- a persons psychology,
development or family history that
may increase the likihood that they
will perform a crime.
Examples: lower class,
poor parenting, family
issues, bad
temperament, etc.
"Cycle of violence
Hypothesis"- abused
children will become
abusers and victims of
violence will become
violent offenders.
Factors about an individual that may lead to crime:
hyperactivity, ADHD, impulsivity, learning
disabilities, fetal alcohol syndrome, low IQ,
hormonal imbalances, antisocial personality
disorder, psychopathology and biochemical
imbalances.