Objectives To Show An Understanding Of How Social Institutio
Objectiveto Show An Understanding Of How Social Institutions Define C
Objectiveto Show An Understanding Of How Social Institutions Define C
OBJECTIVE: To show an understanding of how social institutions define crime and how they produce racialized effects in the criminal justice system. Requirements: Drawing from at least 2 readings and one film from weeks 1-6, explain why social structure theory might be wrong to place primary concern for crime with weaknesses or pathologies within poor communities. How have these communities been criminalized and subjected to unjust forms of policing and criminal justice/punishment/mass incarceration that are not only unjust but racist? MATERIALS: You can use any film or video covered in the course and any of the recommended or required readings. Make sure at least one of your readings is a scholarly article (meaning, not a news article). Lecture slides also provide valuable information and should be scanned for relevant information (hint: if you discuss topics that are covered in slides but do not incorporate the information in the slides then this will impact your grade). This is not a research paper so do not add research materials unless you get approval from the instructor. ESSAY REQUIREMENTS: Write a 5-page essay (minimum) in scholarly format using Chicago Manual Style citations. Information for bibliographies is included in the syllabus. FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS: 1. Include your name, student number, the date, course number, and the professor’s name on the top left of the first page. 2. Include a title for your work. 3. Use 12 point Times New Roman font and double space your work. 4. Insert a footer or header with your last name and the page number. 5. USE DIRECT QUOTES ONLY IN YOUR ESSAYS FILMS- 1- Above the Law | CBC Docs POV 2- negro frolics on Twitter: " / Twitter 3- “No Justification”: Minneapolis Demands Murder Charges for Police Officer Who Killed George Floyd | Democracy Now! 4- Van Jones On George Floyd Riots: "I Have Not Seen Black People This Upset In 20 Years" | Video | RealClearPolitics . ) The House I Live In (2012) HD - War on Drugs in the United States - YouTube
Paper For Above instruction
The criminal justice system in the United States has long been scrutinized for its disproportionate impact on racialized communities, particularly poor communities of color. Social structure theory, which emphasizes the importance of social and economic environments in shaping criminal behavior, often attributes crime to deficiencies within these communities. However, this perspective can be problematic as it tends to ignore the systemic and institutional factors that perpetuate racial injustice. This essay explores the ways in which social institutions define crime, produce racialized effects, and unjustly criminalize marginalized communities, with references to scholarly literature and relevant film materials.
Social structure theories, such as Merton's Strain Theory, posit that crime results from social strains and a lack of legitimate means to achieve societal goals. While these theories offer insights into individual motivations, they tend to overlook how systemic issues—such as economic inequality, racial segregation, and discriminatory policies—shape crime patterns. For example, communities of color living in impoverished neighborhoods often face barriers such as underfunded schools, limited economic opportunities, and discriminatory lending practices that perpetuate poverty. These structural disadvantages are then framed as moral failings or weaknesses within these communities, reinforcing stereotypes that blame residents for their own marginalization.
However, critical analyses reveal that this framing is misleading and unjust. As Michelle Alexander argues in "The New Jim Crow," the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a racial caste system, systematically targeting Black and Brown people through policies such as the War on Drugs, mandatory minimum sentences, and the mass incarceration of non-violent offenders (Alexander, 2010). The film "The House I Live In" (2012) further exemplifies how policies intended to combat drug use disproportionately criminalize marginalized groups and sustain racial inequalities. The film exposes the contradictions of America’s war on drugs, illustrating how it has been weaponized to punish poor communities and reinforce racial hierarchies.
The criminalization of poor communities of color is not accidental—it is embedded in social institutions that uphold racial hierarchies. Policing practices such as stop-and-frisk, broken windows policing, and military-style raids disproportionately target Black and Latinx neighborhoods. These initiatives are justified as maintaining order but often result in unjust surveillance, harassment, and excessive use of force. For instance, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police highlights how law enforcement agencies have become tools of racial control rather than justice. The media coverage and public outrage demonstrate the widespread perception that policing systems are biased and racially discriminatory.
Furthermore, legal systems perpetuate racial disparities through sentencing policies that disproportionately impact people of color. Data shows that Black Americans are incarcerated at over five times the rate of White Americans, a disparity rooted in historical and institutional racism that extends beyond individual biases (Tonry, 2011). Such practices exemplify how social institutions produce racially encoded effects, criminalizing entire communities and denying them equal access to justice and opportunities for social mobility.
In conclusion, social structure theory's focus on individual weaknesses and community pathologies neglects the systemic and institutional forces that racialize crime and unjustly oppress marginalized groups. The criminal justice system operates within a framework that perpetuates racial hierarchies, making it imperative to recognize and challenge these structural inequalities. Films like "The House I Live In" and scholarly critiques provide crucial insights into the racialized dynamics of criminalization, highlighting the need for reforms that address the root causes of racial disparities in justice.
References
- Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The New Press.
- Tonry, Michael. 2011. Punishment and Politics: Evidence and Emulation in the Making of American Penal Policy. Oxford University Press.
- Film: The House I Live In. 2012. Directed by Eugene Jarecki.
- Additional scholarly articles on racial disparities and criminal justice reforms.