In society, it is commonly believed that criminal activity occurs in dark alleys or poor neighborhoods. However, crimes are recorded every day in the most common places: neighborhoods, shops and even schools. Criminal behavior includes any act that violates the rules of society. There has been much debate over whether sociological or psychological factors are determining the likelihood of these types of criminal behavior in individuals. Sociological factors deal with the effect of family and society on the individual, while psychological factors focus primarily on the individual's mind and thought process. When compared to psychological factors, sociological factors have a greater impact on criminal behavior and have been shown to reduce crime with more practical interventions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Sociological factors are most influential on an individual's decisions and life choices. Family life will influence an individual right from the start. Parents have the ability to shape their children's lives for better or worse. In “Do Social Bonds Matter for Emerging Adults,” Christopher Salvatore, assistant professor of justice studies at Montclair State University, and Travis Taniguchi, research associate at the Police Foundation of Washington, explain that children who are taught “conventional norms and values ​​are less likely to participate in criminal behavior” (741). If parents effectively teach their children about right and wrong, they can discourage their children from giving in to peer pressure. Some fatherless families may fail to instill good values ​​and influence in their children. Salvatore and Taniguchi explained that “fatherless boys were more likely to be seized by the police than those who had a father [at home]” (741). This increase in criminal behavior may result from fatherless children trying to find someone or something to fill the void their father left inside them. This leads to a second form of influence that individuals encounter. Peer pressure is a direct result of the people an individual spends their time with. Peers can influence individuals negatively or positively. Salvatore and Taniguchi stated that “crime is the result of a lack of social controls typically built through social ties” (738). Creating social bonds with peers who set a bad example of social behavior will influence an individual to commit criminal behavior. This may be due to the desire to please their peers so as not to lose their relationship. One of the biggest influences on an individual's tendency to commit criminal behavior is social issues. An example of this is economic instability within society. Salvatore and Taniguchi state that “those with greater levels of economic instability and less property ownership would be more likely to commit crime” (747). Factors such as economic instability can lead people to participate in criminal behavior due to insufficient basic needs. They strive to acquire what everyone else has, but they do not have the adequate means, so they turn to crime. Intervention methods can help decrease the influence of sociological factors on an individual's tendency to commit criminal behavior. In "Recidivism and rehabilitation of criminals: an evolutionary game of carrot and stick", BijanBerenji, Tom Chou and Maria D'Orsogna, professors of mathematics inCalifornia, have put together a model to describe patterns of reversion to criminal behavior when subjected to intervention Berenji, Chou and D'Orsogna stated that “societal intervention and support combined with punishment and coercion” are the best method to reform criminals (2). Past criminals were given the opportunity to choose between breaking the law or receiving support to turn their lives around. When exposed to harsher punishments, offenders are reported to be less likely to commit crimes again. The most effective way to reform these former criminals was to reward them with money. They will take every opportunity to receive items or support that they were previously unable to receive. In an academic psychology journal, Sanne LA de Vries, a researcher at the University of Amsterdam, and other researchers studied different prevention programs for criminals. De Vries et al. found that “programs with a familiar, multimodal format” are best at preventing future criminal behavior (116). If the offender's family is a good role model, then they form a strong support system and help reinforce acceptable social behavior. In “Violence in Youth: Where do we go from here? Behavior Therapy Answer,” Thomas Ollendick, a professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, conducted “parental management training” to emphasize acceptable social behaviors and promote a healthier learning environment (500). Ollendick's study found that offenders had “lower recidivism rates” due to better conditions within their home environment (501). This shows that a stronger social bond with family helps to dissuade offenders from falling back into their previous crime pattern. Sociological factors have been explained by sociologists through theories and by observing the social life of an individual. Sociologists explain why criminal behavior is an ongoing problem through labeling theory. In “Measuring the Contextual Effects and Mitigating Factors of Labeling Theory,” Emily Restivo, assistant professor at the New York Institute of Technology, and Mark Lanier, professor at the University of Alabama, described labeling theory that implies that if people are labeled a certain way, they will continue to demonstrate that label (117). When people commit criminal acts, Restivo and Lanier argue, “labeling such behavior as 'delinquent' will often lead to secondary deviance” (117). If society labels an individual as a criminal, the individual will continue to be a criminal because that is how society sees him or her. Another way sociologists explain why people participate in criminal behavior is by studying the individual's immediate environment and social group. In "Sociologists And American Criminology", Marshall Clinard, associate professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin, explains that criminal behavior is a "product of social and cultural forces and represents a reaction of the individual in the social group" (552) . shows how social interactions can lead to criminal behavior when an individual spends time with the wrong kind of people. Social interactions come strongly from within one's family and peer group. Individuals can be influenced by a social group to commit crimes to demonstrate their power and loyalty. An example of demonstrating one's power through crime is seen in gangs. An individual might be told to commit a certain criminal act to maintain "safety in the gang" (Clinard552 might also have its effect). there.