Macro-level Theories (Notes) PDF

Macro Level Theories What is it about place that contributes to delinquency? Baltimore, MD Baltimore, MD  Social Structural Theories of Delinquency Traditional sociological theories that are considered sociological theories Social struct...

Macro Level Theories What is it about place that contributes to delinquency? Baltimore, MD Baltimore, MD  Social Structural Theories of Delinquency Traditional sociological theories that are considered sociological theories Social structural theorists take a position on delinquency Factors Social organization of society and/or the environment influence or determine delinquency.  Two Types of Macro Level Theories Anomie theory and Social Disorganization theory These theories consider the role of large scale- social change on human behavior, and the effect of the environment on individuals If we want to figure out why youth are committing acts of delinquency, we will need to zoom out and take a look at the world around us!  Durkheim’s Anomie Theory Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) He was a theorist who believed society is best described as being based on a loose consensus Assumed that we all share a —a basic sense of right or wrong—and that laws and other rules reflect the values that we share Believed we have fragmented division of labor Anomie: a social condition marked  Merton’s Strain Theory People are inspired to break some rules or laws Merton explained the unregulated desires were woven into the very fabric of the In society the desire to obtain these material and financial wealth are the primary All people do not have access to the of accomplishing these goals.  Merton’s Strain Theory Five ways that people adapt to this strain: Goal Means + + Innovation _ + _ _ Rebellion  Differential Opportunity Theory Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin expanded theory Argued unequal access to means of obtaining cultural goals Found criminal delinquent subcultures arose in the face of limited subcultures develop as a result of a lack of both legitimate and illegitimate opportunities for youth.  Subcultural Theory of Delinquency Albert Cohen’s subcultural theory of delinquency was also informed by Merton’s strain theory Strain comes from not being able to succeed at Finds that the subcultural responses do not serve a concrete purpose other than satisfying an  Anomie and Class, Race, Gender, & Place Anomie/strain theories of delinquency employ notions of socioeconomic privilege and disadvantage in their conceptualizations of strain research on anomie and race and gender Theory was formulated as an theory. But many countries now promote financial and material cultural goals in the tradition of the United States.  Social Disorganization Theory Very popular from the 1920s to the 1940s and in the 1980s and 1990s Society is always in the midst of a cycle of change that shifts from social disorganization to reorganization and back again Places humans into the context of the plant and animal world and requires us to think about how our “natural habitats” affect our behavior.  Social Disorganization Theory Often referred to as a theory Rise in heterogeneity amongst people living in a given area, results in a Reduction in amount of The Concentric Zone Model of cities shows where Social Disorganization Theory  Social Disorganization and Delinquency Theory Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay built upon the social ecological model Examined how delinquency in Chicago related to the concentric zones They found that delinquency rates were the highest in the and consistently over time Neighborhoods with high rates of delinquency had high rates of  Social Disorganization and Delinquency Theory Delinquency appeared to be strongly related to the effect of living in a disorganized neighborhood and decreased with distance from the city center Supported the idea that delinquency can be attributed to were assumed to increase the likelihood of social disorganization  Sampson & Groves’ Model of Social Disorganization One major study of delinquency and social disorganization that achieved widespread attention in the 1980s was that of Robert Sampson and Walter B. Groves Explained intervening variables as intermediate steps between social disorganization and its expression in the form of delinquency...  Collective Efficacy Model Collective efficacy: A factor that may mitigate or lessen the effects of social disorganization on a community and, in turn, lessen violence. Social Disorganization and Race, Class & Gender Pointed out the irrelevance of race to the misbehavior of people living in disorganized areas See low socioeconomic class as one of several signs of social disorganization, which collectively tend to lead to higher rates of delinquency and crime In areas that are already socially disorganized, the removal of residents through incarceration creates additional community-level disruption Hypothesized that boys are more affected by neighborhood social disorganization than girls.