CCJ Crime and Delinquency Test 2

Strain Theories

1. durkheim’s anomie

2. merton strain theory

3. agnew general strain theory

Durkheim’s Anomie

Rapid change creates social instability and weakens norms and leads to disorder and increased crime

Mechanical Societies

Few divisions of labor meaning a stronger collective consciousness and less crime

Organic Societies

Few divisions of labor meaning weaker collective consciousness and more crime.

Merton’s Strain Theory

Economic institutions significantly influence social factors like crime, centering on the American dream as the primary source of strain.

Conformity

Conventional goals and means

Ritualism

Conventional means and do not care about material success

Innovation

Conventional goals but unconventional ways (illegal)

Retreatism

Rejecting conventional goals and means

Rebellion

Different “conventional” goals and means

Agnew’s General Strain Theory

Strain affects people across all social classes, and crime is influenced by many types of stressors, not just economic ones.

Three Categories of General Strain

1. Failure to achieve positively valued goals (e.g graduation, job)

2. Presentation of noxious/negative stimuli (e.g abusive parents)

3. Removal of positive stimuli (e.g job loss)

Ecological Theories

Understanding and addressing the environment can reduce crime because environment shapes behavior

1. Theory of Concentric Zones (Burgess)

2. Social Disorganization Theory (Shaw and McKay)

3. Collective Efficacy (Sampson)

4. Broken Windows Theory (Wilson and Kelling)

Robert E. Park

Community growth follows ecological patterns and neighbourhoods form identities through invasion and dominance from other groups

Theory of Concentric Zones

Cities grow outward from a central core, with distinct zones including a central business district, a high-crime transition zone, working-class housing, residential areas, and suburban commuter zones.

Social Disorganization Theory

Poverty and turnover are linked to high crime areas because of weak social control and shared goals

Collective Efficacy

Argues that poverty and residential instability reduce trust and cooperation in communities, increasing crime.

Broken Windows Theory

Minor disorder goes unchecked, signaling that no one cares, which leads to increased crime as residents withdraw or change their behavior.

Subcultural Theories

Some groups teach youth that certain illegal behaviors are acceptable, promoting norms that differ from mainstream middle-class values.

Labeling Theory

Labeling people as offenders can reinforce a criminal identity and increase repeat offending, often disproportionately affecting lower-class and minority groups.

Primary Deviance

Occasional minor offenders, often youths, are labeled as criminals, which can lead them to adopt that identity and associate with other offenders.

Secondary Deviance

Offending is more serious (often violent) and more frequent

Subcultural Theory of Crime (Wolfgang & Ferracuti)

Violence is a learned response to hardship, adopted by youth when their environment normalizes it over other coping strategies.

Code of The Street

Emphasizes respect and self-protection, shaped by disadvantage and isolation where middle-class norms have less influence.

Learning Theories

1. Differential Association Theory (Sutherland)

2. Differential Identification Theory (Glaser)

3. Social Learning Theory (Akers)

Differential Association Theory

Crime is learned through social interaction, with delinquency developing when pro-crime definitions outweigh anti-crime ones.

Differential Identification Theory

Learning occurs through direct interactions and reference groups (e.g., celebrities), as individuals model behavior after those they identify with.

Social Learning Theory

Crime is learned through social interaction, especially when people associate with others who support it, are rewarded for it, and adopt justifying attitudes. (Think operant conditioning and modeling)

Social Bond Theory

Crime is less likely when strong social bonds exist and more likely when they are weak, as social relationships and commitments help restrain natural tendencies toward offending.

1. attachment (bonds between individual and significant others)

2. commitment (what are you losing of you offend?)

3. involvement (staying busy doing conventional things)

4. belief (believing that breaking laws and rules is wrong)

Control Theories

People are naturally self-interested, but socialization and internal/external controls restrain antisocial behavior and prevent most crime.

Self-Control Theory

People are naturally selfish, but parenting builds self-control early in life, reducing crime; low self-control by about age 10 is a key cause of offending.