Biological and Psychological Theories of Juveniles Delinquency in the United States

Biological and psychological factors play an important and sometimes decisive role in aggressive behavior of juveniles and adults, which leads to committing various crimes against life and health of individuals. Contemporary American criminologists widely use the achievements of geneticists, biochemists, neurologists and point out on importance of their knowledge. Unfortunately, scientific works of foreign scientists are little known in Ukraine. Recent research and publication analysis. American theories of the juvenile delinquency causation are considered in the works such post Soviet scholars as O. Vedernikova, Y. Gilinskiy, I. Danshin, V. Tulyakov, S. Denisov, S.Nezhurbida and others. Paper objectives. Systematization of the classical biological and psychological theories of juvenile delinquency that widespread in the United States. A brief description of the main theories that have the greatest impact on the development of measures to juvenile delinquency prevention. Paper main part. Modern criminologists believe there are some biological factors increases the probability of individuals engaging in illegal acts, but denying hard determinism between these phenomena. They tend to consider biological factors, social conditions and the environment as a reason that jointly affect human behavior. Biosocial theories focus primarily on the problem: why previously law-abiding citizens "suddenly" commit crimes, and those, who had in past criminal history are worthy members of society. However, biosocial theories subjected to serious criticism from the scientific community to lack of sufficient empirical data. Psychological approaches of explanation delinquency used quite extensively by American criminologists. Representatives of social science have emphasized the importance of this area of knowledge. Special prevention programs for juveniles, based on these psychological concepts, developed and implemented in the United States. Conclusions of the research. Domestic criminologists, representatives of other sciences not studied enough bio psychological component of juvenile for further consideration and synthesis of different behavioral actions of the person depending on his bio psychological peculiarities. As a result, in the practical activities of prevention of juvenile delinquency are not captured in complex anatomical and physiological, genetic, neuro-brain and other properties of the child's body, which in the early formation of the personality become critical.

section_content: The classical biological and psychological theories of juvenile delinquency that widely spread in the United States are considered at this paper in order to further identification and generalization of behavioral acts of a juvenile's depending on the internal conditions that it is essential for the prevention activities. 

Key words: Juvenile delinquency, biosocial theories, psychological theories, learning disabilities theory. A brief description of the main theories that have the greatest impact on the development of measures to juvenile delinquency prevention.

section_name: Розширена анотація статті Шостко Олени

section_content: Modern criminologists believe there are some biological factors increases the probability of individuals engaging in illegal acts, but denying hard determinism between these phenomena. They tend to consider biological factors, social conditions and the environment as a reason that jointly affect human behavior. Biosocial theories focus primarily on the problem: why previously law-abiding citizens "suddenly" commit crimes, and those, who had in past criminal history are worthy members of society. However, biosocial theories subjected to serious criticism from the scientific community to lack of sufficient empirical data.
section_name: Paper main part.

section_content: Psychological approaches of explanation delinquency used quite extensively by American criminologists. Representatives of social science have emphasized the importance of this area of knowledge. Special prevention programs for juveniles, based on these psychological concepts, developed and implemented in the United States. 

Conclusions of the research. Domestic criminologists, representatives of other sciences not studied enough bio psychological component of juvenile for further consideration and synthesis of different behavioral actions of the person depending on his bio psychological peculiarities. As a result, in the practical activities of prevention of juvenile delinquency are not captured in complex anatomical and physiological, genetic, neuro-brain and other properties of the child's body, which in the early formation of the personality become critical. 

Key words: Juvenile delinquency, biosocial theories, psychological theories, learning disabilities theory.