Integrated Theory Paper

First, the integrated theories involve connecting, linking, combining, synthesizing the relations and fragments of other theories into formulations of crime and crime control that are more comprehensive, which combines the concepts and central propositions such as social disorganization, anomie, learning, and social control within the same discipline. (Critical Criminology, 2009) The purpose of the integrated theories is to produce a theory that is superior to any theory individually. The integrated theory takes several forms according to Delbert Elliott (1933), who “contend that social disorganization, strain, and inadequate socialization combine weaken conventional bonding and strengthen delinquent bonding” (Bohm & Vogel, 2011, p. 147). Therefore, the likelihood of social control of one’s association with delinquent peers is high, which increases their likelihood of delinquency. Nevertheless, when a person levels of social control experience strain, it began to

reduce, which increases the likelihood of association with delinquent peers. (Bohm & Vogel, 2011)

Second, the integrated theories combine theories or concepts from different disciplines within the same paradigm, which requires the synthesis of theories such as biological, psychological, and sociological positivisms.

(Bohm & Vogel, 2011) According to the integrated theory, people commit delinquency as a result of interplay from both opportunity and motivation, which involves both these characteristics amount of control exposed to and not exercised. Charles Tittle (1939), explains four factors of integrated theory, which included predisposition from person to person, provocation or the situational stimulant of verbal insults, challenges, or display of weakness of delinquent motivations, and opportunity and constraint that the likelihood of delinquent behavior will activate a restraining response by others. (Bohm & Vogel, 2011) However, when these factors are combined delinquency is less likely to occur; therefore, if control is imbalance the greater delinquency and if control is balanced people

conform.

Third, the integrated theories are theories that attempt to integrate concepts used to combine elements from different theories or all theories that attempt to synthesize classical, positivist, and critical theories. (Bohm & Vogel, 2011) Therefore, this explains the stability and changes in criminal and deviant behavior through time and at different life stages across generations. However, the post-postmodern is more concerned with knowledge; therefore, it seeks to discover and eliminate the power of language and text that is used to give power and privilege to specific groups, while denying it to others. (Akers, Sellers, See & Kieser, 2013)

The main advantages of integrated theories have identified delinquency, which developed policies and programs designed to focus on reducing access and exposure to delinquent peers. (Criminal Justice, 2017) Therefore, integrated theories have constructed to raise the level of importance in the explanation of delinquent and criminal involvement, which gives a combination of theories on how to understand delinquent behavior. Therefore, when recognizing the reciprocal nature of relationships between concepts to the integrated theories in criminal behavior any individual including the criminals is not just shaped by any one perspective like sociological or psychological conditions; however, it is a result of a number of impacts like situation psychology and society. Thus it can only be best understood by the approach of integrated theories which provide a comprehensive view of the situation as compared to the other single theoretical model.

(References)

Akers, R. L., Sellers, C. S., See, E. & Kieser, E. (2013). Criminological Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and Application. P. 45-46. Retrieved December 16, 2017, from https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199844487/guide1/study_guide.pdf

Bohm, R.M., & Vogel, B. L., (2011). A Primer on Crime & Delinquency (3rd Ed.). Belmont, CA Wadsworth Cengage Learning. p. 147. Retrieved December 16, 2017, from https://www.betheluniversityonline.net/cps/default.aspx?SectionID=5980&tabid=

Criminal Justice (2017). Criminology Theories. P.5. Retrieved December 16, 2017, http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/criminology/theories/5/

Critical Criminology (2009). Integrative Theories, Integrating Criminologies. Retrieved December 16, 2017, from http://critcrim.org/barak_integrative.htm