Criminology Psychological Theories Essay -- Social Psychology, Introve

Social Psychology is a field that attempts understated how thoughts, behavior and feelings are influenced by the implied presence, actual or imagined presence of others. Social influence involves the exercise of social power by a person or a group to change the altitudes or behaviour of others in a particular direction. Social power refers t o the â€Å"force available to the influencer to motivate change† (Allport, 1985). Young people are more prone to social influence due to need for conformity with their peers. This makes many teenagers in United Kingdom to indulge in criminal and deviant behaviours, which is closely associated with drug use and gang crimes. We can therefore argue that some emotional, psychological and biological characteristics make youths to indulge in gang crimes. It is hard to differentiate drug abuse and violence in United Kingdom or a cross the world at large. Adolescence drug use scares adults. The spectres of addiction, psychosis, alienation and rebellion provoke dramatic responses: legislations enact and create control agencies; social scientists conduct studies; and all these efforts are documented, evaluated and modified. In all these activities, however, the perspective of adolescents is neglected. They too, are concerned about dangers and are influenced by these controls, but their concerns are of different sorts. They are the ones who choose which drugs, if any, to try, who decide which use patterns to settle on; who experience the effects of drug use is a part of the adolescent’s social world. In fact they sometimes report the uses, meaning and consequences of drug use. It is therefore challenging to attempt to prevent or intervene in such a use are based on assumptions about the meaning of drugs ... ...sychology ( Vol. 1, 3rd.,pp1-46. New York: Random House. Bandura , A. (1977). Sociol Theory. New York. Universal Press. Block Herbert & Arthur Nienehoffer, the gang: a study in adolescent behaviour. New York. Universal press. Decker Scott (1996) Collective and Normative Features of Gang Violence. Washington : National Institute of Justice. Eysenck. H (1964). Crime and personality. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Howell James (1997) Youth Gang Drug Trafficking and Homicide: Policy and Program Implications Juvenile Justice Journal 4: 4-5 Kohlberg ,l. (1969). Stage of Moral Development and Action: New York. Winston Publishers. Lange J. Crime as a Destiny. London. Allen & Urwin. Marshalls lance & David Crook (1999). The childhood experience of a psychopath: A retrospective study of familial and societal factors. Journal of personality disorders, 13,211-225.