1. Social Structure Theory: Because They’re Poor
Chapter Six
Social Structure Theory:
Because They’re Poor

2. Objectives Be familiar with the concept of social structure
Have knowledge of the socioeconomic structure of American society
Be able to discuss the concept of social disorganization
Be familiar with the works of Shaw and McKay
Know the various elements of ecological theory
Be able to discuss the association between collective efficacy and crime
Know what is meant by the term “anomie”
Be familiar with the concept of strain
Understand the concept of cultural deviance

3. Socioeconomic Structure and Crime
People in the United States live in a stratified society
Social strata are created by the unequal distribution
Social structure theorists suggest that social and economic forces operating in deteriorated lower class areas push many of their residents into criminal behavior patterns
A disadvantaged economic class position is a primary cause of crime

4. The Underclass
Culture of Poverty: suggests that the crushing lifestyle of lower-class areas produces a culture which is passed from one generation to the next
Apathy, cynicism, helplessness, and mistrust of social institutions such as schools, government agencies, and the police mark the culture of poverty
This mistrust prevents members from taking advantage of the meager opportunities

5. Child Poverty
Findings suggest that poverty during early childhood may have a more severe impact on behavior than poverty during adolescence and adulthood
Children who grow up in low income homes are less likely to achieve in school and are less likely to complete their schooling than children with more affluent parents
More likely to suffer from health problems and to receive inadequate health care
Limited chance of earning a college degree

6. Minority Group Poverty
The burdens of underclass are often felt most acutely by minority group members
Minorities are denied protections and privileges offered to many whites
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 25% of African Americans and 22% of Hispanics live in poverty as compared to 8% of non-Hispanics whites and 11% of Asians
Minority children are four times less likely to have health insurance as other kids
If interracial economic disparity would end, so too might differences in the crime rate

7. Social Structure Theories
Social disorganization theory
Strain theory
Cultural deviance theory

9. Social Disorganization Theory
Branch of social structure theory that focuses on the breakdown of institutions such as the family, school, and employment in inner-city neighborhoods
Types of social disorganization theory:
Shaw and McKay’s concentric zones theory
Social ecology theory

11. Concentric Zones Theory
Crime is a product of transitional neighborhoods that manifest social disorganization and value conflict
Identifies why crime rates are highest in inner-city areas
Points out the factors that produce crime
Suggests programs to help reduce crime

13. The Social Ecology School
The conflicts and problems of urban social life and communities, including community deterioration, chronic unemployment, community fear, community change and cycles of community change
Community Deterioration: disorder, poverty, alienation, disassociation, and fear of crimes accounts for urban crime rates and trends
Crime-ridden neighborhoods exert a powerful influence over behaviors that is strong enough to neutralize the positive effects of a supportive family and close social ties.

14. Collective efficacy
1. Informal social controls: exerted by either awarding or withholding approval, respect, and admiration
2. Institutional social control: exerted by cohesive communities utilizing the institutions like schools, businesses, stores, and churches
3. Public social control: the use of external sources such as more police and political powerbrokers, and financial government assistance

15. Strain Theory
Branch of social structure theory that sees crime as a function of the conflict between people’s goals and the means available to obtain these goals
Types of strain theory include:
The Concept of Anomie
Macro-Level Theory: Institutional Anomie Theory
Micro-Level Theory: General Strain Theory

16. Anomie Theory
People who adopt the goals of society but lack the means to attain them seek alternatives such as crime
Points out how competition for success creates conflict and crime
Suggests that social conditions, not personality, can account for crime
Explains high lower-class crime rates

17. Variety of Social Adaptations
Each person has his or her own concept of the goals of society and the means at his or her disposal to attain them; they may develop criminal or delinquent solutions to the problem of attaining goals.
conformity
innovation
ritualism
retreatism
rebellion

18. Macro-Level Theory: Institutional Anomie Theory
Material goods pervade all aspects of American life
Explains why crime rates are so high in American culture
American Dream, a term employed as both a goal and a process
The American Dream involves accumulating material goods and wealth via open individual competition
Capitalist system encourages innovation in pursuit of monetary rewards

19. General Micro-Level Theory: General Strain Theory
Strain has a variety of sources and causes crime in the absence of adequate coping mechanisms
Identifies the complexities of strain in modern society
Expands on anomie theory
Shows the influence of social events on behavior over the life course
Explains middle-class crimes

21. Sources of Strain Failure to achieve positively valued goals
Disjunction of expectations and achievements
Removal of positively valued stimuli
Presentation of negative stimuli

22. Cultural Deviance Theories
Branch of social structure theory that sees strain and social disorganization together resulting in a unique lower class culture that conflicts with conventional social norms
Types of cultural deviance theory:
Conduct Norms
Focal Concerns
Theory of Delinquent Subcultures
Theory of Differential Opportunity

24. Conduct Norms
The concept that the lower class develops a unique culture in response to the strain
These groups maintain their own set of conduct norms—rules governing the day-to-day living conditions within these subcultures.

25. Focal Concern Theory
Citizens who obey the street rules of lower class life (focal concerns)
Clinging to lower class focal concerns promotes illegal or violent behavior
Toughness, street smarts, excitement
Identifies the core values of lower class culture and shows their association to crime

26. Millers’ Lower Class Focal Concerns
Trouble
Toughness
Smartness
Excitement
Fate
Autonomy

27. Theory of Delinquent Subcultures
Status frustration of lower class boys, created by their failure to achieve middle-class success, causes them to engage in delinquency
Shows how the conditions of lower class life produce crime
Identifies conflict of lower class with the middle class
Is a consequence of socialization practices found in the ghetto or inner-city environment
May include: developmental handicaps, poor speech, and communication skills, and inability to delay gratification

28. Theory of Differential Opportunity
Blockage of conventional opportunities causes lower class youths to join criminal, conflict, or retreatist gangs
Shows that even illegal opportunities are structured in society
Indicates why people become involved in a particular type of criminal activity
Opportunities for success, both illegal and conventional, are closed for the most ‘truly disadvantaged” youth