Investigating The Behavior Of An Offender Within The Criminal Justice System

One theory in criminology that attempts to explain crime is conflict theory. This theory says that crime is rooted in social conditions that favor those who

This breakdown of organization and culture within a community leads to a lack of informal social control which in turn leads to higher crime rates especially in the juvenile population (Simons, Simons, Burt, Brody, & Cutrona, 2005). Social disorganization theory asserts that strong levels of connection within a community along with a sense of civic pride motivate individuals to take a more active role in the community therefore acting as a deterrent to crime.

This week reading discuss social disorganization and collective efficacy. Higgins (2010) stated that the social disorganization theory where a person live is important in deciding if their is weakness to commit crime. In both text, it stated that social disorganization theory came from the Chicago School's social ecology movement. The theory stated that many factors such as "geography, population movement, and physical environment" and the combination of these factors can cause criminal behavior (Higgins, 2010, p. 30). In explain social disorganization theory, it is broken into zones. The concentric zones explain crime because these are the zones where individuals worked and lived. By having this view it can tell that crime is probably

To prevent crime, it is imperative that the law enforcement agencies and scholars examine why people commit crime. A number of theories have emerged and many still continue to be explored in exclusion and in combination to seek the best solutions that can ultimately reduce the types and the levels of crime. One such theory that is still being explored is social disorganization theory. According to this theory people's tendency to take part in criminal activities is largely determined by the neighborhood where they are brought up in especially if conditions favorable to crime and delinquency prevail in such places. When communities becomes incapable of realizing common goals and solve problems that its residents face, there is a high likelihood that its residents will engage in criminal activities (Sampson & Grove, 1989). Some of the problems that are likely to increase incidences of crime in neighborhoods when communities fail to address them are poverty, residential mobility, ethnic heterogeneity, and weak social networks. They decrease a neighborhood's capacity to control the behavior of people in public.

Different theories exist about why people commit crime, as well as, types of political views such as conservative and liberal; each have different opinions on the causes and ways to control crime. I would fall more into the liberal view, because I agree with most theories that involve this type of view. The reasons I think that people commit crime are as follows; type of environment, who they saw as a role model or grew up with, and their economic status. On the other hand, liberal thinkers have their certain believes on why people commit crime and ways we can control crime. There are unending theories on why people commit crimes.

The social disorganization theory is directed towards social conditions. This theory argues that crime is due to social conflicts, change, and lack of consensus in the group.

Frank Schmalleger explains the theory of social disorganization as one that depicts both social change as well as conflict, and lack of any agreement as the origin of its cause for both criminal behavior as well as nonconformity to society and closed associated with the ecological school of criminology (Schmalleger, 2012, p. 152). The philosophy behind the organization and structure of a society and how that contributes to criminal behavior within society is by stressing poverty, economic conditions, lack of education, lack of skills, are not sought-after in the work place, and divergent cultural values. Criminal behavior is the result of the person’s assignment of location within the structure of society.

Bursik (1988) states that, “… there persists a notable tendency in sociological theory to attribute the malfunctioning of social structure primarily to those of man’s imperious biological drives which are not adequately restrained by social control (p. 97). The concepts of social structural theory are based on the foundation of strain theory and social disorganization theory. The aspects of society can cause criminality, because of the various circumstances that are preventing opportunities for prosperity. Social structural processes are happening because of the various roots society has created for crime to take place, the various neighborhood effects of crime, and structural barriers that antecedents to crime. Also, individuals go beyond measures to coordinate with society new procedures; however, if that means committing a crime is a result, then all measure will be met.

Social disorganization theory was established by Shaw and Mckay (1942) in their famous work “Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas”. The main argument of the social disorganization theory is that, the place where people live will influence the individual’s behavior, and this may lead them to crimes. More precisely, certain characteristics of the neighborhood/community will strengthen or weaken the informal social control within the community, and this has mediating effect on crimes.

The social structure theory is a theory that makes use of several assumptions. The first assumption is that the criminal behavior begins during the youth of the perpetrator. The other assumption is that the perpetrator of the crime comes from a disadvantaged class. There must also be a group dynamic where the crime could develop. The other assumption is that there exists a social structure that its degree of organization contributes towards the occurrence of criminal behavior (Hirschi, 2017).

Social disorganization theory explains the ecological difference in levels of crime, simply based on cultural and structural factors that influence the social order in a given community. Social disorganization is triggered by poverty, social stability, ethnic heterogeneity, and a few key elements. Although Clifford Shaw and Henry D. McKay (1942), were known for social disorganization theory, in 1947 Edwin Sutherland introduced the notion of a ecological differences in crime that is the result of differential social organization. Despite similar arguments on social organization, Shaw and Mckay argued that the cultural integration explained the ecological variation in crime rates as a result of the negative impact on the community. Also elaborating on structural socioeconomic factors shaping informal control like poverty, heterogeneity, and residential mobility. Later Robert Sampson and Byron Groves (1989), refined the work of Shaw and Mckay by highlighting on the importance of social ties and new measures of social disorganization.

Social disorganization and psychological theories are two of several theories associated with criminology and the attempt to understand the criminal mind. There are numerous components to the social disorganization theory, human ecology, social pathology, social ecology, cultural transmission the environment and the broken window theory (Schmalleger, 2015). Collectively these components define social disorganization theory as social change, conflict and local of social consensus as the cause of criminal deviance (Schmalleger, 2015). The purpose of this paper is to expand upon the social structure theory and the influence it has on the development of a psychopath.

Have you ever wondered why criminals commit the crimes that they do? What gives them the motive to commit such act? Well the social structure theory emphasize subcultural values as the fundamental causes of crime. Not only that, it also focuses on poverty, lack of education, income inequality, disorganization within the family, and absence of marketable skills. This paper will address the social disorganization theory and the major principle of sociological theories within Merton’s anomie theory, and Agnew’s general strain theory.

Social Disorganization theory connects crime rates to neighborhood ecological characteristics. Based on the research and according to Osgood and Chambers, social disorganization theory specifies three important variables; residential instability, ethnic Heterogeneity, female-headed households. These three variables are considered to be the most criminogenic.

People commit crimes for various reasons. These various reasons got to do with social, economic, and cultural reason. These factors trigger an individual to do criminal activities. Social reasons are peer pressure, and school failure. Economic reasons are poverty. Cultural reasons are hatred. The combination of these factors is behind a person who commits crimes.