The Competing Explanations of Deviance Essay -- Legal Issues, Life Sen

How are the Competing Explanations of Deviance Relative to Juveniles who are Serving Life Sentences in Prison? America is the only country that incarcerates persons under the age of 18 to a life sentence in prison (Knafo 2013). Scientist says that the full level of maturity is not reached until a person is in their mid-20. Immature children without an adult brain are committing adult crimes and are serving adult time. Why? The answer unfolds in the explanations of deviance. Statistics states that nearly 3000 juveniles who are put in American prisons are given a life sentence without the option of parole (EJI). Each case has extensive evidence that deviant behaviors led to bad actions and eventually a life sentence in prison. For example, Sara Kruzan was introducing to a life of socially deviant behavior. She was forced to prostitute and be under the dominating controls of a pimp. Eventually, the amount of deviant behavior she was exposed caused her to reach her boiling point and to kill her pimp. So, the result was deviant behavior caused another form of deviant behavior which lead to Sara Kruzan serving a life sentence in prison at the tender age of 13. Thankfully, the state the crime was committed in set new laws and Sara was later released from prison (Knafo 2013). Unlike Sara, many other juvenile serving life sentences are still waiting to be released. In this paper I would like to discuss three of those juveniles and the congruent explanation of de viance. The layout will be as follows: 1. Cyntoia Brown (Biosocial Explanation) 2. Jacob Ind (Psychological) 3. Erik Jensen (Sociological) Three Explanations of Deviance Understanding the three explanations of deviance reveals the complexity or deviant behavior each j... ...are relevant to those juveniles serving life in prison. Works Cited Bikel, O. (Director). (2007). When kids get life [Documentary]. USA: WGBH Educational Foundation. Birman, D. H. (Director). (2011). Me facing life [Documentary]. USA: Cinema Guild. Deviance. (2001). In World of Sociology, Gale. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/worldsocs/deviance Equal Justice Initiative. (n.d.). Children in Adult Prison. Retrieved November 14, 2013, from http://www.eji.org/childrenprison Knafo, S. (2013, September 20). Here Are All The Countries Where Children Are Sentenced To Die In Prison. The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/20/juvenile-life-without-parole_n_3962983.html Thio, A., Calhoun, T. C., & Conyers, A. (2010). Readings in deviant behavior (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.