Posted: June 22nd, 2022

Routine Activity Theory in Retail Theft and Home Burglary

Identify a crime and associated CJ Theory to explain why the individual committed the crime with a citation and reference. Identify a criminal justice theory discussed in class and define it to illustrate a possible rationale for reasons the crime was committed with a citation and reference. Demonstrates knowledge of the selected topic based upon the supporting research literature pertaining to crime and theory teachings. Applies undergraduate communication and writing skills with Help write my thesis – APA style and formatting.
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Routine Activity Theory in Retail Theft and Home Burglary

Juvenile delinquency can be described as the act of committing crime at a very young age. Juvenile delinquency is supported by a variety of enablers within the social value system that in turn affect how a person conceptually chooses to associate with the environment around them. In America, juvenile delinquency continues to manifest within the teenage population. Yu (2013) identifies that it continues to be an enduring phenomenon in the United States rising and falling from one year to the other as seen through arrest records and general crime statistics. This is despite the improved standards of living. As such presenting a really interesting sociological paradox for researchers and academicians. Yu (2013) identifies that for many young people the initial years of their lives plays a very critical role into how they conceptualize their world, as such, more emphasis needs to be made into how individuals perceive crime.
A criminal justice theory that works well to support the perpetual existence of juvenile delinquency especially in an advanced society such as the United States is the Routine Activity Theory, from Cohen and Felson. Routine Activity Theory identifies that crime occurs or has the potential to occur and continue recurring when three critical elements converge. These elements include; a motivated offender, suitable target and lastly the absence of a capable guardian (Purpura, 2013). With a focus on home burglary crimes or retail theft crime categories such as shoplifting, this theory allows a researcher to see the potential factors that converge and propagate criminal attitudes among juvenile and also shape to build a life of crime for the extreme cases.
Routine activity approach to criminal activity analysis takes a greater focus on the environment that allows the criminal and the crime to manifest. Purpura (2013) identifies that it considers the actions of the offender and the victims that allows the crime to materialize. Agustina and Felson (2015) identify that it is important to analyze youth convergence since crime peaks at in adolescence, crime is concentrated across a space and time, crime occurs as a result of peer pressure (co-offenders are a high characteristic of juvenile crime), and finally in absence of adult supervision youths who spend time alone tend to commit more crime. Mohammad, Nooraini and Hussin (2018) identify that the role of a guardian for youths is very immediate at very specific time and space. In this case the guardian, acts as a person who controls or gives better insight and reason to the teen not to commit crime by offering the a rational choice.
The juvenile offender is also a factor that should be considered. Motivation among offenders is brought about by a pull factor that manifest in a youth hangout. Youth hangout is defined as a place where activity recurrence is frequent, have a magnetic effect, and have considerable adult supervision (Mohammad, Nooraini and Hussin 2018). It has the power to shape motivation within an offender due to its nature and time, it can be after school (time) and at a mall or neighborhood spot (space) where adult supervision is rare. Social organization allows a recurrent activity to manifest. In this case, Agustina and Felson (2015) define a motivated offender as a person who is adept to commit a crime and is willing to do so. The juvenile in a company of people at a specific time, is more likely to be persuaded to commit a crime, as such, in the event that there is a lack of a guardian, there is a higher possibility of the crime occurring. Purpura (2013) identifies that the victims recurring activity raises awareness overtime.
This may include a victims’ schedule that coincides with the space and time in which the juvenile meet. For example, when a person is repeatedly leaving their unguarded house at the same time when a group of neighborhood potential offenders are meeting in front of his house after school. There is a higher likelihood that with the lack of supervision and suitable unguarded house, motivation to offend manifest and leads to a crime.

References
Agustina, J. R., & Felsonsss, M. (2015). Routine activities, delinquency, and youth convergences. The Handbook of Criminological Theory, 137-155. doi: 10.1002/9781118512449.ch8
Mohammad, T., Nooraini, I., & Hussin, N. A. (2018). Operationalizing routine activity theory in juvenile delinquency: A social work perspective. International Social Work, 63(2), 220-231. doi:10.1177/0020872818796134
Purpura, P. (2013). Foundations of Security and Loss Prevention. In Security and loss prevention: An introduction (6th ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.
Yu, T. (2013). Tackling the juvenile delinquency | Root causes of juvenile delinquency | family-based early intervention. Retrieved from https://www.ebpsociety.org/blog/education/378-root-causes-of-juvenile-delinquencyx

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