The above case study can be analyzed and understood from different perspectives. The theories of crime provide an excellent basis for analyzing the case and identifying the factors that may have caused the situation. One of the theories that can be used is the social control theory that postulates that social learning and the processes of socialization can help an individual to build self-control and avoid engaging in criminal activities. The theory is based on the functionalist perspective in which factors such as punishment, identification, and consequence are considered to be the basis for criminal activity. In the current case, Tony seems to have lacked a sufficient basis for social learning. He lives in a broken family where the father is a jobless drunkard. In addition, the mother has not been working to help Tony and she has already given up on him. These factors, coupled with the fact that Tony lives in a crime prone setting, imply that he does not get an opportunity for positive social learning. In the end, he decides to engage in crime and finds joy in doing some of them. The second framework is the social learning theory that postulates that people tend to acquire certain behaviors by imitating and observing others. When the observed behavior appears to be rewarding, then the person in question may end up engaging in a crime. Tony has been spending a lot of time with people who engage in crime. When asked about the latest incident, he stated that his friends would not have been happy if he did not beat the person who offended him. In addition, he stated that some of his friends walk around with knives while other carry guns. He seems to have been observing the behavior of his friends and strives to copy them since it appears rewarding for him.
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