Sociological Theories - Crime and Social Structure.

 Sociological Theories- Crime and Social Structure.

Introduction

As we discussed the Criminal Psychology now we are turning toward the Criminal Sociology so here we are going to understand different type of social structure which affects over the individual and because of that such personal made oneself chance or some times the this structure is responsible to make such personal as criminal. so here we are going to discuss how different structures differently impact over persons. now the environment will be played as important role to make a person or number of persons and to make them law violators. the different parts of the society like parents, family, neighbor, relative, school, college, community and society creates the person. so now we have to connect social system with criminality.

1) Social Structure Theory

The social structure theory is makes criticism over the biological theory when surrounding is the base of learning and its sociological explanation of crime and delinquency which based over the rational thoughts. the theory says that crime is product of the society. Apart form biological factors lower class middle class and higher class of society, modernization and slum areas are not been neglected as well as economical, legal, political and religion status of person shall be consider as per this theory.

Social Structure is the system of social arrangement in society which emerged as man emerged. but the structure is not static which change from time to time. so the every society has its own identity as well as own structural activities, rules regulations, set of roles, different functions, rules and regulations, usages, practices some of them are static and never change some changes time to time. the social structure is the different branch of the society like family, religion, law, economy and class. this social structure broadly influences with economical system, social system, legal system, political system and cultural system. these are different types of features and characteristic of the social structure. 

The disadvantaged group of social class is primary cause of crime  and criminal behavior is starts with youth. the social structure theories includes social disorganization theory and crime is largely the involvement of unfavorable conditions in a community as like population, high dropout rates, unemployment, illiteracy, destructed families, divorced families, single parents,  the strain theory includes the crime committed because of financial crisis and negative tendency, there after cultural deviance theory provides the people adopts the cultural tendencies which includes the criminality as ways of life or to live life. and control theory provides the social bond between persons in a social setting controls deviance and promotes conformity to norms, commission of crime because of loss of social bond. cultural conflict theory.

Social Disorganization Theory

The Chicago school professor Clifford Shaw and Henry D.McKay elaborate the concept of Social Disorganization that the inability of a group to engage in self regulation in social control format. effect over the personality is the surrounding ecological characteristics. here location of the persons makes the matter on other form the person where resides is the substantial factor of shaping to the person which will connect to violent activities..

first of all the theory the persons personal as well as social environments are primarily responsible about his personal choices about the criminality. the core point of this theory is locating matter as resident and where person permeant growing. if the neighborhood is with high crime rates and there have their common problems, physical strength, effect of poverty and high level of complex about ethical and cultural understanding. the Chicago school says its not criminality raised over the individual level but its normal response to the abnormities surrounding of the individual. here the social disorganization theory suggest the about the youth violence and crime 

the key factors of the theory is poverty main root of crime.  then collapsed the community control and people living in the disadvantaged neighborhood. the fasted growth of urban and rural gap. huge competition  and domination over economical satisfaction and jobless situation. such gap between the resources made persons violent where every one form many year suffering from such problems so upcoming generation also developed with violent mentality and easily evolves in crime.

such surrounding and environment are of violent, stressed, depressed, dominated from the many years, they feel that its our world some grows from coming out side to understating situation due to some familiar environment and lack of economical resources they never think to be outside of the particular environment. here every one having same issues and they stand for violence and involves in many more crimes.

Merton's Strain Theory

What theory actually saying the sometime socialize people gather to achieve success but due to limited opportunity they fail and turn toward the criminality.

when in any society there is insufficient opportunities to grow people economically and if when there is not enough legitimate opportunities to achieve basic goals in the society . as per this theory this is the strain actually creates between goals and means to achieve goals and it results people turn towards the criminality to achieve their success and goals.

This strain theory developed by Robert Merton in the 1940 where is was defined the how the crime rate in society is raised with his experience in the USA at that time. this theory is most famous in the contemporary Sociologists.

This theory mostly shows the situation of the USA at that time, where equal opportunity were available to all with the regardless of class and gender or ethnicity. it was the American Dream era where everyone was encouraged to get success and to gather the wealth and material possessions. that time people was engaged to achieve goals with legitimate means with grow in education and work but one side the dominant culture also kept watch over the ambitious, talented and hard working people and their income and wealth. Morton said these all people were not achieved their goals means the distribution of the wealth and equal opportunity not being fairly worked and difficult situation were created and as well as all persons were unable to achieve the goals even its available due to their own faults.

Morton also developed the Anomie theory which clearly shows the imbalance between their goals basically its financial related with their currant status and strain occurs. 

Here the people faces the strain in what situation as follows.

1. Conformity: achieving objects through the fairly dealing with social norms and laws.
2. Innovation: to involve in violent behavior and criminality to achieve socially unapproved and unconventional objects, as like sale of drug, theft.
3. Ritualism: in this situation person involve to in the using socially approved means to achieve less elusive (easy) goals.
4. Retreatism. unaccepted the both cultural objects and methods to obtain and then find a way to escape it.
5. Rebellion: to reject the cultural goals and means, then work to replace them.

Cohen's Delinquent Subculture Theory

(due to non achievement of goals adopt another deviant culture that's is delinquent subculture)

This is the theory of criminology and also this theory emerged from Chicago School on gangs and developed symbolic interactionism school with set of theories with the help of some of subcultures in society have value and norms, ethics, rules and regulations that they uses in violence and crime. this theory primarily focus on the Juvenile Delinquency because the criminologist believes that if the in childhood tendencies found properly that we can prevent as early to became such child as habitual offender.

The Frederic M. Thrasher firstly started in 1927 about to study of gangs in very systematic manner he analysis the gang activity and behavior. he said groups formed spontaneously and integrated through the conflicts such as characteristics like physical meeting, sharing things and thoughts, conflict and planning. such groups are the form of collective behavior which is developed through the traditions, unreflective internal structure, morals, group awareness and together on local territory. there after many criminologist studied about the such gang tendencies and its behind reasons.

then in 1972 the Phil Cohen made sociological study of young offenders and youth of East London. he studied the how two different subculture young groups comes together and form a community. this theory also known as Delinquent Boys. such young boys don't have ability to succeeds and its reaction to the situations and extreme response the situations. the Walter miller also made work over it and hi focused on the lower class culture and such generation and concentrate on some points like life hurdles, trouble, toughness, smartness, excitement, fate and autonomy and trouble.

Actually Albert K. Cohen is the main developer of this theory according to him when groups of working class youth's realize they are unable to achieve the goals and objects of society through legitimate means they develop status-frustration. such goals are rejected  and new and deviant goals, rules, regulations, norms, ethics and values are developed and delinquent subculture is formed. base of the theory is frustration, involved in subculture to improve their status. so working youth frustrations involves in subculture which has same goals and objectives in delinquent manner but they rejects the norms and manners of the basic society and gang involved in commission of crime.

Miller’s Lower Class Gang Delinquency 

Miller in 1958 defined that lower classes created their different value system as a response to the monotony of working class jobs. working class subculture is mechanism full of processes which allow working-class people to cope with their situations which he termed- focal concerns, theses focal concerns are fate, excitement, autonomy, smartness, trouble and toughness. miller defined the crime in terms of a distinctive lower-class subculture.

this theory is based on strain and social disorganization where theory explain how people living in slum and poor class areas and reaction with their neighborhood reacts to isolation and financial depravity, such life style is extremely frustrating and draining. such lower class always ready to adopt the subculture values which legal or illegal. but upper form middle class prefer to struggle and hard work, delaying gratification and education. but lower class subculture focused on excitement, toughness, fearlessness, immediate gratification. such lower class subculture has many members to make themselves as middle class culture. most of the slums are involved in violation of law and followed the rules of deviant culture and order to fit their surrounding.

Walter Miller realized that reason behind the lower class criminal behavior is culturally shared ideas. the did not understated their social conditions. but strongly believes the delinquency and formed the lower class subculture and developed the and response the environmental condition of slum life. Miller said such culture has its own identity, culture, values quite different form middle class. criminality in reflects from their behavior only because of lower class goals achievement. Miller developed theory to know how lower class turns to achieve the norms and values of crime and deviance.

Miller said criminal tendencies will not made by the inability to persons to achieve the success, but its because of fact that criminal tendency involve in lower class subculture with distinct values and norms to different form the society. he argued that such different values means number of persons are concern and things people wants to achieve he called these focal concern and they include. this theory is grounded in learning theory and ecological data evaluated. again it may create the cultural conflict.

Miller identified six local concern that responsible to lower class delinquency.

Trouble: because the struggle way as to drinking, fights and illegal actions makes them arrest, fines, court appearance, jail sentences and other criminal charges. trouble in wrong way makes person undesirable consequences. such trouble unfortunately involves person in the lower class structure.

Toughness: female dominance households found in lower class environment, lacking male role model, boys developed deviant pattern of crime. with identification of gangs on body

Smartness: skillful development of psychology for crime, makes physical strength to commit any crimes easily. 

Excitement: monotonous routine of lower class existence, excitement to be beneficial to commit crime with enjoyment of pleasure of satisfaction of money and revenge.

Fate: belief in little control over the forces shaping one's life

Autonomy: ambivalence means where there is no any desire to involved in such situation but have no any option.

Differential Association Theory

This theory has been coined by the Edwin H. Sutherland in 1939. here its specifically mention that and differed point of view coming forward that is crime is learned by the different association with others. here asserted that person have behavior learning tendency and such behavior learning take place through the association of different groups. not only learning the behavior person adopts the techniques, attitude and rationality as well as justification to accepting the commission crime in society with association to any criminal group. such system is started with the childhood of the person by the attention of the parents over the behavior of the child to approved or disapproved some of the things. like when a child found in theft then parents disapproved it then it may controlled or realized of mistake unless child continuously involves in such practices. person not only learn the criminality it also learns the sympathy to poor, kindness to animal, respect to elders and youngers. 

as per this theory criminal behavior is adopted  and accepted from intimate personal groups. the specific direction of motives and drives is leaned from definitions of legal codes as favorable or unfavorable. a person evolves in criminality because of an enter in the phrase to favorable to breaking the law. this it is the theory may very in frequency, duration and priority and intensity. here too said that the process of learning crime is like process of learning process in ordinary sense. such criminal behavior some times adopted as for thrill, lack of control and mostly adopted for the fulfilment of needs. here its also said that everything not learned and guided by the family and everyone need to learn from the society and groups. family, friends, school, terrorist groups, sport group, drug addicts, religious gathering etc. are mostly effects to concern the criminal tendencies. 

many criticism also been made over the theory that it does not define law abiding family member who may also turn towards the crime. such theory forget to every act of criminal are not learned some of the situating and condition made the person as criminal, the drug influence and psychological and mental health issues are not properly consider by this theory and also ignore the personality or the role of biological and psychological factors of crime. so there is not always need the person enter any criminal group and learn criminality. if we concern about the personality factors such theory did not been concern. this theory is not complete answer but focus on a social factor of learning behavior..

Differential Reinforcement Theory

This it the behavior theory based over the children behavior but its applicable to all in the society. for example when a child and his mother are in shopping Cerner shopping for housed hold that time child see candy and crying loudly that time mother show the anger toward the child and ignore him then child realize mother angry and he comes to mother and ask politely for a candy them mother smiles and give him a candy. here in this example the interaction between mother and child is Differential Reinforcement which is based on desirable and undesirable behavior. here reinforcement and punishment are two methods which can be used to change the behavior. when mother shown angriness towards the child it means it was punishment for child for his undesirable behavior as well as here in this theory reinforcement object to raise the desirable behavior. because the punishment its made easy to change the behavior and concern with the ethics. so beating of child is legal and illegal as per the country wise. 

As per this example when in the society if any person behave illegal, undesirable behavior and we can say commits the crime and breach the peace of the society. that time society feels its undesirable behavior it reflection society as well as the law enforcement machinery show his angry nature or to punish the person in many forms as mother punished the child. due to that punishment such person changes his behavior according to the society.

The object and aim of this theory differential means different type of undesirable behavior and reinforcement to bring back also we can say to increase behavior and decrease the undesirable behavior without the use of punishment instead of punishment. here the punishment plays the vital role to control the behaviors of the person in the society. the rear of punishment and law makes the people abiding to towards the society. here in our criminal system is uses the methods that there should not be need to provide the punishment for desirable behavior this the aim other the theory. so through many more strategy and planning's we can change the behavior of the person by reformative and rehabilitation methods.

this theory coined by Sutherland and he proposed that interaction with others person grasp morals, values, motive, technique and attitude for criminal behavior that is differential association theory. here differential reinforcement defined that there is imbalance of norms, values and attitude to be favorable committing a deviant or violent act and probability to engage the way of life in that path. such imbalance implement the behavior of person will commit the crime and due to that his past, present and future anticipated and experiences rewards and punishment affect the probability that an individual will participate in a behavior in the first place and weather her or she continue or refrain from the behavior in the future.

here its need of modification of the behavior of the person not only for the punishment but also by the reward and surprise gifts to module the behavior so in that way for example not always by negative way but also positive reinforcement is applicable to change the person as in our childhood also our parent offers us to live in rules and manners and sometimes they offer a proposal if we behaves entire year school properly with good manner and gets qualify with good marks will buy a bicycle for us. so here in this theory its we just concentrated over the reinforcement so it may be positive form or negative form but object being to correct the persons unaccepted behavior which transform in the accepted one to all.

Neutralization and Drift (conduct) theory

 

In 1957 founder work on theories and also work Drift theory of delinquency.

Neutralization theory argues that delinquents know what type of behavior as deemed as wrongful and because bad behavior causes feelings of guilt and shame, delinquents are able to neutralize those feelings by justifying their behavior thus allowing their image to stay reputable.

this theory is devoted to explaining the reasoning behind the people who see to drift in and out of crime rather than being consistent criminals. neutralization theory has five techniques also known as neutralizations that all us to understand how delinquents justify their wrongdoing.

This theory to be know as Technique of neutralization where a person becomes anti social behavior that he temporarily neutralize certain values with themselves which will basically prevent them form carrying out such acts, such as morality, obligation to abide by the law and behave normally. the founder of this theory said people are regularly makes aware of their social and moral obligations to follow the law and they have same moral obligation within themselves to avoid illegal acts. 

this theory has been originated by the  Gresham Sykes American sociologist and criminologist study on delinquency and prison and David Matza was an American Criminologist studied the Juvenile Delinquency he was former student of Gresham Sykes, that they made the observation of neutralization model where criminals sometimes voice guilt over their illegal acts. offenders frequently respects and admire homes, law-abiding persons. criminals define whom they can victimize and criminals are not immune to the demands of conformity. 

Neutralization techniques like 

1) Denial of responsibility : Shift the blame for a deviant act away from the offender, for example. the offender claims that they were not at fault of committing the crime because there were certain circumstances at play and therefore had no other choice but to commit the crime.

2) Denial of injury :an offender's claim that no "real" crime happened because nobody was harmed. for example an offence where the offender sees no real damage was done and instead views the situation as having and easy fix.

3) Denial of the victim :the offender implies that the victim deserved to have the crime committed against them committed. Ex. There's an altercation where the offender may feel annoyed, angry, even bothered and their action caused violence to get rid of that annoyance. they may say that victim world not stop pestering them and so the victim asked for the situation to unfold the way it did.

4) Condemnation of the condemners : the offender's assertion that the condemner behavior is just as bad. Ex. the offender argues that it is not fair for them to be blamed for something that has an equal outcome as the their offense and so, the offender attempts to share guilt with the condemner. since the actions are similar the offender often feels as through they are being targeted and punished out of spite.

5) Appeal to higher loyalties : Elevates the offender's moral integrity by claiming selfless motives. for example the offender claims that their negative actions were justified for that of the greater good.

Criticism over theory:

• Not defined about antisocial behavior and its origin.
• founder study of young offender of village and unban level where youth not neutralize they accept their behavior, theory failed.
• crime happened because unconformity hence unable to properly and irrelevantly defined juvenile delinquency
• person learn certain strategy impossible to cover feeling of guilt
• founder never said how theory works and why.

Neutralization Theory Implications

• many theorist has been used this theory in their research and advance studies
• 1970 priest and McGrath did study on the based of this theory of Juvenile Marijuana Smokers.
• in 1983, Mitchell and Dodder used theory to different types of delinquency.
• in 1984 Agnew used theory in advancement with the study on Violent Criminals.
• in 1987 James Coleman used theory to know how person involve in White Collar Crime justified criminal acts and utilizing techniques of neutralization.
• in 2000, Barbara Costello study of effects of self esteem and used neutralization and also defined study of who are with their parents and unable to neutralize.
• in 2005 Volken Tapalli study the theory said theory is narrow and only focus on small amount of offenders and he attempt to expand the theory such as transgression of mercy and denial of seriousness.

Hirsch’s Social Control or Social Bond Theory 

Social bond theory has been coined by the American Criminologist Travis Hirschi  in the year 1960. this social bond theory later known as Social Control Theory. in this theory its defined that how a socialization and social relationships are more important for human development that relates with committing crime and other social deviant acts. for example people live with family members, neighbor and society and officially and unofficially they interact with each other and accept the social conditions and expectations with come with being part of the society as well as based on such relationship person can also commits crime. here one thing we can see persons depends upon each other they having certain type bonding with them. they also have accepted the negative aspect  and consequences of the society if person violates the law and breach the bond. persons personal attachment with other person and relationship based to commit crime or not is society.

This theory has some historical background and historical approach with sociological touch. as per this theory Elements of social bonding include attachment to families, commitments to social norms and institutions (school, employment) involvement in activities and beliefs in those things. This theory mainly focus on peers and peer groups of individual. the basic elements and components of attachment, commitment, involvement inconvenient versus deviant or criminal activities and common values system within an individual's society or subgroup.

Attachment if explained in this theory or commonly described as the level of values and norms that an individual's society or subgroup. such things of attachment are near to the parenting of the person such as school, play with groups how different class children's play with each other rich, poor and middle class, how they are and teachers control and attention over the children and his education matters. such attachment must be within family and outside of the family including friends, teachers , peer group, relatives and co worker.

Commitment in society also important part for the bonding of the person here the commitment where such person need to provide active participation, his time and energy with social groups and related person as well need to concentrate over education or career goals.

Involvement in every activity it does not mean only one activity partially person need to present there must be everywhere person need to involve if he involve in social and personal activities surely he will not spend time in deviant activities.

Belief in wider values, yes he must be believed and follow the basic social and personal values where each and every person in binding and he must respects towards the all social norms , rules and regulation and if he don't he will will be going to create his own to commit the deviant activities. Through this four activities person can avoid such deviant behavior.

as per this theory person mostly need bond with family, schools, friends, relatives. neighbor, communities and religion to impact over the offending such things makes reduces the criminal mentality and person makes to prefer not hurt any one and society.  in this theory the the parental attachment, school attachment, religiosity, policy implications, self-control theory and policy implications are widely defined how those factors are also makes the strong social bond of person where he never thinks to commit the crime.

Becker's Labelling Theory

This is based on sociological perspective to be known as Symbolic Interactionism. this theory based on the teachings and ideas of George Herbett Mead, John Dewey, W.I. Thomas, Charles Horton Cooley and Harbert Blumer. but very first this theory and to be known as most prominent labeling theorist was the Horward Becker in his work of Outsiders in 1963 published about the labeling theory. from the beginning there was the question that what makes criminal act and why some people becomes deviant and all scholars shifted focus over such topic. such theory is also to be known as Social Reaction theory or sometimes called as social interaction theory or cultural approach theory this theory says why people commits the crime and why people or society label  some criminal or deviants. 

for example some people drink heavily and due to some of the odd behavior they found different form other person and people identify him. some people behave oddly with other people in the society and they are differently known in the that society. according to this theory the deviant is not a person who is behave differently but the audience who made the label over such persons identity. Becker also maintained that what is important in crime is not the act of an individual but the reaction of society in terms of rules and sanctions. Erikson has also said that what distinguishes a delinquent from a non delinquent is not the characteristics found in him the characteristics assigned to him by the other. according Becker deviance is not a quality of the act a person commits but rather a consequences of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an offenders. over such behavior the people apply the label but on the other side people are also deviant to make such person as criminal due to their act.

This theory provides that people gets the identity and behave in ways that reflects how others label them. this theory is purely associated with the sociology of crime since labeling someone unlawfully deviant can lead to poor conduct. it means to describe some one as criminal or treat or provide negative image. this is the one of the theory where we can find out the connection with labeling  and deviant act in society. the criminal investigation mechanism some times considers those things to identify the criminals. in police system also police known most of the local and known criminal with particular identity or labeling to understand easily. some time this tendencies not only to the limited level sometimes its for large group of people and some times its used for particular class of the people. for example in American countries still today there is less importance given to the black people somewhere tendencies are found today also. in school teacher also specifically concentrate to the particular student and some of them always punished. the labeling is everywhere but need to find out properly.

here the theory says people don't becomes criminals because of their social background, but rather argue that crime emerges because of labelling by authorities. once a person gets the stigma or label of criminal or in any other manner its difficult to remove it and person makes the struggle to overcome from it society doesn't makes it possible for it due to frustration person becomes deviant.

Labeling theory mostly not concern with the the basic role the defines our life but its all about the special behavior or role that society provides for deviant behavior called as deviant role, stigmatic role and social stigma. a social role is a set of expectation we have about a behavior. in society the role of person are very much important to for the various organizations and functioning in society. such as person behaves and his role as against the social role that he connect with label or sometimes without any appropriate reason person becomes victim of such labeling in positive and negative form. in positive labeling person becomes famous, well known, accepted as politician and other religious personalities. yes labeling also essential in society that people gets fear and not to commit the crime due to such unseen punishment by the society and in the history the sexuality of the person also been labeled by the society as homosexual etc. 

Self Control and Self Esteem as related to Crime.

Self control theory of crime also been know as general theory of crime provides that the criminological theory about lack of individual self-control as the main factor behind criminal behavior. this theory also forced over the lack of effective parenting before the age of ten develop self-control. the low level so self control of the person effects the to correlate with criminal and impulsive conduct. this theory has been originated form the criminologist Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson.

Hirschis social bond theory how connected with the self control theory. theory provides that individuals with high self control will be less likely at all periods of life to engage in criminal acts, while individuals with low self-control are likely to commits crimes. self control consists of the ability to delay gratification. people with low self control have a here and now orientation and are unable or unwilling to delay gratification. the person of lacking of self control have less desire of struggle to fulfillment of basic needs. such criminal actions are fashion, exciting, risk and thrilling. the person have low self control tend to have unstable marriages, friendships and job profiles. Crime results in frustrations, pain and discomfort for the deviant person.

The theory states that self-control is a trait that either permit or prevents the gratifications  seeking side of human nature to seek fulfilment. this theory suggest that some people refrain from crime because they are able to see the consequences that their actions have. self control explains why people are motivated to seek immediate gratification. people commits and prevent to commit crime to get what they want. the base of the theory is lack of self control is the main key component to criminality. 

Self Esteem

Self Esteem now its inner personality of the person and the way how how he behaves and interacts with his surrounding by his attitude and general feelings. the self esteem can influence over the persons motivation, mental well being and quality and success of life. the success and the position of the person is based on the self esteem of the person. too high and too low can be problematic but on what extent it should also the question but if the person one knows about it should be change it and control over all situations which may arise.

as per the psychology define the self esteem as a person's overall subjective sense of personal value. it can be said how a person being appreciate and like yourself regardless of the circumstances. factors are included like self-confidence, feeling of security, identity, sense of belonging and felling of competence as well as  self-esteem include self-worth, self-regard and self-respect.

as per this theory self esteem tends to be lowest in childhood and increases during adolescence and in adulthood vary much times it reaches fairly stable and enduring level.

when we knows why self esteem is important that impact your decision making process, relationship, health and overall personality as well as influences over the motivation as like people like healthy life style and positive view, to take new challenges. 

The person who have healthy self esteem may like have understanding their skills, can maintain healthy relationship, realistic and appropriate expectations and ability, to understand their needs and liabilities to express.

when person possess with low self-esteem tends to feel less sure of their abilities and may doubt their decision making process. such person not feel as motivated to try new things and to take new risks and unable to reaching their goals. such persons also have the issues of relationship and fulfilment of their needs with low confidence and feel unlivable and unworthy.