Week 8 Sociological Approaches to Crime PDF

Agenda continuing our discussion of modern criminological theory Modern School #3 ◦ sociological explanations of crime Sociological Explanations of Crime through most of the 20th century sociological approaches have been the most prevalent and widely used theories of crime Most o...

Agenda continuing our discussion of modern criminological theory Modern School #3 ◦ sociological explanations of crime Sociological Explanations of Crime through most of the 20th century sociological approaches have been the most prevalent and widely used theories of crime Most of these theories can be traced back to the Chicago School may be combined with various psychosocial approaches ( the "psychosocial approach") General assumptions of sociological approaches: ◦ crime and deviance are normal, inevitable, and even functional, occurrence in society ◦ Crime is primarily the result of environmental, social, economic, or structural factors ‣ as opposed to individual/biological/psychology ◦ How we define and label "crime" is fluid and subject to change across time/culture ◦ Generally assume a macro-level approach to understanding/explaining crime  Emile Durkheim (1858 - 1917) considered the "founder" of sociological approaches ◦ as well as one of the foundational figured or sociology and criminology more generally Many modern sociological/criminological theories are based on Durkheim.... While Durkheim was also an influential figure within the Positivist school ◦ He rejected their assumptions that criminality was an inherited trait and that crime was "abnormal" Durkheim saw crime as a normal and functional component of society that has existed in all societies throughout history Crime and deviance help us define societies morals and boundaries and aid in social cohesion "We do not condemn it because it is a crime, but it is a crime because we condemn it" Emile Durkheim Durkheim coined the term anomie which is still used and incorporated by many today Anomie: ◦ the uprooting or breakdown of any moral values, standards, or guidance for individuals to follow Thought to be caused by rapid changes in society and/or societal values When shared societal norms and values are unclear or become 'broken down", feelings of "anomie" are the result Strain Theory Merton (1938) attempted to apply Durkheim's concepts of "anomie" to crime specially Argued that there was a breakdown between the cultural goals of American society... ◦ and access to the institutional means by which these goals were achieved Put another way , the "American Dream" exists, but not for everybody (not a true meritocracy) The result is s sense of anomie or strain which could potentially manifest as criminal behaviour merton argued individuals who experience this anomie/strain will adapt to it in one of five different ways: ◦ conformity ◦ innovation ◦ ritualism ◦ retreatism ◦ Rebellion Dependant on whether one accepts the cultural goals of society and the institutional means of achieving those goals Some of these adaptations considered more likely to lead to criminal behaviour than others Adaptations of Strain 1. Conformists those who accept the cultural goals of society and the institutional means of achieving those goals typically not likely to become criminal 2. Innovators Those who accept the cultural goals of society, but do not accept the institutional means of achieving them most likely of all types to turn to criminality 3. Ritualists Those who reject the cultural goals of society, but still accept the proper institutional means of achieving them. not likely to turn to crime "we weren't poor" we just didn't have a lot of money" 4. Retreatists Those who reject both the cultural goals of society and the institutional of achieving them may turn to deviance (drug use, deviant subcultures) possibly some forms and crime ◦ Interested in enacting the requirements of ___ 5.Rebels Those who reject both the cultural goals society and the institutional means of achieving them and actively want to replace them with something else May turn to crime depending on the extremity of their beliefs Strain theory Pt.2 Albert Cohan built upon Merton's work on strain to explain why youths were joining gangs (low income, Argued that such individuals faced disproportional barriers to success argued that the education system presented another unique obstacle to their success The education system embodies and rewards "middle-class values": ◦ functionality, conformity, obedience, regimentation, discipline, respect for rules/authority, accountability, motivation, etc. The "middle class experience" better prepare children to succeed in such an environment (and professional life). conversely, children from lower-class back-rounds will typically struggle more in such enrolments failure in school often translates to failure in many other aspects of life in response, many lower-class children reject these middle class values, replacing with their own such values are often critical of, mistrustful of oppositional of, or hold contempt for mainstream society and its values rather-deviance, defiance, rebellion, and oppositional attitudes are valued instead (which in turn may inspire criminality) General strain theory ◦ Robert Agnew proposed soem major amendments to mertons original strain theory ◦ meant to be a more all-encompoassing and general version of strain theiry ◦ extended the focusbeyond "lower-class male youths" to exaplian strain and crime mrie braodly ◦ argues that strain and frustraion are things that we all deal with(and change with age)  Orginal strain theory focused mire primirality in the falure to rach postivley valued goals ◦ economci success, "The American Dream" Agnew expands the defintion of "postiively valued goals" whole aslo introducing two new soruces of strain ◦ The presentation of noxious stimuli ◦ The removal of postive stimuli Simply- the more strian one experiences the more likely they are to turn to crime/deviance Faailure to reach positively vlaued goals in the original strain theoiry, merton dfined psotiv egoals proilarul through econmic terms agnew explained this eiion to refer to any unmet/failure goals, economic or otherwise not making a sports neta, not gettign accepte to a certian school, expericning a romantic rejection , failing an exam/course Presentation of negative Stimuli Any negative force that comes into your life that acts as a source of strain or negative emotions this can take the form of a person , a situation, a relationship, a financial loss. an abusive relationship, a loaud neighbour, a flat tire, an unplanned pregnancy, a bully at school, an unexpected financial cost, injury sickness,etc The removal of Positive Stimuli any psotive force thst is removed from your life the removal of such a force coases negative emtions or strain a best friend moves away, fired from a job, dumped by GF,. the death of a pet or loved one,etc. The Chicago School Gained prominence in the early mid 20th century(also referred as the ecological school) Focused in urban sociology, community level analysis, and the role of neighbourhoods on crime Argued that growing ip in a certain neighbourhoods or social environments was a better predictor of criminal behaviour than any behaviour or biological factors the city as a living, breathing ecological system bound by predictable patterns ad processes Social Disorganization theory: inspired by the rapid urbanization of Chicago ◦ From 4000 to 3 million residents between the early 19th and early 20 century Primary assumption: ◦ residential location us a substantial factors shaping the likelihood that a person will become involved in illegal activities youths from disadvantaged neighbourhoods will have more exposure to an opportunities for engaging with delinquency and criminality Park and Burgess put forwards the concentric zone model to test "social disorganization" and explain Chicago's rates of crime Argued that a city's growth(and crime) patterns are often predictable and patterned As cities grow and expand, pressure is placed on the zone of transition which lies on the peripheries of the main urban core as the people with means to leave do, the transition area becomes run-down, impoverished, and the source of much urban crime.  Later research by shaw and McKay found evidence to support the concentric zone model hypothesis Found that the zone of transition was marked by a higher rate of social disorganization ◦ Overcrowding, unemployment Found that rates of juvenile delinquency were higher big area areas ◦ and that rates went down the further out you went studies conducted in different cities/countries have supported this model Differential Association Theory Developed by Edwin Sutherland, who built the work of social disorganization Argued that criminal behaviour is predominately learned through social organization and interaction as are the skills, motivations, attitudes, and justifications that support or inspire criminality some social groups are organized in a way that inspired or support criminality Assumption of DAT: criminal values are transmitted(learned) from one generation to the next "culture conflict" exists between conventional life and criminal life, with the former being much stronger in some environments. higher crimes rates are therefore, to be expected in socially disorganized areas "crime" is learned both practically and as a cultural attitude Life Course Theory Statistivally, most crime and deviancy is commited by individualls in their teens and early 20s most peo[le age out of criminal behaviour into their mid to late 20s and beyond why do people tedn to commit less crime as they grow old sampson an extension and revalution of th roigonal bonds theory stress the importance of social bonds that emerge at baruosu point during our lives as you gain more stales in conformity, crime becomes seen as increasingly risky and less worth it those w throughout their 20s ◦ enter and complete university ◦ start a job ◦ enter a significant relationship ◦ have children ◦ own a home ◦ have less free time ◦ have more people that depend on you ◦ gain more disposable income ◦ have better emotion intelligence simply put, older one gets, the more bonds, responsibilities they gain, all of which may insulate them from crime