Chapter 14 Fin Acc

Social Factors and Delinquency

• Social factors influencing delinquent behaviors:
  • Interpersonal interactions (families, peers, schools, jobs).
  • Community ecological conditions (inner-city deterioration).
  • Social change (political unrest, economic stress, family disintegration).
  • Socioeconomic status (economic inequality).
  • Racial disparity (disproportionate impact on minority youths).
• Social problems can lead to antisocial behaviors in youths.
• Three sociological theory groups:
  • Social structure theories.
  • Social process theories.
  • Critical theories.

Social Structure Theories

• Culture of Poverty:
  • Lower-class people have distinct values and norms.
• Underclass:
  • Urban poor with limited upward mobility.
• William Julius Wilson:
  • The impoverished are excluded from the economic mainstream.
• Theories link delinquency rates to socioeconomic conditions and cultural values.
• Three main views:
  • Social disorganization.
  • Anomie/strain.
  • Cultural deviance.

Social Disorganization

• Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay (Chicago School):
  • Neighborhoods with culture conflict, lack of cohesion, transient population, and inadequate social organizations.
  • Areas transitioning from affluence to decay.
  • Gangs develop for survival, defense, and friendship.
  • Passing deviant traditions and values across generations.
  • Organized communities regulate themselves through formal/informal social control.
  • Relative Deprivation.
• Community Change:
  • Impoverished areas are "gentrified."
• Community Fear:
  • Deteriorates the quality of life.
• Poverty Concentration:
  • Poverty concentrated in specific areas.
• Collective Efficacy:
  • Mutual trust and willingness to intervene.
• Delinquency is influenced by the neighborhood.
• Run-down areas create social disorganization.

Anomie/Strain

• Rooted in Emile Durkheim's concept of anomie.
  • Rapid social change disrupts norms, leading to normlessness and social disorganization.
• Strain theory:
  • Humans may commit crimes under pressure.
  • Eliminating conditions that produce strain could prevent delinquency.
• Strain:
  • Failure to achieve social goals.
• Anomie:
  • Robert Merton.
  • Without acceptable means for success, individuals experience strain.
  • Youths may use deviant methods or reject societal goals.
• Merton’s Modes of Adaptation:
  • Conformists: Accept goals and means.
  • Innovators: Strive for goals through deviant means.
  • Ritualists: Participate in means but don't subscribe to goals.
  • Retreatists: Reject both means and goals.
  • Rebels: Define own goals and means.
• General Strain Theory:
  • Robert Agnew.
  • Links delinquency to being excluded from the economic mainstream.
  • Sources of strain: failure to achieve goals, removal of stimuli, presentation of stimuli.
  • Negative affective states: anger, depression, disappointment, fear.

Cultural Deviance Theory

• Links delinquency to independent subcultures.
• Subcultures have values that clash with mainstream culture.
• Lower-class youths join gangs.
• Youths reject a rejecting culture.

Social Process Theories

• Delinquency is attributed to learning from peers and experiencing conflict at home.
• Socialization:
  • Learning societal values and norms.
  • Early experiences influence self-image, values, and behaviors.
• Major influences:
  • Family relations.
  • Parental efficacy.
  • School.
  • Peers.

Social Learning Theories

• Delinquency is learned through relationships.
• Differential Association Theory:
  • Edwin Sutherland.
  • Exposure to pro-social and antisocial attitudes and behaviors through communication.

Social Control Theories

• Delinquency results from weakened commitment to social institutions.
• Travis Hirschi.
• Four elements: attachment, commitment, involvement, belief.
• Assumes potential for crime is kept in check by societal attachments.
• Low self-control stems from childhood experiences.

Social Reaction/Labeling Theory

• Delinquency is caused by stigma from social control agents.
• Society creates deviance by designating individuals as delinquent.
• Self-fulfilling prophecy:
  • Labeled individuals accept the label as a personal identity.

Critical Theory

• Society is in constant internal conflict.
• The powerful use the justice system to maintain status.
• Delinquent behavior is a function of capitalist inequity.

Theory and Delinquency Prevention

• Social structure theories:
  • Social programs to reduce delinquency.
• Social process theories:
  • Strengthening socialization.
• Labeling theories:
  • Limiting interface with the Juvenile Justice System.
• Critical theories:
  • Non-punitive strategies.