Criminal Responsibility at 10

by

Wafeeq Sabir, PhD

Harvard psychologist B.F. Skinner is noted for his behavioral theories "which focused on the background of behavior and reinforcers" (Lefton, 2000, p.330). His works attempted to compare the relationship of changes within the environment, and how individuals respond to the changes within the environment. Skinner and other behaviorists claim that one's development is based on their past experiences in life, rather than genetics.
Psychologist Lev Vygotsky viewed child development through a sociocultural setting. He declared that a child's skills and knowledge base are all connected to the culture of that individual (Lefton, 2000).

Because social factors may precipitate delinquent behavior; including one's culture, socio-economic status, and peer association, children should be held accountable for delinquent conduct. In Texas, a child between the ages of 10 and 16 is deemed as criminally responsible for their actions (Texas, 2005). A 10 year old child who steals a pair of expensive basketball shoes under the intimidation constraints of being assaulted by an older adolescent is still criminally responsible. I believe that each case lies on its own merit and would have to be dealt with accordingly. A 10 year old who does this act out of fear or for survival purposes may however exhibit this behavior as a result of negative reinforcement but may also develop a sense of acceptance by others which may result in continuous delinquent behavior (Bartol, 2002). APA (2000) suggests that the behavior may be characteristic of Childhood Onset Conduct Disorder if the behavior continues.


References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Bartol, C. R. (2002). Criminal behavior: A psychosocial approach (6th ed.). Upper Sadle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Lefton, L. A. (2000). Psychology (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Texas criminal and traffic law manual (2005-2006 ed.). (2005). Charlottesville, VA: LexisNexis

Child Development-Thumb Sucking

by

Wafeeq Sabir, Ph.D

Roberts and Baird (1971) suggest that thumb sucking is considered a common childhood issue that occurs with children between 6-11 years (as cited in Clowes-Hollins & King, 1982). My colleague's 10-year old daughter, Tourae, has been sucking her right thumb since she was an infant. She is a fifth grader and receives B’s and C’s on most of her report cards. She is very athletic and enjoys basketball and cheerleading. She is very competitive with her 12-year old brother and seeks to gain his attention through annoying chatter. Tourae use to suck her thumb morning, noon, and night. Practically every moment of the day, she spent sucking her thumb. However, her parents have noticed that within the past few months, she sucks her thumb only when watching television or when she’s sleepy. No aversive methods or other forms of punishment have been utilized to change this behavior. She has been lectured by most of her immediate family concerning this issue. Her aunt, who was a chronic thumb sucker, has advised her that as she gets older, it will be very unappealing to others and that she may develop teeth problems. These lectures seem to be of no avail. A home based study was conducted and published in the Journal of Clinical Child Psychology (1982), which demonstrated that a reinforcement system versus a punishment system seemed to reduce the frequency of thumb sucking by 65%. My colleague and his wife have a 10-month old son, and Tourae is now an aunt of her 20-year old brother’s 3 week old newborn. It will be interesting to note if the developmental changes of her infant brother and niece will change her behavior and attitude concerning thumb sucking.


References:

Clowes-Hollins, V., & King, Neville (1982). Parents and siblings as behavior modifiers in the control of a common developmental problem (thumbsucking). Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 45(3), 231-233.

Roberts, J., & Baird, J. T. (1971). Parent ratings of behavioral patterns of children. Washington, DC.