Nature vs Nurture — its impact in the reformation of CCL(Child in conflict with laws)….

    

          NATURE    

            vs    

          

                    NURTURE

Sir, Are we going today in the field for playing?  Thomas asked me.

Yes, of course. I replied & told those boys to get ready.  Thomas(name changed),an adolescent  with others being placed by the court to this observation home for their reformation. This boy is in conflict with law for his activity( a heinous crime),he performed before coming to this home .

There are many boys who are staying for the past few months & these juvenile delinquents are called CCL(Child with conflict with law).  Their previous action (rape, child marriage,murder, stealing etc)put them into the conflict with law. In their reformation & restoration process, a home like environment is  provided to them.

As a superintendent of that home, I clearly understood that  establishing rapport with those boys would make it  easier for them to enter into the reformation process.  I used to take them in the field(of course with my other staff), play with them,discuss with them regarding their likes/dislikes . Even I started a drama group with them & they played drama rendering some social message like– child marriage , superstitions in our societal frame etc.

They even took part with us in the social work activities within the community  like maintaining of environmental hygiene, helping elders in an old age home, survey & awareness regarding  impact of  sanitation in health & hygiene.

Thomas and other boys were playing with their happy mood. I was thinking about factors for their action done in the past for which they had been placed at the home. What is responsible —Nature or Nurture?

Nature or Nurture ??? I murmured . Suddenly Nature vs Nurture theory was coming in my mind.

“Nature” theory reflects the impact of genes /genetic inheritance and other biological factors on our behaviour and “Nurture” on the contrary believes on experience/ knowledge acquired/ learning process within the environmental influence that determines the behaviour of an individual.

Those boys used to be under the regular counselling process. Thomas had been observed  very active in taking part of the reformation process. He took his initiative to play the role of a leader in creative activities like taking part in decoration of  wall magazine, engaging boys in—– exercise/meditation process, attaining  study class/tuition,  vocational training classes regularly, maintaining discipline at the home etc.

One day while having chatting with me,he expressed his desire to start his life in a new way  after restoration & in mainstreaming in the society. He had a dream to go for enhancing his knowledge in electrical wiring & to start it as a career.

He told me that he would never be indulged with such type of group of peers, if he would have received  proper guidance.  During social investigation, it had also been found that there was  no family history in deviating from Law or  the societal accepted norms. He is survived by his widow mother, who sells vegetables in the market to earn a living, .

 Now,how do you explain his deviated behaviour? Due to his– inherited Genes or Environment in which he grew up.

• Thomas might have got his height & look through chromosome. It is also believed that some kind of behaviour like aggression or down syndrome like schizophrenia/bi-polar disorder might be due to the genes but these can’t  be the sole factors  for determining behaviour of an individual.
• If you believe in Natures theory,then Thomas should not have done the activity which seemed to be one of heinous crimes.  But here factors like –lack of guidance, influence of peer pressure, identity crisis & risk taking behaviour of adolescent without thinking of  impact— all these definitely had influenced his behaviour..
• There was another CCL(Arnab,name changed), whose father was alcoholic,used to beat his mother but still in spite of  belonging to that environment, Arnab had shown radical changes during the process and he used to  take part in singing whenever there was any programme arranged within the home. Many of us got astonished to see his talent of singing.
• Juvenile delinquent-Junaid,(name changed ) who  had skill in drawing , used to draw beautiful scenario at the wall magazine, might have got the potential through inheritance but it was explored in proper environment at the observation home, through encouraging and practising.

During my period of service there, I have seen CCL appearing for exam,passing & starting life after restoration & in mainstreaming  .  One CCL re-entered into that home for the conflict with law due to again deviating from  law & societal accepted  norms & values.

“Our play time is over, lets go back Sir to join the evening prayer schedule”—–   I came back to my senses with the voice of Thomas & headed towards our home.

Actually these CCL should not be allowed to go out & should have escorted while making their move. But I wanted to treat them as family members, I tried to establish their faith on the system that they also could have normal life &  not  to have a feelings of a convict & considering observation home like a jail.

Believe me, perhaps due to this, when we had our picnic at a place near by without any escort system from law & order, they could run away but they did not. Even, a boy who had got bail & restored to his family, joined us in the picnic in 25th December to spend time with us.

It is perhaps for this bonding/sense of belonging & mutual trust, Thomas had tears on his eyes when due to my personal reason I was leaving from my job.

Bio-psychology prefers the  genes & neurotransmitters in deciding individual behaviour & social learning theory on the other hand believes that child will try to  learn & imitate others behaviour. They will grow up as they would receive behavioural training & observing others behaviour in family & surroundings.

According to  “Epigenetics” study(science of study of influencing environment over genetic factor’), continuous interaction of environment & genetic factor is responsible for the production of new characteristics & we behaved in that way . It continues for the lifetime.

“You have to vacate the seat“——  I heard the voice of bus conductor.  Oh my God! all thoughts came from my subconscious mind while travelling & what  happened 2 years back? I made my move towards the station.

I don’t want to judge  them either from the perspective of nativist (nature) or from empiricist(nurture). 

But my conscious mind is still searching the answer regarding active involvement of the CCL in the reformation system & impact of Nature and Nurture/Genes and environment on it.     What would you say?