Sociological Theories of Sociological Theories of Crime CausationCrime Causation

Professor ByrneProfessor Byrne

Oct.26, 2009 LectureOct.26, 2009 Lecture

Major Sociological TheoriesMajor Sociological Theories

Strain TheoriesStrain Theories: Cohen, Cloward : Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin, Mertonand Ohlin, Merton

Subcultural TheoriesSubcultural Theories: Wolfgang and : Wolfgang and Ferracutti, MillerFerracutti, Miller

Control TheoriesControl Theories: Hirschi and : Hirschi and Gottfredson, Reckless, Gottfredson, Reckless,

Lifecourse TheoryLifecourse Theory :Sampson and :Sampson and LaubLaub

Strain TheoriesStrain Theories : Merton, Cohen, : Merton, Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin, AgnewCloward and Ohlin, Agnew

Strain theories may focus on different Strain theories may focus on different aspects of criminal behavior (e.g. juvenile aspects of criminal behavior (e.g. juvenile crime, gang formation, specific offender crime, gang formation, specific offender types) but types) but

they share one common assumption: they share one common assumption: some (otherwise moral) people are driven some (otherwise moral) people are driven to crime out of the frustration( and to crime out of the frustration( and illegitimate opportunity structure) illegitimate opportunity structure) associated with living in lower class associated with living in lower class communities. communities.

Robert Merton’s Goals vs. Means Robert Merton’s Goals vs. Means Typology of Individual AdaptationsTypology of Individual Adaptations

Conformists: Accept societal goals and Conformists: Accept societal goals and meansmeans

Innovators: Accept societal goals but Innovators: Accept societal goals but reject meansreject means

Ritualists: Reject societal goals but accept Ritualists: Reject societal goals but accept meansmeans

Retreatists: Reject societal goals and Retreatists: Reject societal goals and meansmeans

Rebels: Redefine both goals and meansRebels: Redefine both goals and means

Cloward and Ohlin’s Theory of Cloward and Ohlin’s Theory of Differential OpportunityDifferential Opportunity

Individuals may have blocked access to both Individuals may have blocked access to both legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structure, legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structure, depending on neighborhood context.depending on neighborhood context.

Criminal SubcultureCriminal Subculture: in some neighborhoods, : in some neighborhoods, there is a stable, criminal organization that can there is a stable, criminal organization that can be identified.be identified.

Conflict SubcultureConflict Subculture: in other communities, there : in other communities, there is no dominant criminal organization with several is no dominant criminal organization with several groups competing for control.groups competing for control.

Retreatist SubcultureRetreatist Subculture: individuals who can not : individuals who can not gain entrance into either the criminal or conflict gain entrance into either the criminal or conflict subculture tend to cluster here—these are double subculture tend to cluster here—these are double failures, who can not make it either legitimately failures, who can not make it either legitimately or illegitimately.or illegitimately.

Albert Cohen’s Theory of Albert Cohen’s Theory of Delinquent GangsDelinquent Gangs

Key terms: prior socialization, labeling, Key terms: prior socialization, labeling, middle class measuring rods, reaction middle class measuring rods, reaction formation, college boys, corner boys, formation, college boys, corner boys, delinquent boys, anti-utilitarian delinquent boys, anti-utilitarian delinquency.delinquency.

Theory: In school, kids from lower class Theory: In school, kids from lower class areas are labeled as either bad or stupid.areas are labeled as either bad or stupid.

There are three possible responses to this There are three possible responses to this initial label: (1) try harder, (2) accept it, or initial label: (1) try harder, (2) accept it, or (3) reject it and redefine success.(3) reject it and redefine success.

Cohen’s TypologyCohen’s Typology College BoysCollege Boys: these juveniles continue to : these juveniles continue to

strive for educational success.strive for educational success. Corner BoysCorner Boys: these juveniles lower their : these juveniles lower their

expectations and engage in marginal expectations and engage in marginal forms of deviance( alcohol, drugs).forms of deviance( alcohol, drugs).

Delinquent BoysDelinquent Boys: these juveniles reject the : these juveniles reject the negative labels and redefine status in a negative labels and redefine status in a manner where they can be successful, manner where they can be successful, through a process of reaction formation.through a process of reaction formation.

Today’s delinquent boys are tomorrow’s Today’s delinquent boys are tomorrow’s criminal offenders .criminal offenders .

Modern Strain theory: Modern Strain theory: Robert AgnewRobert Agnew

Revised versions of strain theory Revised versions of strain theory attempt to explain middle class attempt to explain middle class delinquency.delinquency.

Adolescents are more concerned Adolescents are more concerned with achievement of immediate with achievement of immediate goals, rather than the long term goals, rather than the long term goals emphasized by classic strain goals emphasized by classic strain theories: monetary success or job theories: monetary success or job status.status.

Immediate Goals of AdolescentsImmediate Goals of Adolescents

Popularity with the opposite sexPopularity with the opposite sex Good GradesGood Grades Athletic SuccessAthletic Success Owning a carOwning a car Getting along with parentsGetting along with parents Achievement of immediate goals is Achievement of immediate goals is

independent of social classindependent of social class

Is Strain Theory Correct? A Review Is Strain Theory Correct? A Review of the Evidenceof the Evidence

Proposition 1:The universal emphasis on success Proposition 1:The universal emphasis on success is internalized by significant numbers of people in is internalized by significant numbers of people in all social classes.all social classes.

Several studies have found that the above Several studies have found that the above proposition is not supported.proposition is not supported.

Lower class individuals have lower levels of Lower class individuals have lower levels of aspirations than do middle class individuals:aspirations than do middle class individuals:

They desire less education, less money, and less They desire less education, less money, and less prestigious occupations than their middle class prestigious occupations than their middle class counterparts.counterparts.

However, relative to what they have, lower class However, relative to what they have, lower class individuals desire as much, if not more, success individuals desire as much, if not more, success than do middle class individuals.than do middle class individuals.

A Review of the Evidence: Strain A Review of the Evidence: Strain TheoryTheory

Proposition 2: Relative to middle Proposition 2: Relative to middle class individuals, lower class class individuals, lower class individuals are less able to achieve individuals are less able to achieve their goals through legitimate their goals through legitimate channelschannels..

The Evidence here is mixedThe Evidence here is mixed

A Review of the Evidence: Strain A Review of the Evidence: Strain TheoryTheory

Proposition 3: Proposition 3: StrainedStrained individuals individuals are more likely to engage in crime.are more likely to engage in crime.

The evidence here does not support The evidence here does not support the theorythe theory

A Critique of Strain TheoryA Critique of Strain Theory

The Class-crime connection is The Class-crime connection is overstated.overstated.

StrainStrain should result in more crime; should result in more crime; there is too much unexplained there is too much unexplained conformity in lower class areas.conformity in lower class areas.

Research testing strain theory relies Research testing strain theory relies on official data sources, rather than on official data sources, rather than self-report or NCVS data.self-report or NCVS data.

Subcultural TheoriesSubcultural Theories

Wolfgang’s Subculture of Violence: Wolfgang’s Subculture of Violence: Violence at home + Violence in Violence at home + Violence in community=situational use of community=situational use of violence by residentsviolence by residents

Miller’s Theory of Lower Class : Focal Miller’s Theory of Lower Class : Focal Concerns of youth include: Concerns of youth include:

Trouble, Toughness, Smartness, Trouble, Toughness, Smartness, Autonomy, FateAutonomy, Fate

Traditional Control TheoriesTraditional Control Theories

Control Theory explains conformityControl Theory explains conformity Hirshi’s 4 Bonds to Society: When Hirshi’s 4 Bonds to Society: When

these bonds are weak/broken, these bonds are weak/broken, individuals are free to deviateindividuals are free to deviate

AttachmentAttachment CommitmentCommitment InvolvementInvolvement BeliefBelief

Lifecourse TheoryLifecourse Theory

Four Key Turning Points in the Life Four Key Turning Points in the Life course:course:

MarriageMarriage EmploymentEmployment MilitaryMilitary RelocationRelocation