Study Review – Exam 2Social Structure Sociological theories Focus on the nature of the power relationships that exist between social groups and on the influences that various social phenomena bring to bear on the types of behaviors that tend to characterize groups of people Three major approaches to crime causation Social structure- Negative aspects of societal structure produce criminal behavior Social process Social conflict Social structure theories Social disorganization A perspective on crime and deviance that highlights the role that the breakdown of social institutions, such as the family, the economy, education and religion play in crime causation- The Chicago School An ecological approach to explaining crime Examined how disorganization contributes to social pathology - Social Ecology An approach to criminal theories that attempt to link the structure and organization of a human community to interactions with its environment Critique: give too much credence to the nation that location determines crime Broken Windows Thesis Physical deterioration in an area leads to increased concerns for personal safety among area residents and to higher crime rates in that area Strain Theory Sociological approach that posits a disjuncture between socially and culturally sanctioned means and goals as the cause of criminal behavior- Delinquency is a form of adaptive, problem solving behavior in response to frustrating and undesirable social environments Robert Merton- Anomie Disjunction between socially approved means to success and legitimate goals- Crime tends to arise as alternative means to success when individuals feel the strain of being pressed to succeed in society- Strain increases as the gap between goals and availability of the means to achieve widens- Critiques: - Original formulation of strain theory is less applicable to American society today that in the 1930s- Delinquency youths who are not afforded the opportunities for success that are available to others appear to be well shielded from sources of stress and despair through their participation with delinquency Relative Deprivation- The economic and social gap that exist between rich and poor people who live in close proximity of each other Comparing your status with someone that you already know Feelings of anger, frustrations, social injustice, and hostility- Related to the notion of distributive justice Rightful place in society- Robert Angew General Strain Theory Law breaking behavior is a coping mechanism that enables those who engage in it to deal with the socioemotional problems generated by negative social relations Prevents or threathens to prevent an individual from achieving positively valued goals, such as autonomy or financial success Removes positively valued stimuli that a person possesses Present someone with noxious or negatively valued stimuli Expands on traditional strain theory Includes all types of negative relations between individual and others Maintains that strain is likely to have a cumulative effect on delinquency after reaching a certain threshold Provides a more comprehensive account of the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional adaptation to strain Culture Conflict Theory sociological perspective on crime that suggests that the root cause of criminality can be found in clash of values between variously socialized groups over what is acceptable or proper behavior Subcultural Theory- A sociological perspective that emphasizes the contribution made by variously socialized cultural groups to the phenomenon of crime Culture- A collection of values, ideas, beliefs, and traits that characterize a human group. Subculture- A collection of values and preferences that is communicated to subcultural participants through a process called socialization. Thorseten & Sellin- The root cause of crime could be found in different values about what is acceptable or proper behavior. - Two types of culture conflict Primary: fundamental clash of cultures occurs Secondary: smaller cultures within the primary clash Focal Concerns- Key values of delinquent subcultures Trouble: Getting into trouble, staying out of trouble, and dealing with trouble when it arises Toughness: Almost obsessive concern with masculinity Smartness: Capacity to outsmart, outfox, outwit, dupe, take, or con others and capacity to avoid being outwitted, taken or duped oneself Excitement: A search for thrills (often necessary to overcome the boredom inherent in lower-class lifestyles) Fate: The concept of luck or of being lucky (destiny) Autonomy: “I can take care of myself ” & “ No one’s going to push me around”- Concluded that subcultural crimes are not the direct consequences of poverty and lack of opportunity, but emanate from specific values characteristic of such subcultures Ferracuti & Wolfgang - Some subcultures are violent and are built around violent themes and values supporting violent activities- Claimed that violence is a learned form of adaptation to certain problematic life circumstances- Subcultures of violence both expect violence from their members and legitimize it when it occurs Differentail Opportunity Theory Two types of socially structured opportunities for success- Illegitimate Illegitimate opportunity structure – preexisting subcultural paths to success thatare not approved by wider culture. Ideation evolution: a collective delinquent solution or delinquent means of achieving success may be decided upon by members of a gang. - legitimate Delinquent act can be defined by two essential elements- it is behavior that violates basic norms of the society - it evokes a judgment by agents of criminal justice that such norms have been violated. 3 types of delinquent subcultures- 1. Criminal subcultures: Criminal role models are readily available for adoption by those being socialized into the subculture - 2. Conflict subcultures: Participants seek status through violence - 3. Retreatist subcultures: Drug use and withdrawal from the wider society predominate. Reaction Formation - The process by which a person openly rejects that which he or she wants or aspires to but cannot obtain or achieve. - Roots of delinquent subcultures - the collective solution to the problem of status. Critiques of Culture Conflict Theory- Criticized for being
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