Question

According to her mom, 33-year-old Shara had no problems during childhood. Shara is now a school teacher and has a child of her own. During her adolescent years, however, Shara "ran with a crowd" that smoked pot, shoplifted, and occasionally vandalized buildings. During her youth, Shara's behavior could best be described as?

1) suburban diaspora
2) adolescent-limited delinquency
3) life-course-persistent delinquency
4) adolescent egocentrism

Answer 1

Shara's past behaviors like smoking pot, shoplifting, and vandalism during her youth are indicative of adolescent-limited delinquency, which usually stops by adulthood and can be influenced by social environmental factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

Shara's behavior during her youth, which included activities such as smoking pot, shoplifting, and occasionally vandalizing buildings, can best be described as 2) adolescent-limited delinquency. This term is used to describe antisocial behaviors that begin during puberty and continue into adolescence but cease in adulthood. Unlike life-course-persistent delinquency, which continues into adulthood, adolescent-limited delinquency is often a temporary phase and does not necessarily predict long-term antisocial behavior. Environmental factors, including the social environment in which a person grows up, play a significant role in the development of such behaviors, as indicated by criminology theories and studies on juvenile delinquency.