Peer pressure and juvenile behavior

Many people may not realize the amount of juvenile victimization that takes place in grade schools, junior high schools and high schools across the country. Edwin Sutherland's Differential Association Theory researched interaction with other people and allows individuals to learn values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. Juveniles often learn from those who they are constantly in contact with - their peers.

Students learn deviant behaviors from others in a monkey-see-monkey-do sort of imitation fashion. However, children can easily learn to accept deviance as the norm if they are only surrounded by peers who are involved in that type of behavior.

Studies show much of this victimization happens right after school, so keeping your child involved in sports or clubs, with positive role models and non-deviant youth, can help keep them focused, under supervision, and hopefully avoid victimization.

Ellie Kozlowski

Palatine