Download Why Crime Happens: Sociology

Why Crime Happens
Sociological Theories of Crime
Before We Get Started…
What do you see?
An elderly woman?
A young woman?
How about another?
How many months have 30 days?
11 (all of them except February!)
Let’s Get Down to Business!
You’ve learned about…
Psychological Theories of Crime
Classical Theories of Crime, and
Biological Theories of Crime
Let’s add one more!
Sociological Theories!
What do Sociologists Believe?
• Sociologists
emphasize that
human beings live in
social groups and
that those groups
and the social
structure they
create influence
behavior.
How does this relate to Crime?
Most sociological
theories of crime
assume that it is the
person’s environment
that impacts a person’s
criminal behavior, NOT
there physiological
makeup.
People are NOT born
to be criminals!
What are we going to learn about?
The Theory of the Chicago School
Strain Theory
Social Control Theory
Labeling Theory
Conflict Theory
Theory of the Chicago School
Developed by a group of sociologists in
the 1920’s that were living in the
Chicago area
They wanted to find out if there was a
relationship between a neighborhood’s
crime rate and the characteristics of
that neighborhood
Their Findings…
Neighborhoods with high crime rates
also had social disorganization
Controls of criminal behavior are absent
• Approved by community (parents/neighbors)
• Numerous opportunities
• Little encouragement, training, or opportunity
for employment
Examples in Lincoln?
Poverty?
Illiteracy?
Lack of education?
Unemployment?
Illegitimacy?
Where does crime
occur in Lincoln?
Strain Theory
Robert Merton 1938
Contradiction in the
U.S
Cultural goals
Social structure
Cultural goals
What are socially
acceptable goals?
Wealth
Status
Political power
Any others?
Social Structure
What are the
socially acceptable
ways of attaining
cultural goals?
Education
Hard work
Investment
It’s all about the Benjamins!
Merton’s Strain Theory
emphasizes monetary
success as the primary
cultural goal
Opportunities are not
equally distributed in
society
Causes some people to
turn to illegitimate
means to reach these
goals
So how do people adapt?
Five ways
1. Conformist
Accept the goals and ways of
achievement
2. Innovator
Accept the goals but reject how to get
there
How do people adapt?
3. Ritualists
Reject goals but accept means
4. Retreatists
Reject both the goals and means
5. Rebels
Want to replace the existing goals and
means with their own system
So which one is the criminal?
Conformist?
Innovator?
Retreatist?
Ritualist?
Rebel?
It is the INNOVATOR
These individuals
use illegal means to
gain socially
acceptable goals
Money
Power
Success
Social Control Theory
Instead of asking why crime happens,
Social Control Theory asks Why
Doesn’t Crime Happen?
What do you think? Why do people
conform?
Who is responsible for this
Theory?
The lead sociologist for
Social Control Theory is
Travis Hirschi
Causes of Delinquency
1969
Crime happens when
juveniles, YOU, are not
“properly” socialized
Socialization happens
through a strong bond
to society
How does Socialization happen?
Attachment to others
Examples?
Commitment to conventional lines of
action
Examples?
Involvement in conventional activities
Examples?
Belief in the moral order and law
What are the types of Control?
Direct Control
Efforts to directly
control behavior
• Setting rules
• Monitoring behavior
• Punishment for rule
violations
• Reinforcement for
conventional behavior
Types of Control…
Stake in Conformity
What might be lost by engaging in
delinquent behavior?
Those with a lot to lose are less likely to be
delinquent
2 Functions
Emotional attachment
Investment in activities
What do you think?
Based on what you’ve learned so far,
what sociological theory of crime do you
agree with?
Chicago School Theory?
Strain Theory?
Social Control Theory?
WHY???
Types of Control…
Internal Control
The ability to
restrain yourself
from participating in
delinquent behavior
Labeling Theory
When you hear the
word “Label,” what
comes to mind?
How would you label
yourself?
What is Labeling Theory?
It focuses on the reaction to
delinquency or criminal behavior
Official reaction: Law enforcement, judicial
penalties
Informal reaction: parents, friends,
teachers
What do these theorists argue?
People who are labeled
as delinquent or
criminal are often seen
as being “bad” or “evil.”
This view leads other
people to reject them
and treat them in a harsh
manner
“Harsh/rejecting”
response increases the
probability of further
criminal behavior
Here’s what they ask
Why are some acts defined as criminal or
delinquent?
How do other’s react to criminal behavior?
What impact does the reaction to delinquency
have on further delinquency?
Why are some offenders more likely to
experience the harsh/rejecting reaction than
others?
Are some offenders more likely to respond to
the harsh/rejecting reaction?
Why are some acts defined as
criminal?
Societal rules?
Laws?
Expectations?
Cultural norms?
Other’s reaction to delinquency
Harsh/rejecting reaction
First labeled as “bad” or “evil”
This leads others to treat you harshly or reject
you
Failure to respond
Never find out
Delinquency is ignored or mildly punished
Condemn the action but accept the
individual
Condemn the sin but love the sinner
Why does harsh/rejecting reaction lead
to more delinquency?
Reduces control
Reduces direct control
Reduces stake in conformity
Internal control may be weakened
Increases strain
Difficult to achieve goals
Loss of positive stimuli and increase in negative
Increase level of irritability
Why does harsh/rejecting reaction lead
to more delinquency?
Increases social learning of delinquency
Creates a delinquent self-concept
Charles Cooley: Cooley’s Looking Glass Self
We perceive ourselves as other’s perceive us
People’s reaction to us shape our identity
Develop self feeling based on these reactions
Positive and negative reactions
What determines the H/R
reaction?
Most important factor is whether the
criminal behavior that is engaged in
becomes known to other’s, especially
frequent and/or serious crimes
Socio-economic status
Individuals that associate with
delinquent others
What about gender?
So what do you think?
Conflict Theory
Focuses on the conflict in society between
rich and poor, management and labor, whites
and minorities
Assumes that society is based primarily on
conflict between competing interest groups
and that criminal law and the criminal justice
system are used to control subordinate
groups.
Crime is caused by relative powerlessness
Four primary assumptions of
Conflict Theory
Competition
We all compete for scarce resources
• Money, leisure, partners, etc.
Structural Inequality
Inequalities in power and reward are
everywhere! It’s automatically built in
• If you benefit, you try to keep it
Four primary assumptions of
Conflict Theory
Revolution
Change occurs as a result of conflict
between social class’s competing interests
• It’s fast
War
It is a unifier, it brings the societies
involved together
Can also end whole societies
So how does this apply to Crime?
Criminal Justice system and the law are
viewed as working for the upper class
i.e. the social elites, the rich, those in
power - the bourgeoise
The “system” is aimed at imposing
standards of morality and good
behavior
Who determines what is moral or good?
So Why is Crime Committed?
The lower class, the poor, or the
proletariat commit crime to even the
playing field.
It’s done out of necessity
Want or need to “improve their lot in life.”
Way to gain money and power
Let’s tie it all together…
Look through your notes
What do the following have in common?
Chicago School theory
Strain Theory
Social Control Theory
Labeling Theory
Conflict Theory