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Teenagers, Violence, and Culpability
- By Barrington H. Brennen,
September 15, 2008
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Are eighteen-year olds able to reason and
behave like mature adults? If we consider them mature adults, why are they
so often unreasonable, impulsive, foolish risk-takers, angry, rebellious,
and violent? Furthermore, why are so many mature adults (individuals above
the age of 21) responding violently when there is conflict? Could there be a
link between violent adult behavior to teenage delinquency or family
dysfunction, or parental incompetence in understanding the complexity of the
teenager’s mind and its vulnerability? I define the teenage years to be
from ages 13 to 20. Isn’t it ironical that the age of sexual consent is 16,
but the law suggests that the “more important decision” of voting can only
be done after the 18th birthday? Here is another irony. While
the age of sexual consent is 16, an age when a sexual encounter can destroy
one’s life, the legal drinking age is 18. Are any of these age-appropriate
times for making such life-changing choices that not only impact a family
but the nation on a whole? My answer is no.
Generally, conflicts can be solved through
fair negotiation, respect, and affective listening. However, these skills
were never really taught and learned in childhood. Hence, as adults, not
being equipped with rational behaviors and value judgments, they find it
easier to resort to what they know best, violence. It may be verbal,
emotional, or physical violence.
Being violent in any form always has a root
cause. It does not occur in a vacuum. It is evident that violence by
children or adults is an individual’s response to what one perceives to be a
personal attack on one’s character or at times, safety. The violent method
used (when one feels he or she is being attacked) first depends on how the
person feels about himself. Self-worth is the fundamental crucible for
violence prevention. This is true, but there is something more.
AGE
OF MATURITY What is most
important in understanding violence prevention in teenagers is the 2004
research on brain development during the teenage years, family dysfunction,
and age of culpability. It is true that the fist five years of life is when
character is formed. It is also true that living in a dysfunctional family
has a great influence on one’s view of self or response to life in general.
What I found most revealing is that the 2004 research is suggesting that the
age of majority (the legal age of adulthood) should not be 18 but 21. This
is why mental health professionals sometimes refer to those 18 to 20 years
as emerging adults not full adults.
New technology is allowing scientists to
utilize advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the brain in
ways they were not able to do before. Researchers at Harvard Medical
School, the National Institute of Mental Health, UCLA and others are
collaborating to “map” the development of the brain from childhood to
adulthood and examine its implications. The results so far are
astonishing. The article from the Juvenile Justice Center (USA) entitled,
“Adolescence, Brain Development and Legal Culpability”
states:
”The scientists, to their surprise,
discovered that the teenage brain undergoes an intense overproduction of
gray matter (the brain tissue that does the “thinking”). Then a period of
“pruning” takes over, during which the brain discards gray matter at a rapid
rate.” This process is similar to pruning a tree: Cutting back branches
stimulates health and growth. This continues into the early 20s.”
Dr. Elizabeth Sowell, a member of UCLA
research team states: “The frontal lobe where this change occurs undergoes
far more changes during adolescence than any other stage of life. It is also
the last part of the brain to develop, which means that even as they become
fully capable in other areas, adolescents cannot reason as well as adults:
“[m]aturation, particularly in the frontal lobes, has been shown to
correlate with measures of cognitive reasoning.”
The article goes on to say: “The evidence
now is strong that the brain does not cease to mature until the early 20s in
those relevant parts that govern impulsivity, judgment, planning for the
future, foresight of consequences, and other characteristics that make
people morally culpable. . . Indeed, age 21 or 22 would be closer to the
‘biological’ age of maturity.”
How interesting! What does that mean? Is
this research getting teenagers off the hook for responsible behavior? No.
It only helps us understand the “nature of the beast” and the great
importance of effective parenting. It may also mean that we should lift the
age of drinking and sexual consent. Maybe we should stop calling teenagers
adults. Think about it. I will discuss more on this topic next
week. Barrington Brennen is a marriage and family therapist. Send
your questions and comments to P.O. Box N-896, Nassau, The Bahamas; or email
question@soencouragement.org; or visit
www.soencouragement.org; or call 1-242-323 8772.
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