Sociological Theories Overview

Sociological Theories

• Sociological Theories examine:
  • Social structures within a society
  • Interactions among social institutions, individuals, and groups
  • Socialization and impact on social behavior
• They offer a macro perspective, focusing on the big picture.

Social Structure Theories

• Social Disorganization Theory
  • Focuses on ecological approach
  • Explores good vs. bad neighborhoods as factors in social structure theories
• Strain Theory (Merton)
  • Anomie: A disjunction arises between legitimate goals and socially approved means to achieve success, which are not evenly available to all members of society.
  • Crime is an alternative means to success.
  • Strain increases as the gulf between goals and necessary means widens.
  • Not everyone accepts the legitimacy of socially approved goals.
• Culture Conflict Theory (Cultural Deviance Theory)
  • The root cause of crime lies in different values about acceptable or proper behavior.
  • Conduct norms are expectations for human behavior within a social group.
  • Acquired early in life through childhood socialization
  • Clash of norms between variously socialized groups results in crime.
    • Primary: Honor killing
    • Secondary: Whites of West Virginia
  • Lower class culture vs. dominant culture.

Concentric Zones

• Shaw and McKay applied the concentric zone model to the study of delinquency.
• They found that offending rates remained consistent over time within zones of transition.
• Delinquent traditions are transmitted through successive generations within the same zone.

Social Ecology

• Factors contributing to social ecology:
  • Broken Windows
  • Poverty Concentration
  • Chronic Unemployment
  • Community Fear
  • Community Change
  • Lack of Collective Efficacy (Do we care for one another? Our ‘Hood?)

Merton's Strain Theory (Further Explanation)

• Anomie arises when there is a gap between culturally valued goals (e.g., wealth, success) and the legitimate means of achieving those goals.
• Individuals may adapt to this strain in various ways:
  • Conformity: Accepting both the goals and means.
  • Innovation: Accepting goals but rejecting means (e.g., criminal activity).
  • Ritualism: Rejecting goals but accepting means (e.g., following rules but not striving for success).
  • Retreatism: Rejecting both goals and means (e.g., dropping out of society).
  • Rebellion: Rejecting both goals and means and attempting to replace them.

Relative Deprivation

• Relative deprivation refers to the economic and social gap between the rich and poor who live in close proximity.
• Having wealth "in your face" creates greater anger and frustration.

Subcultural Theory (Examples)

• Subcultural theory examines how various socialized cultural groups contribute to crime.
• Subculture: A collection of values and preferences communicated through socialization.
• Delinquent subcultures:
  • Criminal subcultures: Criminal role models readily available (e.g., brother is a gang member).
  • Conflict subcultures: Status achieved through violence (e.g., Hell's Angels).
  • Retreatist subcultures: Drug use and withdrawal from wider society (e.g., Hippies).

Violent Subcultures

• Ferracuti and Wolfgang argued that violence is a learned adaptation to problematic life circumstances within a subculture emphasizing violence over other forms of adaptation.
• Violent subcultures expect and legitimize violence, often associated with urban survival syndrome.

The Code of the Street

• Elijah Anderson: Contemporary street code emphasizes a hyper-inflated notion of manhood based on the idea of respect.
• This code can lead to violence and crime as individuals seek to maintain their reputation and avoid being seen as weak.

Policy Implications

• Chicago Area Project: Focused on eliminating slums.
• Sesame Street and The Electric Company: Aiming to improve access to education for underserved children.
• Community Policing: Trying to build trust between police and communities.
• War on Poverty: Tried to reduce crime rates by redistributing wealth in American society ($10,000,000,000,000 spent).