Chapter 3: Theoretical Perspectives on race and crime

Fact

Observations of the world around us.

Theory

When we know something works and is supported by logically intercalated statements.

Law

Detailed description of consistent and observable phenomena.

What is a theory?

More than a hunch or personal idea; it is testable and applicable to classes of people.

San Bernardino School Shooting

An incident where a student made a verbal threat, leading to legal actions against the student’s father.

Charges against the father in the San Bernardino case

Possession of a destructive device, manufacture of an assault weapon, and manufacture of a short-barreled rifle.

Three main elements of a theory

Prediction, explanation, and foundation.

Critical Race Theory

Analyzes the relationship between race, racism, and power.

Tyre Nichols

Victim of brutal police beating, leading to calls for police reform.

Memphis police's SCORPION unit

Deactivated following the death of Tyre Nichols.

Update on Tyre Nichols case

Five officers charged; protests erupted demanding police reform.

Biology, Race, and Crime

The historical linking of biology, particularly phrenology, to criminal behavior.

Cesar Lombroso

Considered the father of criminology, linked race/ethnicity to crime.

Crime and Human Nature (1985)

Book that controversially linked genetics and criminal behavior.

Black Lives Matter Protests

Organized protests for racial justice following police violence incidents.

Capitol Riot (January 6)

Event perceived as violent, but with no fatalities directly reported.

What does IQ measure?

A number meant to measure cognitive abilities in relation to age.

Average IQ range

Between 90 and 110 is considered average; over 120 is superior.

Link between intelligence and crime

Early literature suggested lower intelligence correlates with criminal behavior.

Henry H. Goddard

One of the early theorists who explored the link between IQ and crime.

The Bell Curve (1994)

Book that proposed links between low IQ and various social issues, including crime.

W.E.B. Du Bois’ urban ethnography

The first urban ethnography, examining the relationship between crime and social conditions.

Social Disorganization Theory

Theory that crime results from social disorganization and breakdown of community structure.

Chicago School of Sociology

Studied social disorganization in inner-city neighborhoods.

Contemporary Social Disorganization Theory

Focuses on the concentration of disadvantage and lack of social buffers.

The Latino Paradox

Theory suggesting lower levels of social disorganization in Latino communities compared to others.

Culture Conflict Theory

Proposes that crime arises from conflicting norms across different cultural groups.

Strain/Anomie Theory

Theory linking societal pressure to achieve goals to criminal behavior.

Merton’s Strain Theory Typology

Includes conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.

General Strain Theory (GST)

Expands strain theory by addressing removal of positive stimuli and presence of negative stimuli.

Subculture of Violence Theory

Explains how certain groups normalize violence within their subculture.

The code of the streets

Theory focusing on respect as central to issues of violence in impoverished neighborhoods.

Conflict Theory

Focuses on power struggles and inequality as drivers of crime.

Economic discrimination and crime

Conflict theory posits that socioeconomic disparities contribute to crime rates.

Colonialism

Dominance over a political unit inhabited by people of a different race and culture.

Integrated and Nontraditional Theories of Race and Crime

Explore how intersectional identities influence behaviors and crime.

Black Compulsive Masculinity

Theory suggested by William Oliver on the tough guy image among Black males.

Capitol Riot Executive Order

Aimed at pardoning individuals involved in the January 6 riots.

Tyre Nichols' weight

Weighed 150 pounds, significantly less than the combined weight of the five officers involved.

Merton's Conformity

Following societal goals through legitimate means.

Merton's Innovation

Sharing cultural goals but using illegitimate means to achieve them.

Merton's Ritualism

Giving up on achieving societal goals but continuing to abide by societal means.

Merton's Retreatism

Rejecting societal goals and means, living outside conventional norms.

Merton's Rebellion

Aiming to replace societal goals with one's own and devising original means of achieving them.

Elijah Anderson

Urban ethnographer who formulated the code of the streets theory.

What is Social Disorganization?

Characterize areas with unstable populations and a lack of social cohesion.

William Oliver's theory significance

Explains behaviors adopted by some Black males to cope with societal pressures.

Critical perspectives on Intelligence and Crime

Critiques of the links suggest cultural biases in IQ testing.

Macro theories

Theories that look at large-scale social processes.

Micro theories

Theories that focus on individual or small-group interactions.

Bridging theories

Theories that connect macro and micro perspectives.

Racial bias in health care

Systemic racism that adversely affects the health outcomes of Black individuals.

Evidence from Tyre Nichols case

Lack of evidence supported claims of reckless driving prior to confrontation.

Role of social buffers in communities

Individuals who serve as role models to prevent criminal behavior.

What are systemic racism impacts?

Ensure ongoing disparities in health, education, and criminal justice for marginalized groups.

Impacts of mass incarceration

Exacerbates social disorganization in affected depressed communities.

Sampson and Wilson's research

Focused on the truly disadvantaged and their experiences with systemic barriers.

Concentration effects in neighborhoods

Differences between living situations of whites and blacks contributing to crime.

Danger of cultural disintegration in colonial systems

Loss of identity and cultural practices among colonized populations.

Impact of the code of the streets on youth

Shapes behaviors and responses to conflict based on respect.

Questions on the validity of IQ tests

Concerns over what IQ tests measure and potential biases present.

Grassroots movements like Black Lives Matter

Challenge systemic racism and aim for societal reforms.

Community-centered approaches to crime prevention

Emphasize environmental design and community involvement.

What is the significance of theory in sociology?

Provides frameworks to understand complex social issues and guide interventions.

Elijah Anderson's code of the streets focus

Central issue of respect and social norms in violence within communities.

Empirical validity of subcultural theories

Examines structural, situational, and institutional factors affecting crime.

Cloward and Ohlin's gang theories

Identified three orientations: criminal, conflict, and retreatist gangs.

Factors affecting interpersonal violence

Structural, situational, and individual circumstances play significant roles.

The significance of the Philadelphia Negro study

First urban ethnography that highlighted the relationship between crime and social conditions.

Role of socioeconomic factors in crime

Explore how class and economic conditions affect criminal behaviors.

Limitations of the Bell Curve thesis

Questions on the genetic basis of intelligence and its relation to crime.