Chapter 6 Social Structure Theory It is social forces not individual traits that cause crime Economic Structure and Crime The US is a stratified society where people are grouped according to economic or social class characterized by the unequal distribution of wealth power and prestige Social classes are segments of the population whose members are at a relatively similar economic level and who share attitudes values norms and an identifiable lifestyle Oscar Lewis 1966 culture of poverty a separate lower class culture characterized by apathy cynicism helplessness and mistrust of social institutions such as schools gov t agencies and police It is passed on from one generation to the next Members of the lower class are cut off from society lack education and skills and have inadequate housing and healthcare Children who grow up in poorer homes are less likely to finish school and are less likely to achieve but are more likely to have poor health care and poor health Minorities also suffer in poverty as 25 of African Americans and 22 of Latino Americans are living in poverty Whites 10 Minorities living in poverty are more likely to be unemployed less educated not completed school more likely to develop a record early on Poverty and Crime Social problems in lower class areas cause neighborhoods to decrease in quality and because the inhabitants are cut off from resources they use criminal acts to deal with economic problems Lower class members may turn to drug dealing stealing cars for parts or commit armed robberies to get by They also may self medicate with drugs or alcohol to cope with depression anxiety that sometimes goes hand in hand with poverty Social Structure Theories Unsupervised teen gangs high crime rates and social disorder in poor urban areas are major social problems The three main theories are Social Disorganization Theory Strain Theory Cultural Deviance Theory Social Disorganization Theory Focuses on conditions in the environment such as deteriorated neighborhoods inadequate social control law violating gangs and groups and conflicting social values Indicators include high unemployment drop out rates large of single parent households and low income areas Strain Theory focuses on conflict between goals and means There is an unequal distribution of wealth and power frustration and people use alternative methods to achieve their goals deviant behavior Lower class citizens want the material possessions power prestige that upper class citizens want They either accept their inferior positions or use criminal acts to achieve success Cultural Deviance Theory Combines the two aforementioned theories The development of subcultures as a result of disorganization and stress Subcultural values oppose conventional values Criminal behavior is an expression of conformity to lower class subcultural values and traditions it is not a rebellion from conventional society Cultural Transmission subcultural values are handed down from one generation to the next Social Disorganization Theory in depth Neighbors are constantly moving there is a lack of stable relationships Local institutions can not provide adequate jobs health care or education Shaw and McKay Concentric Zones Theory Chicago 1920s There are distinct neighborhoods affluent neighborhoods and poverty ridden transitional neighborhoods where there was a high rate of population turnover and neighborhoods were unable to get residents to stay and fight against prevent criminal groups People in poor areas see gang members and people living deviant lifestyles and they see that they are financially successful causing a conflict between what they are observing and conventional values People become delinquent and encourage others to join Crime rates will always be higher in the central city and transitional area The farther from the city the lower the crime rates Poverty isolated lower class areas lack of social opportunities racial discrimination Social Disorganization Social organizations like family or school break down no social control Break down of Traditional values Gangs develop peers replace family school influence Criminal Areas Neighborhoods become crime prone pockets of crime develop lack of external support investment Cultural Transmission Adults pass norms to the younger generation Criminal careers Social Ecology Social Disorganization Theory fell through but was replaced by Social Ecology which emphasizes the link between community deterioration and economic decline with criminality but it emphasizes value conflict less Lack of social support causes community fear of becoming a crime victim Lower class areas suffer from higher crime rates and have an increased number of gangs and deviant behavior As the fear increases quality of life decreases This causes withdrawal from the community The people especially minorities that are discriminated against become suspicious and mistrusting of their community and authority causing a siege mentality where they view the outside would as an enemy This causes mistrust in government businesses schools and incivility increases Police respond with excessive force which causes another increase in mistrusts cyclical relationship People who cannot afford to move out of poor neighborhoods have an increasing chance of victimization Due to economic disadvantages and discrimination it is often minorities who suffer most The high turnover rate causes constant change in the community and increased tension Concentration effect as working class families flee inner city poverty ridden areas the most disadvantaged populations are left in urban ghettos Collective efficacy social control exerted by cohesive communities and based on mutual trusts including intervention in the supervision of children and maintenance of public order Its a mutual trust Residents in these areas tend to have better education housing health care and stronger social ties STRENGTHS OF SOCIAL ECOLOGY THEORY accounts for urban crime rates and trends RESEARCH FOCUS social control fear collective efficacy unemployment Strain Theories Anomie some people have inadequate means to attain success others who have the means reject societal goals To resolve the goals means conflict and their sense of strain people steal or extort money turn to drugs or rebel in other ways Poverty Relative depression feelings of inadequacy siege mentality Maintenance of conventional rules and norms Despite adversity people remain loyal to conventional values
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