In reading Social Forces by Merton I liked the chart should the paths to interpersonal aggression. Not that I feel this applies to me (or does it) but it applies to a lot of students that I mentor and speak to on a weekly basis. This happens to be the sequence of events for many students nowadays, where outside factors contribute to anger and aggression and ultimately interactions with the police. A lot of researchers fail to recognize or provide a solution for the reasons that these students have, they are always quick to diagnosis them with a behavioral issue, Attention Deficit Disorder and all other conditions. These conclusions without proper research and/or treatment cause doctors to prescribe medicine for kids that all they really need is someone to talk too. I remember a scene in my favorite show The Wire, one of the kids was acting out in his class and when he was taken to the principal’s office for them to inquire on why he was acting out he said “I went home and saw my mom sitting there in the chair not moving.” His mother was dead and that was the factor that made him act out in his class, not any disorder. Many children have outside problems that they cannot handle at home…so they bring it in to the classrooms. If there were programs set up to address those problems or the external issues with many families then there can be some progress and less anger and aggression in the classrooms and less juvenile delinquents.
