The Role of Introversion in Criminal Behavior

Answer

The Role of Introversion in Criminal Behavior

Peer Review

Evaluation

For centuries, law enforcers, psychologists, and researchers have been consumed by the desire to understand the sociological and psychological factors behind human behavior, especially in matters pertaining to crime. Recent reports by my classmates show that isolation plays a significant role in promoting criminal actions among human beings. Student 1 found that the recent COVID 19 global pandemic has been attributed to increasing rates of family violence. Apparently, this trend is linked to the psychological pressure of government-induced social distancing measures have on people. A somewhat similar sentiment is expressed in my literature review when I highlight the significant correlation between recidivism and solitary confinement in prisons. The report states that at least 61 percent of ex-convicts who spent long portions of their jail terms in solitary confinement re-offend a few weeks after release. Such strange behavior is believed to be caused to the psychological trauma inmates experience when they spend days in isolation.

            Human beings are inherently social creatures, and this reality plays an important role in demonstrating the value of social interactions in the prevention of crime. Such a bold claim is embedded in the structural functionalism theory: this theory views society as an integrated system in which distinct, yet interrelated personalities coordinate to meet the biological and social of the whole. In this sense, interpersonal relationships are valuable in promoting an individual’s character and behavior. Student 2 contributes to this discourse by highlighting the Trauma and Attachment theory. According to him, childhood trauma is among the prevalent factors behind criminality among adults. His chosen theoretical framework argues that traumatic events experienced by an individual tend to manifest in their future behavior. In this case, a person who kills his/her spouse is often influenced by his/her past. When viewed from such a perspective, it is obvious that crime is a communal outcome of individual actions. It sounds fair to assert that society contributes to the creation of a criminal. The same case applies to my hypothesis on the retrogressive nature of the prison systems: a criminal whose rehabilitative term in jail was wasted in solitary confinement ends up reoffending due to the psychological torture experienced in solitude.

            After going through my classmates’ literature reviews, I am confident that they approached their topics in the desired manner. As noted, both pieces revolve around relevant issues in the criminal justice system. Their decision to focus on family violence is quite plausible since the family is the core unit as far as society is concerned. Their sentiments are also backed by facts and theories from credible sources. Noteworthy is the fact that these pieces incorporate theories such as biological positivism, anomie, general strain, and trauma and attachment: the first is employed in Student 1’s piece while the latter is used to further Student 2’s project. It is important to clarify that all of the mentioned theoretical frameworks are recognized in the fields of psychology and sociology, and thus, they help build the credibility and value of their respective projects.

Reflection

            I find this assignment quite interesting and challenging at the same. The fact that the assessment requirements were changed when I was psychologically prepared to conduct the peer-review presented my first challenge. The new instructions have compelled me to integrate my perspectives on each piece into a single document while maintaining a clear picture of how they build on the overall discourse on crime and the factors behind it.  I believe that such a task is instrumental in building an academician’s critical thinking skills. I say this since I had to join some dots to understand how the different reviews, including mine, lead towards a common direction.

            However, I must admit that while conducting this assignment individually promoted intellectual independence on my side, it had a detrimental impact on the quality of review I have provided in the end. As controversial as the preceding sentiment sound, it is based on the fact that group work gives people the chance to brainstorm and emerge with powerful conclusions. Working with a group would enhance the perspective I had when evaluating the works. Such is often the case as people view things differently. This implies that my sentiments would have been elevated or even challenged by my group mates, and thus, allowed us to come up with a more powerful review.