People are born with particular social and biological constructs that reinforce their identity over time: race, age, gender and socio-economic background can become predictors (Vossler et al., 2017). When analysing the psychological support that an individual may need, it is essential not only to focus on individual socio-demographic characteristics but also to consider them collectively as driving forces that compel an individual to follow a particular life trajectory. This essay considers the case of Jayden Brown, a 23-year-old British man of African-Caribbean descent who grew up in a single-parent family, began a life of crime and served a prison sentence. Brown’s story recounted how a young man with specific socio-cultural characteristics went down the path of regular crime, excessive use of alcohol and drugs, and promiscuous sexual relations. However, the focus raised in this scenario and the critical essay should have been considered paramount: it was not proved that anyone with the same characteristics should follow a criminal life trajectory, but it was assumed that such behaviour of an individual could be explained in terms of overlapping characteristics. In critically analysing the proposed argument, it was crucial to view intersectionality not as an independent variable but as an explanatory factor in the development of Brown’s story. This is why socio-demographic characteristics and their intersectionality were critically explored in this essay.
In the case study, several of the most relevant male demographic traits may have underpinned this development in his life. It has been reported that the Afro-Caribbean ethnicity to which Brown belongs is statistically found to be more vulnerable to social inequalities and resulting mental health problems, which may account for the more frequent problems of this group with law enforcement (Vossler et al., 2017). An illustrative example might be that law enforcement in progressive countries is more likely to be unfair to black people than to other races (The Open University, 2022a; Ball, Bowcott and Rogers, 2011). A socio-economic class can also be considered a significant predictor: Brown came from a single-parent family of migrant descendants, and given his mother’s occupation, the family was working class. Studies have also reported that members of this class are less likely to reflect on their psychological problems, do not share their experiences with others, and are also historically a criminalised group (The Open University, 2022b; Vossler et al., 2017). From the case, it appears that Jaden joined criminal gangs as a teenager and was influenced by older members. Being involved in such gangs at an early age can stimulate a sense of belonging and give an individual the necessary life risks, particularly relevant for adolescents with unstable psyches (The Open University, 2022c). Belonging to adolescence — 15-17 years old — and on its own has been shown to be a predictor of potential vulnerability to law enforcement (Vossler et al., 2017). It follows that race, social class and age are essential factors that may have influenced Brown’s predetermined life path. Individuals with these characteristics were more likely to be susceptible to criminalisation and law enforcement harassment. Moreover, a sense of belonging to such groups with an understanding of identity may have been a sufficient inducement for Brown to go down the way to a life of crime. Nevertheless, it is not enough to focus only on individual attributes, as it is assumed that a combination also played a role.
The intersectionality of socio-demographic traits as a determinant of life trajectory may be even more important than the individual’s characteristics. Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality forms the basis for such views, highlighting the intersections between power systems and oppression on grounds such as classism, sexism and racism (Vossler et al., 2017). Thus, individuals belonging to several marginalised groups may be vulnerable to complex forms of oppression, and it is impossible to focus only on individual factors to understand the nature of their discrimination. This can be seen perfectly well, even from the relationship between such characteristics. For example, being of African-Caribbean race for Brown may have been a potential cause for his mental dysfunctions, including self-harm, as shown by Vossler et al. (2017), and it is teenagers with such problems who are more likely to be involved in criminal gangs, as shown by The Open University (2022c). The applicability of this theory is well supported in academic sources, with Junco and Limonta (2020) showing that black descendants are more likely to experience intersectional oppression, unconsciously forcing them to follow certain restricted lifestyles. What exactly was meant by restricted lifestyles was not reported by the authors but, citing Cooper et al. (2022) and Read (2016), it can be concluded that black working-class boys were often disadvantaged and forced to adapt to discrimination. It is suggested that it is an adaptation that can be the constricting framework that shapes an adolescent’s life path. Therefore, it is thus academically confirmed that the combination of age and social class and race and age are examples of intersectionality, demonstrating Brown’s initial heightened vulnerability to criminal life. Intersectionality of demographic traits also has implications for the ability to make life decisions.
Intersectionality may also have been why Brown may have felt destined for his destiny and, consciously or unintentionally, chose the paths that were most characteristic of a man with the intersectionality of such demographic factors. In this context, it is essential to emphasise that people can have a strong sense of belonging to a particular group, be it social class, race or peer group, and this sense of identity is essential to them (The Open University, 2022d). Awareness of one’s own identity is supported by Tajfel’s social identity theory, which argues that individuals construct their lives based on how they feel they belong (Pan, Gruber and Binder, 2019). Thus, Brown, exposed to complex forms of discrimination, could either find support in his groups that were initially more marginalised or adapt to such a framework and unconsciously follow the path that was the cause of his discrimination. In this sense, it is interesting to show that oppressed people often create certain cognitive constructs about how they think, and complex forms of institutional discrimination cause them to feel uninvolved in life decisions (Shepherd et al., 2022). Simultaneously, Levine (2019) pointed out that a limited life trajectory is caused by a lack of available resources, leading people to choose paths that may be at odds with their values. In the case of Brown, it was true that he refused to receive a quality education because he did not have a learning curve and was drawn into the underworld because he felt he belonged to a bandit group, although he felt heightened anxiety about it. In other words, the teenager adapted his lifestyle based on the oppression he experienced. The evidence suggests that the life chances of people from marginalised groups may be limited. The tendencies towards mental dysfunction experienced by Brown should be examined in more detail.
Intersecting forms of identity can exacerbate the mental challenges people face and shape their experiences. As reported by The Open University (2022a) and Miranda et al. (2005), ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to psychological problems, which, combined with the age and class correlation shown by Vossler et al. (2017), demonstrates Brown’s intersectionality in terms of what mental barriers they may have faced. The consequences of the destructivisation of mental well-being for such individuals can translate into severe health damage, including suicide attempts or self-harm, as has been shown for Brown. The adolescent experienced heightened anxiety and stress because of his involvement with gangs, started using drugs as an escapist attempt, and never had a stable relationship, which characterises the presence of severe psychological distress in the man. However, his lack of self-care and visits to a psychologist were also characteristic of his intersexuality due to his early age and membership in a racial group (The Open University, 2022b; Vossler et al., 2017). The evidence above shows that the intersectional paradigm helps to explain why Brown may have experienced severe psychological difficulties and how these may have caused him to switch to a criminal lifestyle.
To summarise, the intersectionality of socio-cultural traits does create the conditions for predetermined life paths. The example of Brown, an Afro-Caribbean man from a dysfunctional family who embarked on a criminal path, can confirm this. Intersectionality shows that the combination of different characteristics creates a plurality of identities with which a person identifies: in most cases, such identification can be detrimental because it traps a person in a pre-formed social framework from which it is difficult to escape. The intersectionality of demographic attributes also leads to an increased form of marginalisation, as it creates a synergistic effect, and a person can be discriminated against for more than one reason.
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