The Lifestyle Theory by Larry Siegal - Research Paper Example

The Lifestyle Theory by Larry Siegal Introduction: The lifestyle theory as related to law and criminal justice explains that individuals do not use their intelligence or rational thoughts while they get involved into crimes associated with social situations. Social situations in this regard refer to the circle of friends or peer groups that individuals mix with, as well as the social environment in which they exist. Certain factors have been determined by Larry Siegal who is a criminologist by profession. These factors include “all-male peer group, urban environments, weapons-carrying and excessive partying” that according to Siegal are responsible for individuals often becoming victims to crimes (Johnson, 2011). Thus the lifestyle theory brings forth the issue of a rational choice that determines an individual’s involvement in crimes (Johnson, 2011). The present study focuses on an understanding of the lifestyle theory and the vital issues that may be associated with the theory as well as understand the probable solutions to complicated problems related to the theory. The Lifestyle Theory: A Brief Overview: As far as the lifestyle theory is concerned there are three interlocking models that constitute the theory. These are the structural model, the functional model, and the change model. Through a structural model, a lifestyle is defined operationally along with its features. It also explains how the lifestyle fits into a larger system of classification. The functional model delivers the developmental features of a lifestyle with respect to the fears, beliefs and values of a person in a community, distinguishing such factors into initiating ones and maintaining ones. The change model of the theory deals with the focus of change in a lifestyle. This is primarily concerned with the changes that occur naturally in the lifestyle of an individual during a lifetime influencing the behavior of the lifestyle (Walters, 2006, p.1). Vital Issues Associated with the Theory: The most important issue associated with the lifestyle theory is the fact that depending on lifestyles, individuals tend to get victimized and get involved into criminal activities. This has been discussed in several studies. Different individuals have different styles of living their lives. The different activities that individuals are involved may be mandatory or optional, leading to lifestyles being patterned, or customary, or persistent, common or involving routine activities (Robinson, n.d.). It can be discussed here that while there are certain activities that are customary or mandatory for almost all individuals to follow regularly which may be the routine activities of life, the discretionary activities are the ones that individuals choose on their own to be involved in. A person having a highly active lifestyle are prone to greater victimization since they tend to mix with greater number of people irrespective of whether they are good or bad, having no proper knowledge of their intentions. Hence victimization may be influenced. However the criminal victimization also depends on the individual’s incapability of not being able to predict the wrongdoers and the incorrect activities that might lead to crimes (Robinson, n.d.). With the active lifestyles of individuals, particularly among the youth, there are greater risks of exposures to offenders in a society. This has been more associated with the assaults and criminal activities from strangers. For example, parental violence might also lead younger individuals to perform crimes. However such activities or crimes cannot be associated with the lifestyle theory. Lifestyle theory discusses about the cases where individuals spend large amounts of time out of their homes, with strangers, even at the time of night and become prone to criminal victimization (Finkelhor & Asdigian, 1996, pp.3-4). As studies of the FBI reveals, crime is an ever increasing problem in countries like America. The study of the policymakers are focused on the victims since only understanding the nature of the crimes and the criminals have not provided any solutions to the prevailing problems related to crimes. There are cases of crimes where an individual is victimized owing to his/her presence at the wrong place at a wrong time. However, in many other cases, individuals possessed and expressed activities that made them the active targets to criminal activities (Krejny, 1999, pp.1-2). This is where the lifestyle theory may be associated with the victimization of individuals towards activities of crimes. When individuals are parts of a society or a community, there are certain roles and expectations that are expected to be fulfilled by them. These behaviors and roles however vary from individual to individual. Also, with gradual changes in the social structures and the roles and expectation, individuals tend to get hold of newer skills and outlooks enabling them to adapt to the constraints of the society. With such developments, individuals also develop their concepts and understanding of crime and the fear of criminal activities. Thus constraints and restrictions in behaviors are often incorporated in their lifestyles creating several limitations. This gives an understanding of how and why lifestyles vary among different people. Such differences in lifestyles often settle on the individual’s presence at particular places at particular points of time. Thus while certain people may be safe, others might be at more risk of being victimized (Krejny, 1999, pp.3-4). Victimization and the Lifestyle Theory: The studies related to victimization of individuals and their lifestyles have been studied since early times of the 1930s. A positive correlation has been obtained in between the victimization of individuals and the lifestyles that the individuals followed. The lifestyle theory may be more explained and clearly understood as follows. If a victim is interested and involved in criminal activities like robbery, assault of drugs, then it is more likely that he will be more comfortable to mix with people involved in the similar activities. Interactions are in general more among likeminded people and people having similar motives and interests. Thus the activities of the people lead to acquaintances of similar nature creating the chances of criminal activities (Dietrich, 2008, pp.1-4). From the perspective of criminal integrity, if victims are also criminals by their nature and activities, then they cannot be expected to inform about the unfair treatments on themselves as they would not wish for the system to know about their unlawful activities. Moreover, these victims are observed as suspects and professed to be less plausible by police departments and the legal systems. “When an offender-turned-victim is using and/or selling drugs or under the influence of alcohol, they will most likely be associating with others who are involved in the same behavior” (Dietrich, 2008, p.4). On the other hand, a victim who is under any pressure can be observed as an uncomplicated goal “as his ability to react, defend himself, or flee will be inhibited” (Dietrich, 2008, p.4). In general the causes of crimes and individuals being victimized may be different depending on the lives the individuals live through. Poverty is a major factor that leads to crimes. Thus individuals who are poor and have a lifestyle that makes them suffer might get involved in criminal activities with motives to end their fate of poverty. People with such mentalities would be easily victimized for criminal activities being implemented. Some people also have negative lifestyles where they react negatively to the human nature and characteristics. This too often leads to criminal actions. When people are rich they tend to have a lavish lifestyle and these people often ignore the people who are poor. Such lifestyles and behaviors and attitudes have significant influences on the poorer sections of the people who concentrate and get involved in committing crimes (What Are the Different Theories of Crime Causation?, 2012). With such people get attached are the people who have tendencies to involve in mischievous activities and have lifestyles where there are lesser restrictions and constraints on misbehaviors and wrongdoings. In this regard, it can be commented that the family and the environments in which the younger children grow up are also highly responsible for the lifestyles that are created for individuals. For example, a young boy may be scared to go out of his home late at night to meet his friends. However, if he is not scared or if he does not feel any restrictions, it clearly reflects that the family is not sensitive about these issues and is less strict about the lifestyles of their children. It is more likely among the youth to get distracted from their normal lives and activities and they feel like testing newer activities that might even be wrong. Hence, proper discipline and restrictions are necessary at this age to make them understand the need to choose the right people to mix with, to go out, and to plan anything. Individuals who are free to do anything in their lives are less scared of the wrongdoings and before they realize, they might become the victims of criminal activities. Lifestyle theory enables an understanding of why one individual might be a victim of crime while another individual might be safe. Although this does not prove the occurrence of all crimes in similar pattern but the effects and influences of lifestyles may be understood through the theory of lifestyle as explained in law (Dietrich, 2008, p.7). Lifestyles or regular activities of probable victims are characteristically deduced from demographic variables. In few cases, they are measured directly. Studies also reveal that it is among the students that individuals may be found to get involved in several discretionary activities apart from the activities of their schools (Robinson, n.d.). This increases their risks of being victims of delinquent activities, particularly more because they are not capable of making the differences between right and wrong. Thus the lifestyle theory can be more associated with the younger generation who become the victims of crimes. Conclusion: From the above study it can be concluded that the lifestyle theory as discussed in law can be directly associated with the victimization of young and adolescents into the world of crime. The different lifestyles that different individuals have lead to their involvement and mixing up with different people across the society where they might be used by wrongdoers as well. Young people do not always understand the differences between the right and the wrong and are hence more prone to be victimized. Thus it can be said that family and environment in which an individual is brought up matters to a great extent in putting restrictions on the individuals as to where they go out, at what time, and who are the people they mix with, in order to prevent such victimizations. References 1) Dietrich, H.L. (2008). Victimology: An Emphasis on the Lifestyle-Exposure Theory and the Victim Precipitation Theory as it Applies to Violent Crime, dsc-forensics, Retrieved on October 13, 2012 from: http://www.dsc-forensics.com/uploads/Victim_Precipiation_Paper_for_Website.pdf 2) Finkelhor, D. & N.L. Asdigian (1996). Risk Factors for Youth Victimization: Beyond a Lifestyles/Routine Activities Theory Approach, Violence and Victims, 11(1), pp.3-19, Retrieved on October 10, 2012 from: http://unhinfo.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV13.pdf 3) Johnson, W. (2011). What is the Lifestyle Theory in Criminal Justice?, ehow, Retrieved on October 7, 2012 from: http://www.ehow.com/about_6633747_lifestyle-theory-criminal-justice_.html 4) Krejny, M.L. (1999). Answering the Question: Who Gets Victimized? A Study of “Recidivist” Victims, RRI, Retrieved on October 11, 2012 from: http://www.rri.wvu.edu/pdffiles/krejny.pdf 5) Robinson, M.B. (n.d.). Lifestyles, Routine Activities, and Residential Burglary Victimization, PSCJ, Retrieved on October 9, 2012 from: http://www.pscj.appstate.edu/vitalifestyles.html 6) Walters, G.D. (2006). Lifestyle Theory: Past, Present, and Future, Hauppauge: Nova Publishers 7) What Are the Different Theories of Crime Causation? (2012), wisegeek, Retrieved on October 13, 2012 from: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-theories-of-crime-causation.htm Read More