Classic Sociological Explanations of Crime Part 1 Flashcards
What did Durkheim study
Studied suicide, anomie (sense of normalness), social integration (its importance) and social cohesion
What did Durkheim challenge
Challenged biological and psychological explanations for behaviour
Durkheims look at functions of deviance for society
Deviance is a feature, not a bug
ex.
-Sometimes it leads to social change
- Clarify moral boundaries ( we don’t go over 120)
- Unifies people (gossip, responding to deviance together)
What is the Chicago School
1st department of sociology in the US
What does the Human Ecological School look at
Looking at urban societies
The Concentric zone model
- Interested in how cities develop
- Where you live will dictate your behaviour
Park and Burgess (1967) - The Chicago School
Levels of crime in were geographically patterned.
Crime was concentrated in Zone 2:
new immigrants
racial minorities
transient
Criticism of The Chicago School
Applicability of this model to other cities is debatable
How does Social disorganization cause criminality
Poverty – social disorganization – breakdown of social control – criminal areas – cultural transmission – criminal careers
Shaw and McKay (1924): On Crime and Social Disorganization
High delinquency rates were caused by the types of neighbourhoods in which youth grew up.
Thrasher (1927): On Crime and Social Disorganization
gangs emerge in environments where conventional controls on youth are either absent or lacking.
Criticisms of Social Disorganization
-Concentric zone model doesn’t apply to all cities.
-Crime:
1. may be well organized.
2. not limited to the powerless disenfranchised.
-Juvenile delinquency is not restricted to the inner city.
-Creates an “us” versus “them” dynamic.
Who came up with strain- Anomie Theory
Robert Merton
What is Anomie
Societies inadvertently bring strain on individuals that can lead to rule-breaking behaviour
What is strain
Discrepancy between culturally defined goals and the institutionalized means available to achieve these goals -> Anomie
What are the 5 modes of adapting to this strain
-conformity
-innovation
-retreatism
-ritualism
-rebellion
What is the goal and means of strain/anomie theory
The goal is wealth and is achieved through school+ work
What is conformity
want goal, go through means
What is innovation
want goal (wealth) but reject means to get there(school/work)
What is retreatism
reject goals & mean
What is ritualism
reject goal but go through with means
What is rebellion
overthrowing system
What model of adaption is most often used to explain crime
Innovator most often used to explain crime
Why does the value of delayed gratification not applicable to all kids
Ex. Marshmallow theory
Kids might take marshmallow now because in their lives life for them has been repeatedly unpredictable
Working-class exclusion occurs within
the educational system
As a result of being unable to compete
youth turn to delinquency and a delinquent subculture.
delinquent subculture
alternative source of status-granting criteria that these youth can meet.
reaction formation
reject the dominant value system and endorse the values of the delinquent subculture
-> live today, hostility towards “the mans”
Example of Status frustration
Cant keep up with school
Criticism of Strain/Anomie Theory
-Doesn’t explain why educated and financially successful individuals engage in crime.
-Fails to explain why so few women engage in crime.
What is Control Theory and who came up with it
-Hirschi
- Society = set of institutions that acts to control and regulate rule-breaking behaviour
- Bonds to society help people not break the law/ take risks
- Broken or weak bonds -> could become open to egocentric impulses and engage in crime
Control Theory: What are Hirschi’s four types of social bonds
- Commitments
- Beliefs
- Attachment
- Involvement
What is the Criticism of control theory
- Doesn’t explain more serious youth crime or adult crime
- Strong bonds DOES NOT equal protection from all forms of deviance
