Applying Theory to Practice
Over the past decade, youth, and individuals under the age of 18 antisocial Mary Jo Buttafuoco had no idea that on answer and violence behavior has become a grave global concern and a top political policy issue being sensationalized by media coverage of rare but devastatingly murder crimes being committed by young individuals at school, homes and other social places. The increase of media reports of notorious murder by young people may skew the public perception of its actual prevalence. In our case study, we look at Mary Jo Buttafuoco who is murdered by a teenage girl at her home on Adam Road West Long Island, N.Y., on May 19, 1992.
Moral Development Theory explanations of delinquency in which propositions identify certain concepts and describe and how they are related to delinquent behavior, this theoretically predicts relationships that may be tested through research. For instance, one simple proposition of differential association theory is that attitudes favoring delinquency may be learned in the context of inmate personal groups, in our case, the girl suggests to Mary Jo that they should have a talk about her husband, where she notices a car with a young man of which the girl claims to be her boyfriend. Mary Jo becomes upset and orders the girl to leave. The girl shoots her in the head without a second thought (Regoli, Hewitt, & DeLisi, 2014). The predicted relationship portrayed here is that youths develop attitudes, in this case we find the teenage girl getting angry and not even persuading Mary Jo to talk. The delinquent behavior is then an expression of these attitudes; peer group relations, delinquent attitudes and delinquent behavior. These are the key important factors that are necessary for one to understand the origin of Juvenile delinquent behaviors.
There are several concepts that explain the Juvenile behavior. In this case study, we shall group them into two, individual; that is, the internal factors and external concepts. Individual aspects are the individuals’ feelings of a person, attitudes, the antisocial behavior and violent behavior and much more. Individual behavior acts like a virus, lowering immune system, and making the individual vulnerable to a host of other of negative behavior patterns (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). This in turn takes us the second concept of external factors of which peer pressure is included. The behavior of antisocial, and delinquency behavior then spreads to the peer group or to the youth individuals around whom they have social groups with.
When a number of young people were asked about their behavior, many justified themselves by explaining that their inner self or individual responded against individuals who acted against them in some way (Furlong & Morrison, 2000).
In addition, external concepts are variables present in the environment creating contexts for living; this is specific to the family environment, persons with whom these young individuals or children associate with, the school setting and the neighborhoods and larger community environment. Conditions at homes have proved the predictions of early onset of delinquent behavior in youths and children (AFT, 2000). Some of these factors include family conflict, lack of parental involvement, harsh and ineffective parental discipline, child abuse or neglect, parental criminality and rejection by parents (AFT, 2000). A child undergoing such situations is likely to use negative behaviors as a means of solving problems or conflict situations.
Educational system is an appropriate strategy gear towards preventing delinquency as well as being the appropriate antidote for poor and unstable home environments. Schools are generally thought of places where children are globally cared for, nurtured and supported (AFT, 2000). The antisocial or delinquency behaviors should be learned in schools and highly proclaimed. Behaviors such as name calling, fighting and harassment should be highly condoned. This behavior leads or promotes aggression and violence and as a result these delinquency behaviors crop up. Teachers should not ignore students’ harassments on other students; instead they should punish these students and make them apologize to their counterparts (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). Also, schools should have trained personnel or staff to address students’ diverse needs to the school populations; this would highly reduce the youths’ delinquency behaviors. Extra-curricular involvement of students in school can also reduce juvenile and delinquency behaviors by actively involving them in activities such as sports and music (AFT, 2000).
In conclusion, the study of juvenile and delinquency behavior describes and explains delinquent through theory and research. In order to reduce the delinquency and juvenile in our youths, policy makers, government officials, researchers, corporate and private citizens must be involved to bridge the gap between theories and practice (AFT, 2000). Researchers must continue to evaluate intervention programs as to increase public awareness of what are the causes and solutions and how to prevent these juvenile and delinquency behaviors (AFT, 2000).

References
American Federation of Teachers. (2000). Building on the best, learning from what works: Five promising violence and prevention programs. Washington, DC.
Bell, R. "Point Blank!" Amy Fisher, The Long Island Lolita Who Tried to Murder Mary Jo Buttafuoco. Crime Library. Tru TV, Retrieved from: http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/young/amy_fisher/index.html
Regoli, R., Hewitt, J. , DeLisi, M. "Psychological Theories." Delinquency in Society. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2014. 111+. Print.