Broken Window Theory Essay

Words: 543
Pages: 3

Imagine a ten year old who vandalized a house with graffiti and got caught. When confronted by the authorities, he may claim certain justifications to take the responsibility/ guilt off of him. This is known as the “techniques of neutralization.” Denial of harm, injury, and responsibility are all exceptionally common in youths of all ages (Thomson, 2012). Consequently, the ten year old may not understand their actions the same way an adult would. The child may see the graffiti, and think, “Well I didn’t hurt anybody. It’s just art, why am I in trouble?” This is irrational, because it forgoes the possibility of the numerous other factors, such as appearance of the house reflecting the neighborhood, and the money one may not have to fix it. In addition, as the broken window’s theory would imply, a run-down neighborhood …show more content…
In Doctor Catherine Lebel’s journal, Longitudinal Development of Human Brain Wiring Continues from Childhood into Adulthood, she explains that an individual’s brain is not fully developed until their mid-twenties. After numerous studies with magnetic resonance imaging, scientists have theorized, “the brain continues to change into the early twenties with the frontal lobes, responsible for reasoning and problem solving, developing last.” In a calm and relaxed environment a seventeen year old may rationalize just as well as a fully developed adult; however, when they are in a hostile and intimidating situation, their ability to rationalize begins to plunge. The part of the brain that is in control of reasoning and split-second decision-making is the only portion of the brain that is not yet fully developed by our mid-twenties. When you try to picture the scene of a crime, an aggressive and daunting situation, it’s reasonable to understand why so many juveniles make such poor