SOCI - First Midterm Notes

Chapter 1 Nbd=neighbourhood Theory basics What is theory: - Explanation of relationship between 2 or more events Includes conditions under which relationship takes place Theories attempted to describe crime Theory is not a popular belief, value-driven explanations, speculation, opinion. Scientific theory: - Based on 2 major factors 1. Use of systematic evidence and objective observation. 2. rational explanations - should reflect 3 things 1. careful observation (rules) (framework) 2. repeated evidence that’s collected via observation 3. systematic logic that’s used to connect these factors. Simple vs. Complex theories - Difference is the number of relationships Simple: one single factor is focused (relate 2 factors to each other) Examine a cause and effect between those 2 factors Child abuse is related to criminal behaviours (ie) Complex: require many factors in explanation Specify conditions and processes necessary for relationships to take place Concrete vs. abstract theories - Concrete: theories about simple behaviours/concepts Abstract: based on multiple abstract concepts and more difficult to tie directly to reality *What is “good” theory - Today’s oft-used criteria Whether its testable/true (through studies) Best fit to research evidence - Called quantitative Additional considerations: are called qualitative-based on substance of the theory: Logical soundness (ex-time order-which should come first) The ability to make sense of conflicting positions (does not entirely support-but makes sense) Sensitizing ability (to a new area or forgot area of investigation) Popularity (lots of attention drawn to the theory) Classifying theories-How theories are different from each other • • • • - What is being explained? Social structure, classes of people (social classes), small groups, individuals (single level) What is the underlying approach? Social, psychological, or biological factors What is the crime-based focus? Crime, criminal behaviour, crime rates, victimization, fear of crime, location What is covered? What isn’t? Timeframe, population, circumstance General types of criminological theory • • - Unit theory: Focuses on a single problem or phenomenon (usually crime, can be deviance) Makes testable predictions (should be able to test through research) Metatheory: focuses on perception of reality (about theorizing) Determine what the similarities and differences are Rarely testable Basic theory categorization in crim • • 3 theory types 1. Biological 2. Psychological 3. Sociological Broken into further theories 1. social process (individual focus) 2. social structure (society-large groups) **Classical vs. Positivist theories • • Classical: focus on legislation/statues, government structure, human rights for all citizens Concerned w the essence of the human condition Less concerned about scientific notions of testability Positivist: highly scientific-focus on pathology in criminal behaviour, treatment, correction of individual criminality - Scientific method-theories should be tested through research **Structure vs. Process theories • • - Structural: the way society is organized and how this organization effects human behaviour No emphasis on the individual offender Focus on how society is made up and how it may impact the people that live in that society Process: how individual become deviant or criminal Emphasis on individual-no on social structure **Consensus vs. Conflict theories (old vs new) • • - Consensus: assume that members of society hold a common value system (which behaviours are acceptable and not acceptable-how to treat other people) (agreement between people) The law represents that consensus of society Criminal law serves everyone equally (all agree what should be against the law) Those who violate the law they are different Conflict approach: members of society hold conflicting values Disagreement and conflict are common results Emphasis on differences between groups and classes in society Leads to conflict between certain groups and then leads to crime. Groups fight for what they believe what should be against the law (government is the strongest group and therefore decide) ➢ To decide what a theory is: where did it start? Agreement or conflict in the beginning? Levels of theoretical abstraction • • An additional way to classify theories 3 levels of abstraction**** look into this more 1. Macrotheory: most abstract-social structure-how crime is related in the structure of society - Can contain bridging and micro-primary focus can be explaining crime rates - not concerned w individuals 2. Bridging theory: somewhat abstract-less than macro, more so than Macrotheorydoesn’t clearly fall between macro and micro (one can be more dominant) Explains the role of social structure and how criminals become criminal. 3. Microtheory: least abstract-focus on individual or small group of people. Social process theories-how people become offenders - how an individual becomes an offender • failure to properly distinguish can result in incompatible theories being compared to each other Theory, Research, Policy • • - • Theory: starting point of the relationship Provides elements that allow for the development of a research plan • Research: tests theory Real world example Guides towards policy development • Policy: end result evaluated using research Evaluated using research May indicate that the theory requires further revision Research evidence feedback: allows a theory to be refined, redirected Policy should depend on theory and research Theory/research informed policy allows cost benefit evaluation Rationale for why policy should work Unfortunately, policy makers and politicians often create policy for other reasons. Theory and testing relationships • - Avoid notion of “cause” Difficult to establish Look for relationships-can argue something is related but it does not mean it causes itcan be another factor. Study the nature of dif relationships-CJ doesn’t have many direct relationships Causal order often problematic Called intervening variables (can impact ur end result) (can also contribute to criminal behaviour) Science today tends to talk in terms of probability of effect-rather than cause and effect (argue for probability rather than certainty) Social context and criminological theory • • • • Important influences behind every single theory Context in which the theory was developed When a theory is constructed, many factors come into plat in addition to the ideas of the theorist Social context: events and beliefs of the time period/fashions, trends/way society was structured at the time/consistent across dif theorists Intellectual context: Books, mentors, influences important to the theory Context as a tool for understanding theory • • IF you know the context you can better understand the theory Never assume you know what a theory says without situating it into its own context **Deviant vs. Criminal Behaviour **Crime vs. Deviance • • - Many crimes are also deviant Deviance: abnormal behaviour-violates social norms (right vs wrong in the society in which you live) defined by broader society Deviance is not always criminal (no law against it) Criminal acts are not always deviant Changing nature of legislation-modified as societal norms change Classical school Emerged in 18th century Emerged during the Reform movement Favored the creation of a balanced criminal code of law Developed 1st organized thoughts on 1. Crime 2. Offenders 3. A criminal justice system • Before formal laws - Primitive societies - No written laws - No law makers - Widely held notion of right vs wrong 1. Mores: proscriptions for behaviour/serious violations of group values (Murdering/robbery/SA) 2. Folkways: Time honored customs/traditions-violation unlikely to threaten group survival. Informal bases Code of Hammurabi: 1750 BC • - 1 of 1st known bodies of law - properly and individual rights - Rights: theft, properly ownership, sexual relationships, interpersonal violence (assault/murder) - Retribution: Revenge- state-sanctioned revenge/punishment should fit the crime. • Early Roman law: - Twelve Tables (450 BC) - Family life, Religious life, Economic life - Justinian Code (6th Century) - Public law and Private law • Common law - 11th Century-Today - Official law of land in middle ages - Originates from customs rather than statues - Based on traditions, precedents, guides Judical decision making - Supported through court decisions - Over time, recorded and made formal • • • • - Available to judges and lawyers The magna Carta 1215 The “Great Charter” Purpose: ensure feudal rights King can no longer take land of barons Respect for the town customs Evolution of individual rights: Due process, basic rights and liberties Heritage of the Classical School - • Product of events in European culture/society from 1500-mid 1700 One major change was the diminished power of church and aristocracy Rising middle class Birth of industrial revolution (factory’s being major source of work) Urbanization Rise of protestant ethic Exploration of humanity (what was acceptable for rights of citizens) Cruel and capricious justice system (harsh punishments) The enlightenment ➢ ➢ ➢ - - • Social movement Late 17th C- early 18th C Age of reason *Thomas Hobbes: The social contract: People abandon natural state of individual freedom to join/form society Surrender some freedoms to gain advantages such as: protection, support, assistance Justification: Fear of violent death John Locke: life experiences affect adult traits ➢ At birth: blank slate ➢ Interpersonal experiences/encounters ➢ Social contract: government assumes responsibility for citizens ➢ Protection, welfare, rights ➢ Checks and balances ➢ Less attention to individual responsibilities but more with what the government owes Jean-Jacques Rousseau ➢ Believed humans were naturally good ➢ When humans engage in bad behaviour it was because of corrupt society (power and rights) ➢ Social contract was necessary but to control these downsides of civilization ➢ Natural law: fundamental to human nature (unwritten) (moral ideas) later incorporated into common law in middle ages - ➢ Positive law: manmade laws and derive from human experience and history (malaprohibited) Thomas Paine ➢ Argued human beings have natural rights: Retained despite government actions and interests (Charter rights) ➢ Still need the government and democratic institutions to make sure these rights were followed through (guaranteed) The classical school - • Late 18th-early 19th C Inspired by enlightenment theories People viewed as rational (self-determination, freedom of choice, free will) Crime was viewed as an individual choice rather than made to Punishment was viewed as v important (balance between pleasure and pain) The social context of classical school - • Humanist philosophy All men are free-have natural rights Phil of social justice Critique of harsh and barbaric government Encouragement of reform Education and enlightenment Belief in power of human reason/logic Focus of classical school - • Not a theory of crime causation • Important task for time: Punishment Punishment should be just, fair, proportionate and less cruel Elimination of torture 2 major focus: 1. How crime should be addressed by law 2. what political structure should be created Elements of legal reform • - Punishments should be consistent Same for everyone who commits same offence Laws should be impartial and equitable Reduction in discretion Laws needed to be clearly defined so citizens could understand Most existing laws had to be rewritten Punishments structure must be reformed Emphasis: objective law Offence-Related Beliefs • - Punishment Defend total sacrificed liberties Keep individuals from jeopardizing liberties of others Crime prevention: prevent before it occurred Believed that clear and understandable laws will decrease crime If someone is ignorant of the law (don’t understand) crime will increase Appeal of classicism • - Promise of crime control: through manipulation of law enforcement and punishment systems Emphasis on human dignity: enlightenment Prioritization of people: vs church and state Principles of classical PHIL*** • • • • *Hedonism: a person’s behaviours is guided by seeking pleasure and pain avoidance (all humans are hedonistic) avoid pain Free will: we all possess free will: rejection of prevailing idea that supernatural powers/will of god primary force behind all human behaviour Rational punishment: vs. revenge Social contract: indiv bound to society only by own consent-people are responsible to each other Other important Classical PHIL • • • Law is necessary condition of the social contract Utilitarianism: * greatest good for greater number/ Basis of making and enforcing law Deterrence: due process Cesare Beccaria*** • • • • • • • On crime and punishment (1764) Elimination of torture-existing punishment is too harsh Didn’t believe in capital punishment (only in extreme circumstances) Any punishment exceeding what is necessary to protect the public us unjust Obscure laws will be corrupted Criminal suspects should have due process rights Must be given time and means to prepare a criminal defence Jeremy Bentham** • • • • Principles of moral phil and theory of legislation Economic model: greatest good for the greatest number Proportionality: let the punishment fit the crime and no more severe Pleasure/pain principle: offender’s calculate their gain and behave accordingly • • - Panopticon: prison designed based on economic model of discipline Thoughts on punishment: Focus of criminal law: Prevention Punishment exists solely to deter crime Deterrence: if doesn’t work, at least aim to frighten offenders into fewer/less destructive offences Make punishment economical Don’t punish unless abso necessary Only need enough punishment to offset potential gain(s) from crime Social Contract • - Political philosophy (justify government) Contract that exists between the state and its citizens State exists to serve its citizens State can only exercise authority granted to it by its citizens Almost the opposite of previous governing philosophies Restrictions on the social contract • • • • Individuals surrender limited rights to the state Only those necessary to ensure protection of all citizens (anything else would be unjust) Life cannot be surrendered New contract/philosophy served needs of emerging middle class Deterrence in the Classical School Legal concept Combines utilitarian & hedonistic thought Hedonism: assumes an individual can assess pain vs gain (benefits/drawbacks) Utilitarianism: relationship between personal gain of offence & cost of possible punishment - Requires free will-making choices rationally • Deterrence theory assumes an individual will act to max pleasure and min pain • • • • Assumptions of Deterrence • • • • An individual will act in their own interest unless restrained-deterrence serves as restraint Social contract: necessary to restrain individual seeking gains. Cant step on rights of others in pursuit of personal gain Government punishes behaviour that transgresses rights of others. Maintenance of social contract through laws and guidelines Purpose of criminal punishment: Deterrence of transgressive behaviour Forms of Deterrence*** • • Specific/individual deterrence: Legal punishment given directly to individual who violated criminal law. Designed to remove gains through application of punishment. Theory is that individual asses lack of gain → Decides not to repeat similar acts. (If person is effected-they wont recidivate) General deterrence: Other individuals aware of an individual being punished. Presumption is that learn they also will not gain from violations of criminal law. Assumes public nature & awareness of punishment. Elements of Deterrence** • • • Celerity: speed with which a punishment is applied following a criminal act (how quick criminal justice response is) Certainty: likelihood of being caught and of punishment being applied Severity: amount or degree of punishment. Relative to criminal act (Beccaria and Bentham) ^^^ Just Deserts • • • • Offenders are deserving of punishment An eye for an eye & a tooth for a tooth (old testament) Minor vs. serious offences Punishment: proportionality-type of offence/offence severity Heritage of Classical Thought-Classical principles in use today • • • • Rationality: people have free will and engage in a rational decision-making process Hedonism: humans can weight out pain vs pleasure (reward vs. punishment) Punishment: deterrence (sentencing) Human rights: legislation to protect rights-presume of innocence (due process) no punishment without legal finding of guilt Neo-Classical period • - 1st half of 1800s: classical governments in place attempts to put classical law into action resulted in problems believed in free will introduction of mitigating circumstances questioned free will for all Modification of strict classical scheme (neo-classical) • • • Some judicial discretion allowed Extenuating circumstances: children-don’t have same rationality (right vs. wrong) where youth justice came into place Mental disease: beginning of use as legal defence Major points of classical school • • • • • • • • • • • • • All humans exist in a world w free will Make own rational choices Natural tendency toward self-interest and pursuit of pleasure Humans have certain natural rights: life liberty and property ownership Governments are created by citizens to protect these rights Citizens surrender only the portion of natural rights necessary For state to regulate society for benefit of all To protect society from self-interest of citizens Introduced civil rights: legislators enact laws that define specific criminal acts and procedures to respond to criminal acts Law: outlines process for determining guilt and defines punishments that will impact those found guilty Crime: transgression against social contract and Moral offence against society All individuals are equal in their rights and should be treated equally before the law Punishment: justified only to preserve social contract. Purpose was to prevent future crimes. Only should be severe as necessary. Positive School • • • Developed 1st scientific perspectives on crime and offenders Social determinism: behaviour determined by causative factors. Beyond individual control Use of the scientific method to study society: social phenomenon are observable, explainable, measureable Positivism • • • Not technically a theory: philosophy related to use of science in regulating world around us Basic features: Systematic observation, Accumulation of evidence, deductive framework Aim: find the factors that cause criminal behaviour and the goal is to remove those factors and treat them. Heritage of the positive school Early positivism: Social factors • • Auguste Comte: founder of positivist phil and sociology Developed method of study: use of abnormality to study normality - systematic approach to social history-use of comparative methods- testable hypotheses – believed in classification of societies Positive school influences • • Rise of science as an influential form of knowledge Factors influencing those working on crime and criminal issues ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ Work of Darwin Cartographics and social stats Anthropological evidence of “primitive” peoples Idea of perfecting humankind through science Medicines embrace of science European ethnocentrism Application of science to industry and agriculture Emergence of complex, industrialized, urban societies Early Positivism: • Physiognomy: G Baptista Della Porta0 1586, study of body characteristics in relation to human behaviour- different characteristics relate to criminal behaviour ➢ -Criminal anthropology ➢ -Example: Phrenology Gall and Spurzheim main people: Study of bumps on head to determine anatomical correlates of human behaviour- indicate personality traits. Predictive of criminality ➢ Themes: brain is organ of mind, personality aspects are associated with locations in brain ➢ Believe that is a portion of brain was well developed, it will have prominent associated personality characteristics ➢ Also believed that the shape of skill linked to shape of underlying brain ➢ Would massage skulls to determine dominance Geography and social Features: • Combined cartography with social statistics ➢ Take maps of areas and compare them with social statistics gathered in that region ➢ Andre Guerry- created social statistics, combined nations new social data collection with geographical areas ➢ Adolphe Quetelet: used probability theory to create an average person, also looked at social data of Europe matched to geographic areas ➢ Demonstrated rates of crime for various areas, seasons, climates etc. they were able to make predictive models and map crime rates to seasons and fluctuations across the year ➢ They were able to describe age and sex differences among offenders (mostly male offenders, and younger) The Italian positivists • • • • Usually considered the beginning of criminological positivism Cesare Lombroso: Father of Italian school of criminology ➢ Italian positivist crim L’Uomo Delinquente (1876): Criminal man Scientific methodology to study offenders: physiological data • • • Classified offenders by type Research: detailed statistical analysis of soldiers, criminals, and the insane ➢ Analysis of bodies (executed and deceased offenders) ➢ Looked at bodies of prison inmates ➢ Bodily features predictive of criminality Control group: Soldiers Atavism • • • • • Biological throwbacks to primitive man Believed criminals did not reach the same stage of evolution so engaged in crime Contributed to his concept of the born criminal Based on his studies and measurements of incarcerated criminals (features he found supported this theory) Anthropology: Reports on “primitive” people and their social structure ➢ Not as advanced and civilized as Europeans ➢ Evidence primarily from reporting of untrained colonial administrators/missionaries who saw inferiority (not merely differences) Raffaele Garofalo • • Student of Lombroso-extended his work Focus: psychic or moral anomaly ➢ Improper development of altruistic sensibility ➢ Natural crime: mala in se acts (consistent wherever u go) ➢ Social Darwinism: Death, incarceration, or exile will reduce criminal population Enrico Ferri • • • Criminality: combination of heredity and social/anthropological factors Law of criminal saturation: max level of crime ? Classification of murderers: ➢ The insane ➢ Born criminal (atavist) ➢ The occasional criminal ➢ Crimes of passion The born criminal • • • Individual born w a genetic predilection toward criminality (majority of offenders fell into this category) Other criminal types: ➢ Insane: mental/moral degenerates, substance addiction ➢ Criminaloids: occasional criminals ➢ Passionate: Intense emotion triggers crime The female offender: less anatomical variation ➢ Atavistic ➢ Prostitute was common type of offender **Physical Characteristics of Atavists • • • • • • • • • • Long arms Index fingers as long as middle finger Chubby cheeks High cheekbones Unattached earlobes Large lips Tattoos Thick curly hair Thick eyebrows Bony/protruding eyebrow ridge ** Biological positivism: Body Types • • • • Somatotyping: classification of humans into types according to physical characteristics (Body build) Form and function related: ➢ Form follows function ➢ Function follows form Study samples: ➢ Delinquent institutions ➢ Often subjective data ➢ Poor generalization Tendency toward predominance of certain physical types in certain classes of offenders Ernst Kretschmer*** • • Physique and Character (looking at delinquent boys) **4 types of delinquents 1. Asthenic: tall and thin, petty theft/fraud 2. Athletic: Muscle, crimes of violence 3. Pyknic: short and fat-crimes of deception 4. Dysplastic: mixed type-offences against morals and decency (body was unproportioned) (sex offences and crimes of passion) William Sheldon** • • • Measurement to connect body type w personality 15-21 Boston area (looked at groups) 4 types: 1. Endomorph: soft, round, overweight, relaxed, comfortable, extrovert (hufflepuff-chilll/fun/get along w everyone) 2. Mesomorph: muscular and athletic, dynamic, assertive, aggressive. Most likely to be delinquent or deviant (slitherin-bad guys-good at sports) 3. Ectomorph: lean, fragile, delicate, introverted, inhibited, restrained personality (ravenclaw-smart ppl-not athletic) 4. Balanced: Average build, not a great deal of muscle development (griffendoreveryone wants to be one-well balanced) Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck • • • • • Looked at 500 delinquents (longitudinal study) Didn’t meet them only studied through pics Compared 500 delinquent’s w law obeying people Mesomorphs linked to delinquency No consideration of rapid body change (puberty) Genetics and Crime Criminal Families • • - - Criminal inheritance Richard Dugdale*** studied the Juke family 6 illegitimate sisters Ada: the mother of criminals (her line had the most criminals) 1200 descendants of ada: murders, thieves, 50 prostitutes, 280 paupers, 90 other criminals • Comparison to Edwards family Pure blooded Presidents, vice presidents, business people (no criminals) • Henry H. Goddard** The Kalllikak family Martin Kallikak-soldier 2 family branches: 1) illegitimate branch (bar maid-feebleminded, alch, epileptic, criminal) 2) Legitimate branch (control) (Quaker girl-married) (Few minor deviants) • Tendency toward feeblemindedness inherited (doesn’t show criminality is inherited) Twin studies • • • • Inheritance and crime causation Monozygotic** twins (MZ) develop from same egg. Same genetic material. Identical twins Dizygotic (DZ) develop from separate eggs. Genetic material is not identical. Fraternal Johannes Lange (1920s) looked at twins in prison and compared to the other twin who was not in prison - 10 out of 13 MZ twins both criminal 2 out of 17 DZ twins both criminal • Karl O. Christiansen and Sarnoff Mednick (1968) 3586 twin pairs 52% of MZ and 22% of DZ displayed some degree of criminality within pair even of separated and raised in dif environments View of Human Nature (classical vs positive) • • Classical school: hedonistic (pain vs pleasure), Free will (make ur own choicesincluding crime), viewed humans as being rational, viewed human as morally responsible for own behaviour Positive: malleable, determined by ones biology, psychology, and social environment, individuals are not morally responsible, view society as consensusoriented CJ System (classic vs positive) • • Classical: social contract as a system to protect society, due process, civil rights, restrictions on CJS to protect basic rights Positive: scientific treatments, cure pathologies, rehabilitate offenders (sentencing etc), not concerned w civil rights of offenders, Forms of law (c vs p) • • Classical: statutory law, exact specifications of illegal acts, corresponding punishments Positive: social law- illegal acts product of one’s abnormalities, use of scientific expertsdetermine social harm and proper form of treatment Purpose of sentencing • • Classical: form of punishment-main goal is to deter, sentences should be determinate (fixed length) Positive: treatment of an individual, reform them (criminal to law abiding cit, indeterminate sentences (how well someone is doing-if treatment is going well its shorter) Criminological experts • • Classical: moral phil, social reformers, economists-focused of addressing the legal system and improving it. Positive: scientists, experts in diagnosis and treatment of offenders Theory Summary • - Positive School Humans live in a world where cause and effect operate Attributes of our world exhibit order-can be uncovered via scientific observation - Social problems including crime, can be remedied by systematic study of human behaviour Science: can perfect human existence and improve human condition Criminal behaviour is a product of abnormalities-within a person and external social forces Abnormal features are IDd through comparison w normal ones Once abnormalities found, it is duty of criminal to assist in correction Abnormalities should be treated and offenders in the end will be reformed. Treatment is desirable goal because it can help an individual become normal and protect society from harm. Major purpose of criminal sanctions: treatment-not punishment Chicago School • • • • • - Social problems in Late 19th century North America (US) Major movements in American society Rapid industrialization (city growth) Mass immigration (euros to search for jobs) Melting pot society Fear of degenerate/dangerous classes (cit was scared they would bring crime to the country) Eugenics Result: social change and reform Emergence of sociology 1892: uni of Chicago created 1st department of soci At time: soci was undefined. Included: social problems, social work, social psychology, anthropology Social influences Waves of immigrants (1880-1940) Viewed as “minorities” w different cultures End of WWWI (1918)-employment for returning veterans Prohibition (1918-1930)- liq was outlawed-more drug and alch problems, lead to organized crime-giving liq to ppl who wanted it. Great depression (1929-1940) market crashed, job options were eliminated, poverty Gangs and juvenile delinquency problems Intellectual influences Familiarity w German social theory-brought to US Tendency toward a conflict orientation Anthropology: focus on culture as dominant explanation for human behaviour Emphasis on social “science” – scientific studies The city as a laboratory Chic School scholars used city of chic as a lab Argued all of society’s ills were encompassed in cities • • - • - Chic: rapid growth, exemplified those problems Contributions to study of crime-Chicago school approach Profs engaged in community projects-students involved in field research Soci interpretations of biological ecology-city as an “organism” Study and projects @ nbd level- emphasis on neighbourhood action and community assistance Research methods Life story: case study or life history story, this is where u interview multiple times, a person involved in crime about their personal experiences. Sensitize readers to issues. Ethnography: researches as participant or observer. View situations in context of subculture. Sensitizes readers to experience. Appreciation of perspective of individuals studied Systematic data collection: official stats creates rates areas. (poverty level, unemployment) applied these to geographic maps of chic (map crime rates) (hot spots) Major theoretical approaches Ecological theory: concentric zines Social disorganization: cultural transmission Symbolic interactionist theory Culture conflict theory Ecological theory • • - Park and Burgess & Shaw and Mckay Derived from organic approach to city-they viewed the city as sim to human body. Social problems like crime-like a disease spreading through body-if u can stop it… Concentric zones: in each was unique purpose in each zone Invasion, dominance and succession Goal was to map social problems-where crime was most likely to occur Crime was not random but there was a pattern to it. Effects of city growth Segregation by occupational groups Concentrations of ethnic groups Lg # of families on welfare near city centre The price of rentals increased w distance from city centre Area populations was fluid and increase or decrease as ppl moved in and out of these zones (highly mobile population) Further away from city center, fewer social problems Can create these dif zones to show a difference in rates of pathologies Concentric zones Develop from ecological theory Based on parks study of Chicago areas/nbd using official stats from various sources Every form of pathology decreases w distance away from CBD (from crime rates to tuberculosis rates) • - • • - Order of the zones** 5 concentric city zones 1. the loop (middle CBD) most of jobs are (factory’s and retail) central business district. Not a lot of residence in this zone 2. Zone in transition: recent immigrants. Close to factory’s-where they work. Cheapest place to live cause it’s not taken care of. (china town) highest rates of crime and disorder 3. Zone of working-class homes: tenement buildings (high rise) populated by working class (in the loop). 4. Residential zone: middle class people live, single family homes 5. Commuter zone: outskirts (suburbs) lots of land (upper class) single family homes (own land and home) Concentric zone research Zones were initial evidence for both social disorganization and culture conflict theories Both social disorganization and culture conflict follow some patterns Later studies: sim concentric patterns in several other US cities Social disorganization linked to high mobility w/in zone 2 Zones and delinquency Clifford Shaw and Henry Mckay Juvenile delinquency in chic Offending rates were the same over the years even w dif ppl Delinquency caused by nature of environment rather than the immigrant groups themselves Inability of local communities to problem solve Disorganization in that zone: mobility of residential and groups that lived in the zone are racially heterogenetic Social disorganization - - Views society as an organism: crime and deviance as a disease Root cause of crime: Social change, social conflict and lack of social consensus. Cities main focus area Areas adapted to specific groups Argue that within these groups-function within wider society (own dynamics) W. I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki: polish immigrants (early 1900s) Crime rates rose when they moved to Chicago. This was caused by social disorganization cuz these groups couldn’t bring their norms and values from Poland to US Based on Chicago’s 1920s nbd. 1st gen older immigrants: not greatly affected by move from home country, didn’t learn new language well, didn’t assimilate or attempt to fit in, 2nd generation: children born to the 1st. greater cultural stress (between home country and new), torn between norms of home and new home, breakdown of effective social bonds of family and nbd socialization, limits how controlled their behaviour is • • - Characteristics of social disorganization Immigrants move into undesirable areas: near factories and work, cheap, deteriorated, polluted Lack of support and resources to sustain nbd infrastructure Social mobility increases as older immigrants prosper enough to move outward to better areas. New immigrants arrive and occupy same slum areas and the cycle restarts Social disorganization allows crime and delinquency Aspects of social disorganization Sampson and Groves 4 aspects that allows social dis to develop*** 1. low economic status-high rates of poverty 2. mix of dif ethnic groups (that all live in the same zone) 3. Highly mobile residents moving in and out of area (pop not stable) 4. Disrupted families and broken homes (ZONE OF TRANSITION) ^^ Cultural transmission theory • - Shaw and McKay Focused on juv deliqn and disorganized areas Greater exposure to/opportunity for delinq and crime Existing delinq/criminal values in area transmitted to youth Tracked delinq data from highest (ZOT) to lowest (SUBURBS) Research results confirmed in multiple cities Juvenile Delinquency in urban areas (1942) Distribution of delinquency follows pattern of physical structure and social organization of city (ecological principle) Delinquency concentrates in certain parts of city and then thins out until almost none in better residential areas Social disorganization and little social control are common in high delinquency areas. Differences in delinquency rates are uneven growth in urban areas, abandoned industry, deteriorated housing for poor left in area. African American sociologists studying crime in black nbd and explain why crime was higher in that nbd. Monroe work: post slavery- disorientation of social norms in the post-slavery time period. High crime rate follow the groups as they move E. Franklin Frazier: looked at black adolescent male delinq. Earl R. Moses: indig vs transplanted criminal behaviour. As more AM moved to chic, delinq went up. Not related to race but mobility. Symbolic interactionism - Social psychological perspective - - Concept of human behaviour and values as relative to social situations and settings Human behaviour stems from social symbols communicated btw individuals. Social symbols: assists us in defining ourselves and way we see the world. Verbal and nonverbal. Through this we can define ourselves and other ppl. Self-concept: created by reflections from others. Definitions may change depending on situation Believe in the social nature of beings Theorists: Charles H. Cooley (the looking glass self-that version of urself is the social determination of urself), George Mead (Generalized other-other ppls perception), W. I. Thomas (situational factors-different identity depending on scenario ur in) Symbols: convey meaning and values that govern behaviour Culture Conflict Theory - - Thorsten Sellin: culture conflict and crime (1938) Culture conflict in Chicago areas (immigration, dominant middle class values) Conduct norms: specify proper behaviour, shared group expectations about ur conduct (acceptable behaviour), u require this through parents and growing up. **Primary conflict: individual from 1 culture moves into another culture (different conduct norms and they clash) if norms of native culture are unacceptable in new culture, conflict happens. Secondary conflict**: generated when subculture forms w in dominant culture. Conduct norms will be sim to other. Theory summary • - Major points of Chicago School Humans are social creatures and behaviour is a product of their social environment Social environments provide cultural values and definitions and govern behaviour of those that live within. Urbanization and industrialization create communities w variety of competing culturesbreaking down older, more cohesive patters of values Breakdown/disorganization of urban life/ Institutions of family, friendship groups, and social groups become more impersonal Values provided by institutions become fragmented. That allows Opposing definitions about proper behaviour come into conflict. Continued disorganization-potential for conflict more likely Deviant/criminal behaviour occur when an individual acts according to definitions that conflict w those of dominant culture Social disorganization and social pathology most prevalent in centre-city areas and decrease w distance from area Crime and delinquency transmitted via frequent contact w criminal traditions that develop over time in disorganized areas of city MIDTERM REVIEW • • • • • MULTPLE (25) T OR F (15) SHORT ANSWER (12Q 10 REQUIRED. 2 CHOICES-PICK 1) OUT OF 50 2 BONUS