Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Social Structural and Social Process Theories of Delinquency

Social Structure

• Definition: Refers to the stable relationships and arrangements in society influencing behavior by shaping institutions and norms.

• Components:

  • Economic arrangements

  • Social institutions (e.g., family, education)

  • Values and norms

• Relation to Delinquency: Factors such as child poverty, racial disparity, disorganized communities, and unemployment shape delinquency.

Social Process Theories

• Definition: Focus on the interactions between individuals and their environments to reveal causes of delinquency.

• Influences:

  • Family dynamics

  • School experiences

  • Peer relationships

• Socialization Process: Institutions shape youths' likelihood to engage in delinquent acts.

Social Disorganization Theory (1 of 2)

• Definition: Describes communities' inability to uphold shared values and exert control.

• Macro and Community-Level Factors:

  • Migration, segregation, and economic transformations

  • Concentrated poverty, family disruption, and high turnover impeding community organization.

Social Disorganization Theory (2 of 2)

• Community Characteristics: Emphasizes structural characteristics that help explain crime, while considering broader historical forces.

• Influence of Emile Durkheim:

  • Introduced the concept of anomie—a state of normlessness leading to regulation failures, particularly during rapid societal changes.

Impact of Social Disorganization on Communities

• Shaw and McKay's View:

  • Delinquency arises from weakened control in families and communities due to social disorganization.

  • Industrialization and urbanization exacerbate community disarray.

Opportunity Structure and Delinquency

• Economic Structures: Findings from Shaw and McKay indicate larger societal economic and occupational structures influence delinquent behavior more than local community life.

• Value Conflict: Communities may exhibit conflicting values, leading to distinct delinquent group behaviors.

Cultural Transmission Theory

• Shaw and McKay's Argument: Delinquency emerges as an alternative socialization route in disorganized communities, promoting deviant lifestyles.

• Cultural Deviance Component: Delinquent values transmitted across generations, affecting youths of all ethnicities.

Social Disorganization in Context

• Progressive Perspective: Emphasizes the need for equitable resources and community empowerment to combat social disorganization.

  • Investment in housing, job training, and educational resources to promote stability.

Cultural Deviance Theory and Delinquency

• Concept: Focuses on how lower-class cultural values can promote delinquent behavior as a means of conformity against mainstream culture.

Miller’s Lower-Class Culture and Delinquent Values

• Motivations for Delinquency: Endemic motivations rooted in lower-class culture, distinguished by focal concerns.

• Focal Concerns include:

  • Trouble: Staying out of legal trouble is crucial.

  • Toughness: Physical strength is valued.

  • Smartness: Ability to deceive others is prized.

  • Excitement: Thrill-seeking behavior.

  • Fate: Feelings of lack of control over life.

  • Autonomy: Desire for independence.

Summary of Cultural Deviance Theories

• Identified Causes:

  • Shaw and McKay: Delinquent modes of socialization prevail in disorganized communities.

  • Miller: Distinct lower-class cultural values encourage delinquency.

  • Wolfgang and Ferracuti: Violence as a normalized behavior in lower-class subcultures.

Strain and Opportunity Theories of Delinquency

• Strain Theory: Proposes that frustration from unachieved goals leads to delinquency.

Merton's Theory of Anomie (1 of 4)

• Culturally Defined Goals: Objective goals normalized across society.

• Institutionalized Means: Established pathways for achieving these goals.

Merton's Modes of Adaptation**:

• Conformity: Acceptance of both goals and means.

• Innovation: Acceptance of goals but rejection of means.

• Ritualism: Rejection of goals but adherence to means.

• Retreatism: Rejection of both goals and means.

• Rebellion: Replacing existing goals and means with new beliefs.

Institutional Anomie Theory

• Messner and Rosenfeld: Emphazizing the idea of the "American Dream" leads to high delinquency rates.

Individual Analysis of Strain Theory

• Agnew's Revised Strain Theory: Introduces additional sources of frustration, including an environment of pain or dysfunction, leading to delinquency.

Summary of Strain Theories**:

• Agnew: Stress as a major source of delinquency motivation.

• Merton: Social structure's pressure on individuals leads to nonconforming behaviors.

• Cohen: Challenges faced by lower-class youths lead to negative behaviors.

General Strain Theory (1 of 2)

• Strain Sources: Includes failure to achieve valued goals, removal of positive stimuli, and presentation of negative stimuli.

General Strain Theory (2 of 2)

• Guidelines for Strain: Suggests certain strains are more likely to lead to delinquency based on their magnitude, perceived injustice, and self-control levels.

Strain Theory in Progressive Context

• Focus on Root Causes: Address poverty, educational access, and systemic barriers impacting youth.

Cohen's Theory of Delinquent Subcultures

• Internalization of Middle-Class Goals: Lower-class youths experience strain from inability to reach these goals, leading to gang involvement.

Cohen’s Norms of the Middle-Class “Measuring Rod”**:

• Includes ambition, individual responsibility, achievement, temperance, rationality, courtesy, physical restraint, and respect for property.

Addressing Delinquent Subculture (Progressive)**:

• Emphasizes the need for equitable society, job training, and educational programs.

Cloward and Ohlin's Opportunity Theory (1 of 3)

• Conflict with Middle-Class Values: Focused on delinquents' perspectives on status and economic improvement through gangs.

Cloward and Ohlin's Opportunity Theory (2 of 3)**:

• Criminal Subculture: Valuing criminal actions as legitimate means to achieve success.

Cloward and Ohlin's Opportunity Theory (3 of 3)**:

• Conflict Subculture: Violence for status; Retreatist Subculture: Drug use as a means of escape.

Differential Association Theory

• Learning Criminal Behaviors: Criminal behaviors are learned through interaction with others.

• Sutherland's Framework: Proposes that individuals are influenced by the values of their immediate groups.

Propositions of Differential Association Theory (1 of 2)

• Outlines concepts of culture conflict, differential interaction, and social organization.

Propositions of Differential Association Theory (2 of 2)

• Delinquents learn antisocial behavior; individuals not engaging in delinquency have conformed to societal values.

Drift Theory and Delinquency (1 of 3)

• Explains how delinquents fluctuate between conformity and law-breaking, emphasizing rationalizations.

Drift Theory and Delinquency (2 of 3)

• Neutralization Theory: Justifications that allow youths to absolve themselves of responsibility for their actions.

Drift Theory and Delinquency (3 of 3)

• Techniques of Neutralization:

  • Denial of Responsibility

  • Denial of Injury

  • Denial of the Victim

  • Condemnation of the Condemners

  • Appeal to Higher Loyalties

Evaluation of Drift Theory

• Strengths include its accounting for situational delinquency and the learning process.

Control Theory and Delinquent Behavior

• Focuses on internal mechanisms that control delinquent tendencies.

Summary of Containment Theories of Delinquency**:

• Walter Reckless: Importance of both inner and outer containment against delinquent behavior.

• Travis Hirschi: Connection between weak social bonds and delinquency.

Social Control Theory

-Hirschi's Hypothesis: Individual's bond to society determines delinquency through attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief.

Social Control Theory in a Progressive Context (1 of 2)

• Acknowledges the need for strong bonds but notes challenges in marginalized communities in forming these bonds.

Social Control Theory in a Progressive Context (2 of 2)

• Emphasizes addressing social inequality and discrimination that perpetuates delinquent subcultures.

Integrated Theories of Delinquency

• Explains how multiple theories can integrate to offer a comprehensive understanding of delinquency.

Summary of Integrated Theories (1 of 2)

• General Theory of Crime: Self-control as the central factor.

• Integrated Social Process Theory: Combines strain and social control elements.

Summary of Integrated Theories (2 of 2)

• Interactional Theory: Focus on the developmental nature of social bonds and delinquency.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) (1 of 2)

• Analyzes systemic racism and its intersections with law, politics, and delinquency in youth of color.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) (2 of 2)

• Argues against individual factors leading to over-representation in the juvenile justice system, focusing on systemic inequality.

Delinquency and Social Policy: PHDCN and LAFANS (1 of 2)

• Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN): Study of family, school, and neighborhood effects on development.

Delinquency and Social Policy: PHDCN and LAFANS (2 of 2)

• Data gathering components focus on individual/community characteristics for comprehensive analysis.