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The Differential Oppression Theory

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Llessur Elrad
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200 views

The Differential Oppression Theory

Uploaded by

Llessur Elrad
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Differential Oppression Theory

The theory of differential oppression is vulnerable to at least six major criticisms. It relies on rather vague
and, at times, contradictory notions of oppression. Despite its contributions, it is an important contribution
to the delinquency literature. Regoli and Hewitt (1994) do a good job demonstrating the social nature of
delinquency. For example, Regoli and Hewitt maintain all of the following: Oppression, whether socially,
emotionally, or physically, restrains, restricts, and prevents people from living their lives as they would if
there was no oppressive force at all. Juvenile delinquency or its prevention does not result from parents
teaching children right from wrong, but from how they teach. There are occasions when adults exercise
their power over children out of sincere concern for the child's welfare. The above quotes appear to
endorse competing positions. On one hand, Regoli and Hewitt (1994) place a high premium on the
freedom and autonomy of children. In many ways, these are incommensurable positions. How can
children be free and autonomous but still subject to the legitimate use of power by their parents? At what
point do restraint and restriction become oppression? Regoli and Hewitt's (1994) failure to address these
questions makes their concept of oppression difficult to operationalize. Parenting is a complex and
dynamic process. For example, parents may not be either authoritarian or indulgent; they may be both. A
gender-neutral approach also leaves the theory of differential oppression implicitly vulnerable to charges
of misogyny by some feminists. Regoli and Hewitt (1994) try to explain too many different types of
delinquency. Regoli and Hewitt use an extensive research tradition to argue that the link between serious
oppression and delinquency is exceptionally strong. Criticisms include the heavy reliance on retrospective
research designs, which sample only delinquent children. failure to control for other factors that may
influence the abuse-delinquency relationship. Some studies have attempted to overcome these
methodological limitations. Evidence linking oppression to delinquency is not as overwhelming as
suggested by Regoli and Hewitt. Most of the methodologically improved studies are inconclusive or
suggest a weak connection between maltreatment and delinquency. They suggest that we address the
delinquency problem by "empowering children with the same rights and privileges available to adults." In
an ideal world, this may be possible, but in the real world, there are power differentials that prohibit such
equality. Children are exposed to different levels and types of oppression depending on their age, level of
development, socioeconomic class, race, and the beliefs and perceptions of their parents. Reducing the
oppressive acts of adults is critical to reducing the prevalence of juvenile delinquency and other problem
behaviors. According to the theory of differential oppression, oppression leads to adaptive reactions by
children.

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