Social Theories: Gang Violence
Social Theories:
How It Relates to
Gangs & Gang Violence
By Stuart Brown
Criminology is a complex subject chock-full of theories that attempt to explain crime and criminal behavior. Each base theory has several branches of theory which expand upon and compliment their predecessors. Even some of the sub-theories have branches of theories. This paper is going to discuss two social theories; social structure and social process. It is also going to cover some of the branches of those theories; disorganization theory, strain theory, cultural conflict (deviance), social learning theory, social control theory, and social reaction theory. It will go into some of the branches and thoughts within these sub-theories; differential association theory, neutralization theory, techniques of neutralization, and social bond theory. It is also going to investigate how these theories try to explain the phenomenon of gang violence.
Social Structure Theory
Social structure theorists believe that the key elements to criminal behavior are the dominance of social and economic influences that are prominent in rundown neighborhoods where the population is primarily lower-class citizens. Social disorganization theory strain theory and cultural deviance theory all fall under the social structure theory. Each of these three sub-theories attempt to explain what causes people to join violent gangs. Although each of these theories deviates in some aspects from the thought of each other, they all share the common ground of the social structure theory.
Social disorganization theory concentrates on the circumstances in the inner city that affect crimes. These circumstances include the deterioration of the neighborhoods, the lack of social control, gangs and other groups who violate the law, and the opposing social values within these neighborhoods. The fact that youth in this lower class are raised in such dilapidated neighborhoods is a primary
How It Relates to
Gangs & Gang Violence
By Stuart Brown
Criminology is a complex subject chock-full of theories that attempt to explain crime and criminal behavior. Each base theory has several branches of theory which expand upon and compliment their predecessors. Even some of the sub-theories have branches of theories. This paper is going to discuss two social theories; social structure and social process. It is also going to cover some of the branches of those theories; disorganization theory, strain theory, cultural conflict (deviance), social learning theory, social control theory, and social reaction theory. It will go into some of the branches and thoughts within these sub-theories; differential association theory, neutralization theory, techniques of neutralization, and social bond theory. It is also going to investigate how these theories try to explain the phenomenon of gang violence.
Social Structure Theory
Social structure theorists believe that the key elements to criminal behavior are the dominance of social and economic influences that are prominent in rundown neighborhoods where the population is primarily lower-class citizens. Social disorganization theory strain theory and cultural deviance theory all fall under the social structure theory. Each of these three sub-theories attempt to explain what causes people to join violent gangs. Although each of these theories deviates in some aspects from the thought of each other, they all share the common ground of the social structure theory.
Social disorganization theory concentrates on the circumstances in the inner city that affect crimes. These circumstances include the deterioration of the neighborhoods, the lack of social control, gangs and other groups who violate the law, and the opposing social values within these neighborhoods. The fact that youth in this lower class are raised in such dilapidated neighborhoods is a primary
References: Featherstone, R. & Deflem, M. (2003). Anomie and strain: context and consequences of Merton’s two theories. Sociological Inquiry 73(4):471-489, 2003. Retrieved from: http://www.cas.sc.edu/socy/faculty/deflem/zamoniestrain.html OJJDP Bulletin. (2003). Social disorganization and rural communities. Retrieved from: http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/193591/page1.html Seigel, L. (2010). Criminology: theories, patterns, & typologies (10th Ed.). Belmont, Ca: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth Topalli, V. (2006). The seductive nature of autotelic crime: how neutralization theory serves as a boundary condition for understanding hardcore street offending. Retrieved from: http://chhs.gsu.edu/cj/docs/topalli_neutralizationtheory.pdf Walsh, A. & Hemmens, C. (2008). Introduction to criminology (1st Ed.). SAGE publications. Retrieved from: http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/19629 Section 5 Social Process Theories.pdf