The emotional and volitional sphere and child-parent relationships of offenders

Abstract

According to research, the emotional and volitional sphere of offenders has certain characteristics that largely determine their lifestyle and decisions. In some instances, these characteristics may develop before birth and, in retrospect, can be seen as a set of innate features. However, there is always a possibility that biological factors will not fully develop without certain external influences. At the same time, some seemingly insignificant personality traits under the influence of environmental factors can escalate and lead to psychopathy which, combined with predisposing circumstances, can lead to law violations. The criminogenic characteristics of offenders are often rooted in their childhood experiences. Specifically, fear, anxiety and insecurity can act as catalysts for criminal behavior. In addition, the absence of positive role models from parents can lead to the development of negative behaviors in adolescents. Studies show that teenagers from families with high levels of conflict are more likely to commit offences. In such families, children do not receive the emotional support they need and do not learn how to resolve conflicts constructively, which increases the likelihood of deviant behavior. This report presents a theoretical review of research literature on the relationship between the emotional and volitional sphere and parent-child relationships among offenders. We also examine available studies on how particular parenting models and an offender’s background affect the predisposition to certain offenses. Further, we focus on the studies on the modification and development of personality disorders under the influence of specific childhood experiences. The literature review will make it possible to identify the combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that most likely leads to the development of criminogenic personality traits. It will also make it possible to identify a specific area of criminal activity that a potential offender is likely to engage in. This information can then be used to create a method that will, with high accuracy, identify individuals who are prone to violate legal rules. Based on this literature review, we are going to conduct an empirical study in order to develop a program aimed at preventing illegal behavior in dysfunctional families.