Introduction to Criminology CRJ 210

1. Bentham Introduction to Criminology CRJ 210 Freud The Search For Causes Dr. Tom Luzinski Part III Sociological Theory Marx Darwin 6/6/2014 1

2. 5. Sociological Theories Basic Assumptions – • Social groups, social institutions, the arrangement of society, and social roles are all appropriate for study • Group dynamics, group organization, and subgroup relationships form the causal basis of criminality • The structure of society and the relative degree of social organization or social disorganization are important factors contributing to criminal behavior 6/6/2014 2

3. Sociological Theories: Social Ecology School • Roots found at the University of Chicago in the 1920s • Robert Park and Ernest Burgess a. Began mapping city of Chicago based on social characteristics of city b. Developed concentric zone theory • Concentric zones are likened to a bull’s eye target with the downtown of the city in the center of the bull’s eye 6/6/2014 3

4. Sociological Theories: Social Ecology School 1. Shaw and McKay - adapted work of Park and Burgess’s concentric zone theory 2. Discovered that the amount of crime increased as one moved towards center of the city 6/6/2014 4

5. Zone two – the “Zone of Transition” demonstrated the highest rates of crime • Crime in this zone is dependent upon structural elements such as: • Poverty • Illiteracy • Lack of schooling • Unemployment • Illegitimacy

6. Sociological Theories:Anomie (normlessness) Theory • Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) • First to use term anomie in his book Division of Labor in Society to represent an abnormal form of the division of labor • Refined use of term in his book Suicide • Used term to represent a form of suicide • definition – form of suicide that takes place because of some sudden upheaval in the norms of society • “J Curve of Rising Expectations” Unacceptable Acceptable Satisfaction Time 6/6/2014 6

7. Sociological Theories: Anomie Theory Robert K. Merton (1910 - ) a. Defined term anomie as – disjuncture between societal goals and legitimate means b. Developed typology of adaptations: Conformist – accepts goals and means Innovator – accepts goals, rejects means Retreatist – rejects both goals and means Ritualist – rejects goals, accepts means Rebel – rejects goals and means and substitutes his/her own goals and means 6/6/2014 7

8. Sociological Theories:Subcultural Theory Definition: A theoretical perspective that is based on the idea of a subculture which is composed of a group of people who participate in a shared system of values and norms which are different from those of the larger culture Street Gangsters for example! 6/6/2014 8

9. Sociological Theories:Subcultural Theory • Albert K. Cohen a. Delinquent Boys (1955) b. developed concept of reaction formation – lower class youth rejection of middle class values c. reaction causes development of gangs and continues the subculture 6/6/2014 9

10. Sociological Theories: Subcultural Theory 2. Walter Miller a. “Lower Class Culture As a Generating Milieu of Gang Delinquency” (1958) Focal concerns: a. represent the key characteristics of the culture b. same as focal concerns of middle class except for priority assigned to each concern 6/6/2014 10

11. Sociological Theories: Subcultural Theory Walter Miller (cont.) c. priority of focal concerns for lower class: Trouble Toughness Excitement Smartness Fate Autonomy 6/6/2014 11

12. Sociological Theories:Subcultural Theory 3. Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin a. Delinquency and Opportunity (1960) b. combined work of Sutherland and Merton c. access to the illegitimate opportunity structure had to be reduced while access to the legitimate opportunity structure was increased d. access to both structures means individual can choose whether or not to be delinquent 6/6/2014 12

13. Sociological Theories:Subcultural Theories 4. Marvin Wolfgang and Franco Ferracuti a. Subculture of Violence (1967) b. examined homicide rates in Philadelphia in 1950s c. coined term “subculture of violence” d. subculture of violence – setting in which violence is a traditional, and often accepted, method of dispute resolution 6/6/2014 13

14. 6. Social-Psychological Theories Basic Assumptions – • Highlights role played by weakened self-esteem and meaningless social roles in crime causation 2. Relationship of individual to social group is stressed as underlying cause of behavior 6/6/2014 14

15. Social-Psychological Theories:Differential Association • Edwin Sutherland (1883-1950) a. Principles of Criminology (1939), third edition b. Views crime as a product of socialization c. Theory based on work of Gabriel Tarde’s “Laws of Imitation” d. Nine basic principles: • Criminal behavior is learned • Criminal behavior is learned in interaction with other persons in a process of communication • Principle part of learning criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups 6/6/2014 15

16. Social-Psychological Theories:Differential Association • When criminal behavior is learned, it includes • techniques of committing the crime, • the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes • The specific direction of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal code as favorable or unfavorable • A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to the commission of a crime over definitions unfavorable to the commission of a crime 6/6/2014 16

17. Social-Psychological Theories:Differential Association 7. Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity • The process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anticriminal patterns involves all the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning • While criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those general needs and values since noncriminal behavior is an expression of those same needs and values 6/6/2014 17

18. Social-Psychological Theories:Social Learning Theory social learning theory – a perspective that says people learn how to behave by modeling themselves after others whom they have the opportunity to observe 6/6/2014 18

19. Social-Psychological Theories:Social Learning Theory • Ronald L. Akers and Robert L. Burgess a. applied learning theory constructs to the theory of Differential Association b. called their theory Differential-Reinforcement-Theory c. constructs of learning theory taken from B.F. Skinner d. primary learning takes place through operant conditioning 6/6/2014 19

20. Social-Psychological Theories:Restraint Theories • Containment Theory a. Walter Reckless (1899-1988) b. The Crime Problem (1961), fourth edition c. containment – aspects of social bond and personality which act to prevent individuals from committing crime d. inner and outer containment • outer – elements that are outside of individual a. pulls – i.e., delinquent peers b. pressures – i.e., the law, family, school 6/6/2014 20

21. Social-Psychological Theories: Restraint Theories 1. Containment Theory (con’t.) d.inner and outer containment 2. inner – those elements that are psychological in nature a. pushes and pulls – i.e., conscience, positive self-image, tolerance for frustration, aspirations/motivations 6/6/2014 21

22. Social-Psychological Theories:Social Control Theory • Travis Hirschi a. Causes of Delinquency (1969) b. bond – relationship individual has with society c. the stronger the bond the less likely the individual would engage in delinquency d. elements of the bond • attachment (to others) • commitment (to appropriate lifestyles) • involvement (in conventional values) • belief (in correctness of rules of society) 6/6/2014 22

23. Social-Psychological Theories:Techniques of Neutralization • Gresham Sykes and David Matza • Techniques of Neutralization (1957) b. list of escalating techniques of rationalizations that allow a person to commit a delinquent act • techniques: • denial of responsibility • denial of injury • denial of victim • condemnation of condemners • appeal to higher loyalties 6/6/2014 23