People at any age can be susceptible to peer pressure. However, this is often something that has a greater impact on young people. In some cases, it can lead to juvenile crimes or college student crimes.
In many cases, parents are surprised to find out that their child would engage in criminal activity. So why is it that peer pressure has such an effect on someone’s behavior?
Social acceptance
The main reason is that young people in particular are looking for social acceptance. A college freshman wants to make new friends and be accepted by their peers, for example. This can lead to crime when someone goes along with illegal activities that the group is engaging in or perhaps wants to impress others by breaking the law. For instance, they may be dared to drink alcohol while underage or shoplift from a local store.
Developing an identity
Another thing to consider is that young people are still developing their own identity. This can sometimes lead them to push back against rules or break social norms.
Brain development
Finally, it is worth noting that brain development does not finish until someone is around 25 years old. Notably, the prefrontal cortex is still developing, which is the portion of the brain that governs decision-making abilities. In other words, a teenager may make poor decisions without thinking through the ramifications simply because they are at an earlier stage in prefrontal cortex development.
If you are the parent of a college student or a minor who is facing criminal charges, be sure you know what defense options you have at this time.