However subcultural theorists developed this idea claiming that people experiencing strain seek different forms of success. More specifically Cloward and Ohlin put forward the idea of the 'illegitimate opportunity structure’, which they used to explain subcultural crime. This structure was operable outside of the mainstream structure and ultimately lead to the attainment of success and money through deviant means. For example, Cloward and Ohlin argued that organized crimes such as the drugs trade could be explained by failures in mainstream capitalism. Cloward and Ohlin argue, that the majority of criminals involved in the drugs trade were unable to succeed within capitalism and were driven to an illegitimate means of obtaining wealth.
Crime can affect the way individuals perceive others generally creating bias and prejudice within a person’s frame of thought; hopefully we can make someone think a little differently. Social structure theories generally put forth that the disadvantaged economic class is a primary cause of crime. It states that neighborhoods which are “lower class” create forces of strain, disorganization, and frustration that lead to the action of crime, they have used these to put them into classes; social disorganization, strain theory and cultural deviance. Social disorganization theory suggests that slum dwellers violate the law because they live in areas where social control has broken down. The origin of social disorganization theory can be traced to the work of Shaw and McKay, who concluded that disorganized areas marked by divergent values and transitional populations produce criminality.
The labelling theory consists of the fact that external people for example higher middle class or forms of authority, labels other members in society as being criminals or being deviant. The labelling theory works like this: a form of authority or even common people instinctively have a stereotype or put certain members of society into certain categories therefore labelling people as being criminals or having deviant behaviour and therefore this makes the members of society being labelled, commit to a self fulfilling prophecy whereby they end up acting out what they have been pre-judged as. Interpretivists accept this concept is highly useful and valid as it is qualitative. However, positivists believe it is low in reliability and usefulness as data is not numerical and cannot be compared, or even that there is no data at all. Being a criminal or deviant could be seen to be a social construct and therefore this may mean that you could question what criminal activity is and whether this social construct is even right since it has been constructed by members of the society.
Dehumanization occurs when those who are robbed of their humanity and those who rob others of their humanity through violence, oppression, and injustice. An example of this would be the division of social classes. The upper class could be defined as the oppressor with the status of power, wealth, and knowledge contrasted to the lower class or the oppressed. The lower classes lack power and wealth but are capable of obtaining knowledge through learning. Only once that the oppressed are conscious of their position in society of being dehumanized can they understand their circumstance and fight for freedom.
The conflict model content of criminal law is determined by the groups that hold economic, political, and social power in a community. This goes against diverse society, the dominant groups exercise power by codifying their value systems into criminal laws stating that moral attitudes are not absolute. However, since society had different segments its prone to have different value systems (Schmallager, 2009). In accordance to the conflict model, these different segments which are separated by social class, income, age, and race are engaged in a constant struggle with each other for control of society, since the goal depends on the individual for their own benefit and gain of power, which is more prone to lead to
The wealthy tend to use money as power. They take control and order the less fortunate around as if they are nothing. In the novel, The Droughtlanders by Carrie Mac, the song titled I Hate Humans by, Drugzone and the poem entitled Human Destruction by Stefanie Zammit. They will show many themes. The main one being that hatred, the want of control/power, and violence are the key elements to the destruction of a society.
The construction of social problems, by people or activist, have given rise to a false or exaggerated belief that cultural behavior or cultural groups give way to dangerously stereotyping that poses a threat to normal society. This “moral panic” is directly related to many contemporary issues such as terrorism, politics, and most importantly crime. Over the years “moral panic” has been perceived as threat to societies values or norms. In order for “moral panic” to thrive, it is first created by framers, sociologist or activists who use “moral panic” as means to justify there issues through a presumption of exaggeration and manipulation of statistics. This paper along with three articles, The Social Construction of Serial Homicide, Moral
The power amid the two often leans toward one side, being monopolized and abused. My notion on oppression is that the mentality of one is manipulated by the unbalance of power in this subjugation. In certain cases oppression is necessary to keep peace; like the government and the people. If the government fails to oppress the public with the power of law, chaos would rain
The philosophy of retribution is that of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In other words, that to cause a crime violates the social contract and a criminal must pay his or her debt to society by being punished. This principle suggests that a crime against one individual is a crime against all citizens. According to Lawlink, retribution is the theory that the guilty should endure the punishment which they entirely deserve. Denunciation then again, involves the imposition of a sentence which is in fact severe with regards to make a statement, which the crime in question is not to be tolerated by the community (2003).
Some people mostly females’ kill out of jealously or hate. Angel of death is when the person systematically kills people who are in their care for medical reasons, and then there is when the killer acts alone and kills spouses, partners, or family members. (Schechter Pg.