social structure theories Flashcards
disorganization theory
poor areas with disorganized conditions and low community control combined with low collective efficacy equals high crime rates
disorganized/ deteriorated neighborhoods
high density physical deterioration ethnic heterogeneity residential mobility single parent households
concentric zone model of urban development developers
Park and Burgess
concentric zone model of urban development
from inner to outer circle:
- loop (factory zone)
- zone in transition
- zone of workingman’s homes
- residential zone
- commuter’s zone
Shaw and Mckay
plotted court records of delinquency on the concentric zone model and found crime rates where higher in the inner city than outer city
where are crime rates highest in the concentric zone model?
the transition zone, gradually decline the further away from it you go
community controls
poor schools
few community programs
few job opportunities
little family supervision
collective efficacy (Sampson and Lamb)
unable to form alliance against crime
distrust authority/ afraid of gang retaliation
residents unwilling to serve as control agents
anomie theory
gap between culturally valued goals (money) and legitimate means (education) to achieve the goals, creating frustration
who developed anomie theory?
Robert Merton
innovation
crime represents illegal means to attain economic goals
relative deprivation
poor areas (next to affluent ones) ->
feeling deprived ->
frustration from sense of injustice ->
high crime rates
general strain
extending anomie theory, general strains (failure to achieve goals, loss of positive stimuli, presence of negative stimuli) leads to a negative affect status and antisocial behavior
cultural deviance theory
poor areas/ groups ->
subcultures (gangs) ->
value transmission ->
delinquency
value transmission
gang lifestyles passed down to new members
