2 shoplifting essay

Reducing Delinquent Shoplifting

Danielle J. Kennon

Submitted in partial completion for CRJS 215S Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Old Dominion University

Spring Semester 2025

Introduction

Shoplifting is often defined as theft from counters or from the stocks of stores during hours of operation only, without the use of force or violence. This definition is inclusive of the actions of any thief (a) who establishes a business of the theft of any article to purchase with a cost and quality determined in advance, also (b) jewel thieves who steal from jewelry stores during hours of operation (Angelino, 1953). The act of shoplifting generally includes concealing a good on one's person, in pockets, under clothes, bags, or other items then proceeding to exit the establishment without paying, this act is categorized as a larceny offense (Zhuang, 2022). Shoplifting has varying degrees of offense and consequences if convicted. Generally, shoplifting goods with a value of three hundred dollars or less is classified as petty larceny which is misdemeanor in most states. Shoplifting that exceeds the value of three hundred dollars is classified as grand larceny which is a felony offense in the event of conviction.

In the grand scheme of shoplifting majority of the offenses in the United States are of the petty amateur kind of theft. However, shoplifters can be characterized into other distinct categories including (1) the impulsive, (2) amateur, (3) semiprofessional, (4) episodic, (5) and occasional larceny offenders. History shows that amateur shoplifters are the highest in frequency. Further historical data shows that shoplifting is conducted by individuals throughout the demographic, distinctively by juveniles, they may make up the largest category of shoplifters (Zhuang, 2022). An individual under age eighteen is deemed a "juvenile.", and a breach of a U.S. law by a person under the age of eighteen that would qualify as a crime if by an adult is called "juvenile delinquency." If the act of juvenile delinquency happens before the offender’s turns eighteen, an individual over eighteen but less than twenty-one receives juvenile treatment under the courts of law (18 U.S.C. § 5031).

Twenty-five percent of juveniles confessed to having shoplifted starting the ages of twelve to sixteen, eighty-six percent of minors caught shoplifting are familiar with peers who shoplift too. Even after getting caught twenty-five percent of juveniles claim, it will be difficult for them to stop offending (NASP, 2015). Roughly in the past ten years, juvenile shoplifters have become an increasingly troubling for law enforcement, stores, and the overall economy. Teen shoplifting contributes to the $35 million losses per day due to shoplifting, about $13 billion dollars per year (NASP, 2015).

Synopsis

There is an urgent need to reduce teen shoplifting as it causes other major problems on top of the economy for everyday people such as victimizing the community, paying customers, small business owners, large retailers, and the youth. Shoplifting is commonly viewed as entry level, nonviolent petty offense, conducted majorly by minors; society in general has a very lax attitude surrounding teen shoplifting (Zhuang, 2022). However, there needs to be a shift in attitude and efforts to take delinquent shoplifting more seriously as is a socioeconomic problem in the U.S.; adolescents make up forty to fifty percent of all shoplifters caught in store. A national study completed in 2000 showed that shoplifting was the most frequent juvenile court referral for individuals aged fifteen; interestingly with the increase in juvenile shoplifting over the years it has been given little attention (Smith-Osborne, 2005).

This is a growing crime issue that is victimizing the community and youth as teen shoplifting is viewed as a gateway crime that leads to more frequent and serious juvenile offenses against the community. Teen shoplifting victimizes small and large business research has shown that shoplifting is responsible for about two-fifths of stock loss a store endures furthering the point, usually the losses of stock hurt the paying customers as prices are raised to

account for the loss. The National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP) data showed that taxpayers pay up to $2,000 each time an offender goes into the system (Zhuang, 2022). So ultimately delinquent shoplifting is an issue that negatively impacts all citizens and residents within the U.S. to vary degrees regardless of race, age, class, or gender.

To combat the further rise of juvenile shoplifting communities, local law enforcement, and governments should work in unison to establish a comprehensive shoplifting prevention program inclusive of therapy, government financial/housing assistance, and mentorship that shifts the focus from the offender to the environmental and social characteristics that favor committing a juvenile shoplifting offense. This is an issue due to existing crime prevention-based urban safety policies failing to examine what prevents petty offenses such as juvenile shoplifting in urban areas. While it is true that previous theoretical and empirical research has already tried to explain what leads individuals to commit petty offense, it is also valid that only a few have centered on what stops people committing petty crimes such as delinquent shoplifting (Ferreira & Carvalho, 2008). This is a greater problem as the laws and legal practices used to respond to delinquent shoplifting are rooted in this criminological mindset of focusing on the offender’s consequences rather than preventing future offenses through gaining deeper understanding of delinquent shoplifting characteristics and events through tailoring shoplifting prevention programs to be more specific and inclusive of the juvenile offenders’ needs to ultimately stop engaging in delinquent shoplifting.

Crime Theories

Marxist theory would view delinquent shoplifting as a product of the function of capitalism. What actions are considered normative, or deviant are controlled by the ruling classes long standing beliefs, and that the legislation and legal system have the primary function of

protecting the privilege and status quo established and maintained by the class in power. From this Marxist theoretical perspective, capitalism functions to create the upper, middle, and lower class. Trends would indicate that the upper and middle class committing delinquent shoplifting

fueled by normalized greed and/or conditioned feelings of entitlement. In contrast the lower classes’ motivations are more in alignment with crimes of need and survival, to potentially overcome unequal distribution of scarce goods under capitalism. Lower class groups may also engage in crime as a whole reacting to a perceivably hopelessly oppressive state (Smith-Osborne, 2005).

In the U.S., our norms are set by the middle and upper class which are rooted in this long standing view of achieving the American Dream which consist of individualism, achievement, universalism, and fetishizing money. The public is socialized through institutions like schools, religious groups, and the media to conform to seek out middle class goals. The issue is that while possible it is extremely hard for the lower class to reach this societal goal as there are many strains rooted in inequity placed upon the lower class when attempting to follow the norms set by the upper class. Robert Agnew proposed General Strain Theory (GST) in 1992 which is a macro explanation of crime that expands Merton’s original theory. Agnew contributes three distinct factors of strain which include (1) the failure to meet positively valued goals, (2) the removal of positively valued stimuli, (3) the presence of inescapable negative stimuli and argues that these strains cause emotional distress that cause delinquency (Vito & Maahs, 2021).

In the U.S. low-income children feel the strains placed on them as well from an incredibly early age as delinquent shoplifting shows. For example, children are often highly influenced by their friend groups at school and often want to fit in to be just like the other but at what cost? The reality is that low-income households often cannot always afford the newest and

coolest designer clothing trends for their child as they are operating out of survival not luxury this may cause that child to stand out at school and among friends. Standing out at school can lead to teasing and bullying, even if it does not go that far just one’s view of self can be greatly impacted by feeling less than. Morals or perceived social cost is mainly established from joining a social group and this sense of belonging creates itself in a deeply rooted belief in the goals, guidelines, and symbols of the group and in a social cost that is equivalent to the amount of conformity to those goals, guidelines and symbols (Ferreira & Carvalho, 2008).

These are the strains faced by children that choose to engage in shoplifting not fitting in would be the failed social goal, the teasing at the hands of their classmates or low self-image would be the removal of positive stimuli, lastly the parent’s lack of excess funds and the child’s lack of ability to work would represent the inescapable negative stimuli. All these factors together increase the chances of delinquency. Specifically in this example if that child were to go into a retail store, they would be considered at risk for a higher likelihood of engaging in delinquent shoplifting as a response to the societal pressure to achieve these middle to upper class goals and to relieve the negative emotional stress produced by the strain.

Social frustration can also theoretically lead to delinquent shoplifting as well. Social frustration was introduced by Albert K. Cohen, which is based on Merton’s Strain Theory. Cohen attributes the strains felt by delinquents to failure to obtain middle class status. There is a “middle class measuring rod” that the low-income juveniles that engage in shoplifting may be trying to live up to (Vito & Maahs, 2021). The act of stealing nice items to increase ones perceived proximity to the middle class and their values. The further one is from the middle class would increase the likelihood of delinquent crime in this case juvenile shoplifting the closer one

would be to the middle class would indicate a lower chance of engaging in deviant acts like shoplifting as that does not fit their established values.

Crime Policy

Juveniles are not stopped from committing shoplifting by a special situational morality but by varying socially created ethics, moral beliefs, and perceived social cost. To reduce delinquent shoplifting the U.S. needs to do a revamp of their current shoplifting prevention programs to be more comprehensive and inclusive of diverse and complex needs and solutions. This can be achieved by tailoring delinquent shoplifting prevention programs to stop different social groups from committing larceny offenses by reducing the strain on juvenile shoplifters and their families.

Our current programs need to be expanded to include financial aid, housing assistance, therapy services, and mentorship. Reducing the strain on low-income families through these programs can lead to an increased return on investment for the community and nation as these programs reduce direct economic losses and insecurity faced by business owners and members of the community (Ferreira & Carvalho, 2008). The therapy aspect would help with reducing juvenile’s negative self-image, mentorship would provide the youth with a capable guardian which is a positive stimulus, lastly, housing, and financial aid would remove the inescapable feeling of poverty. Reducing the strains and providing a positive concentrated effort to help low income families get closer to middle class stability would aid in reducing delinquent shoplifting. Overall, research indicates that shoplifting reduction programs must be multidisciplinary and explore taking ethics, moral beliefs, and assumed social cost into consideration to improve its effectiveness in prevention. This is especially important for the improvement and

implementation of more comprehensive crime prevention programs in that they must acknowledge that they inhibit varies by social group and class (Ferreira & Carvalho, 2008). Example within Society

In this example Ashley, a juvenile at the time of her offense, shares her lived experience with delinquent shoplifting in her own words. Ashley was a 15-year-old that went through the juvenile court process due to committing a shoplifting offense. She was the oldest of her step siblings and in many low-income households the oldest child is often a “third parent. Ashley from an early age had a great amount of responsibility put on her shoulders, raising four children as a child herself. Ashley was lacking a capable guardian as her mom was negligent and addicted to drugs on top of that her mother’s boyfriend was abusing Ashley. Ashley while in the care of these adults faced housing displacement and food insecurity as all the money and welfare benefits were used to barter and buy drugs and alcohol by her parents.

While all this was going on one day Ashley went to the Burlington Coat Factory without any premeditated thoughts of theft but that is what occurred on February 8th. She goes to explain that she took the items to provide for her siblings. Ashley attributes her motive for shoplifting to struggling in an extremely negative home environment. By her committing this offense and going through her shoplifting prevention program she was put in a position to finally ask for help for the first time. Now she is in a new healthy environment where she is provided for. She attributes her better decision making to not having as much to worry about now that she is provided and cared for properly by her support system (Jacobs, 2011). This example illustrates that the strains in Ashley’s life as a low-income juvenile were linked to her decision to shoplift the clothes for her siblings. Now that the strains on her life have been reduced and relieved by

the benefits of her shoplifting prevention program this led to her decision-making skills improving for the better. Ashley is now focused on her future college plans. Conclusion

The amateur shoplifters are the highest in number and the motives for this kind of shoplifting vary. Usually, theft is motivated by the urge to satisfy temporary urges or needs. As a country we can make progress by advancing current shoplifting prevention programs to cater to the specific needs of juveniles in low-income households and that these programs should be expanded to include therapy, mentorship, housing aid, and financial assistance. Through the betterment and expansion of delinquent shoplifting program that will result in reducing the strains on low-income families which will lower the chances of their children engaging in delinquent shoplifting (Angelino, 1953).

The fight against juvenile shoplifting does have many uphill battles as it is an overly complex issue and cannot be simply explained solely through strained theory or be completely solved through the betterment of shoplifting prevention programs. A big issue is that the ambiguity of the definition of shoplifting decreases the effectiveness of deterring these offenses (Zhuang, 2022). This ambiguity leads to inconsistencies in laws, programs, and overall societal attitudes towards juvenile shoplifting. For These inconsistencies must be resolved first and I believe shoplifting needs to have a more concrete generally accepted definition.

References:

Angelino, H. (1953). Shoplifting: A Critical Review. The Midwest Sociologist, 15(2), 17–22. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25514872

Ferreira, E., & Carvalho, H. (2008). Inhibiting factors in a hypothetical shoplifting situation - A contribution to crime prevention. Issues of Business and Law, 2, 34–47.

https://doi.org/10.2478/v10088-009-0010-0

Jacobs, N. (2011, November 15). Teen Court lessons. Askthejudge. https://askthejudge.info/teen court-lessons-teen-turns-life-around-after-shoplifting/

National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. (2015). The issue. Parents and communities need to Say No to Shoplifting. http://www.saynotoshoplifting.org/the-issue-why care.html

Smith-Osborne, A. (2005). Comparative Theoretical Perspectives on a Social Problem. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 2(3–4), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.1300/j394v02n03_05

Vito, G., and J. Maahs. 2021. “Chapter 6: Social Structure and Crime”, [in] Criminology: Theory, Research, and Policy (Ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Williams, F., and M. McShane. 2010. “Chapter 11: Social Learning Theory” pp. 164-172, [in] Criminological Theory, Research, and Policy (Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Zhuang, Y. (2022). Causes of Juvenile Shoplifting: Perspectives from Behavioral Economics and Psychology. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 670, 676– 681. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220704.123