Culture Conflict Theory
Thorsten Sellin. Culture conflict and crime. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jul., 1938), pp. 97-103.
Sellin argues that to study the concept of “culture conflict,” or conflict of conduct norms, one must establish establish the relationship between a norm conflict within the person or group studied and the violation of the norm. “Culture conflict” occurs when the norms or a group or individual conflict with society’s conventional norms or rules. As existing research does not clearly show that “culture conflict” plays a causal role in the commission of legal violations, Sellin offers suggestions for how to structure and undertake better research in order to survey the role of conflict norms in the etiology of crime and norm violations, …show more content…
• Sellin offers recommendations on types of studies for researching conflict of conduct norms:
• Cross sectional studies examining conflict of conduct norms may include the following types of comparative studies:
1. Comparative studies of how typical norms in different social groups govern conduct in certain situations.
2. Comparative studies of different social groups in order to establish what norms are at odds between the two groups.
• Historical studies should be also used to study the roles of norm conflict and resolution.
How might terrorism fit within the theory of “culture conflict?”
What factors may lead to the violation of legal rules, rather than solely the violation of social norms, in a group or individual? o Are there situations in which the lines are blurred between social and legal norms?
What are some contemporary examples of studies that would fit within Sellin’s research recommendations regarding the study of “culture conflict?” o How might these studies affect criminal justice policy regarding gangs or immigrant …show more content…
Accessories to crime, including white collar crimes, should be included among and considered criminals.
• White collar crime, like lower class crime, is “learned” by direct association with other criminals and a lack of association with law abiders, which is called the process of differential association.
• The process of differential association and social disorganization explain whether a person becomes a criminal in both classes.
How does the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the lack of accountability faced by many individuals involved in the financial meltdown align with Sutherland’s argument?
What other agencies or institutions would be good examples of those agencies described in the first of the four principles of Sutherland’s amended criterion for defining crime?
If a behavior resulting in the violation of a criminal law does not result in a conviction, what is the benefit of defining that action as criminal even though it will not be punished?
In our contemporary criminal justice system, what are some examples of the “pressure” on the criminal justice system discussed by Sutherland in the third of the four principles of Sutherland’s amended criterion for defining
Sellin argues that to study the concept of “culture conflict,” or conflict of conduct norms, one must establish establish the relationship between a norm conflict within the person or group studied and the violation of the norm. “Culture conflict” occurs when the norms or a group or individual conflict with society’s conventional norms or rules. As existing research does not clearly show that “culture conflict” plays a causal role in the commission of legal violations, Sellin offers suggestions for how to structure and undertake better research in order to survey the role of conflict norms in the etiology of crime and norm violations, …show more content…
• Sellin offers recommendations on types of studies for researching conflict of conduct norms:
• Cross sectional studies examining conflict of conduct norms may include the following types of comparative studies:
1. Comparative studies of how typical norms in different social groups govern conduct in certain situations.
2. Comparative studies of different social groups in order to establish what norms are at odds between the two groups.
• Historical studies should be also used to study the roles of norm conflict and resolution.
How might terrorism fit within the theory of “culture conflict?”
What factors may lead to the violation of legal rules, rather than solely the violation of social norms, in a group or individual? o Are there situations in which the lines are blurred between social and legal norms?
What are some contemporary examples of studies that would fit within Sellin’s research recommendations regarding the study of “culture conflict?” o How might these studies affect criminal justice policy regarding gangs or immigrant …show more content…
Accessories to crime, including white collar crimes, should be included among and considered criminals.
• White collar crime, like lower class crime, is “learned” by direct association with other criminals and a lack of association with law abiders, which is called the process of differential association.
• The process of differential association and social disorganization explain whether a person becomes a criminal in both classes.
How does the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the lack of accountability faced by many individuals involved in the financial meltdown align with Sutherland’s argument?
What other agencies or institutions would be good examples of those agencies described in the first of the four principles of Sutherland’s amended criterion for defining crime?
If a behavior resulting in the violation of a criminal law does not result in a conviction, what is the benefit of defining that action as criminal even though it will not be punished?
In our contemporary criminal justice system, what are some examples of the “pressure” on the criminal justice system discussed by Sutherland in the third of the four principles of Sutherland’s amended criterion for defining