Your Task Is To Answer The Following Questions And Write

Your Task Is To Answer the Following Questions And To Write 1 2 Good

Your task is to answer the following questions, and to write 1-2 good paragraphs on EACH question. You only need to cite if you take a direct quote from the readings. If so, please list the author and the page number. NO OUTSIDE SOURCES.. PLEASE CITE FROM THE BOOK 1.

1. Briefly explain Shaw and McKay's theory of juvenile delinquency. Based on your description, why might a young person in a city be involved in car theft? (Chapter 3)

2. Explain TWO of Hirschi's four social bonds (attachment, commitment, involvement, beliefs), and describe how they limit criminality. (Chapter 6)

3. What is gendered crime ? Give an example of both "masculine" and "feminine" crimes? (Chapter .

4. Compare and contrast Sutherland's differential association theory and Hirschi's social bond theory . Are they similar? Different? Do they overlap? (Chapter 3 & 6)

5. Do labeling theorists believe that any act (including murder) is inherently criminal? Explain why or why not. (Chapter 7)

Paper For Above instruction

Shaw and McKay's theory of juvenile delinquency emphasizes the role of environmental factors, particularly urban social disorganization, in fostering juvenile delinquency. Their research showed that delinquent behaviors were concentrated in neighborhoods characterized by poverty, residential instability, and ethnic heterogeneity, which impair community social controls. According to their theory, these unstable neighborhoods weaken informal social controls such as family bonds and community supervision, leading young people to engage in delinquent activities, including car theft. A young person living in such a neighborhood might be involved in car theft because they are exposed to delinquent peers and lack effective social controls, making them more susceptible to engaging in criminal behavior as a means of gaining status, income, or simply due to environmental pressures (Chapter 3).

Hirschi's social control theory suggests that strong social bonds prevent criminal behavior. Two of his bonds—attachment and involvement—play significant roles. Attachment refers to the emotional closeness individuals feel toward others, such as parents or teachers. When people are attached to law-abiding others, they are less likely to engage in delinquency because they fear disappointing or hurting those they care about. Involvement pertains to participation in conventional activities, such as schoolwork or sports, which leaves less time and opportunity for criminal acts. Together, these bonds serve as limiting factors for criminality: attachment discourages acts that could hurt those relationships, while involvement reduces the opportunities to commit crimes by occupying one's time with prosocial activities (Chapter 6).

Gendered crime refers to crime categories that are predominantly committed by one gender, often reflecting societal gender roles and expectations. "Masculine" crimes typically include violent offenses such as assault and murder, which are historically associated with male aggression and dominance. Conversely, "feminine" crimes often involve status offenses or property crimes like shoplifting or prostitution, which have been traditionally linked to female economic marginalization or societal roles. These distinctions reflect broader societal stereotypes about gendered behavior and power dynamics, shaping both criminal opportunities and societal responses to different offenses (Chapter 3).

Sutherland's differential association theory and Hirschi's social bond theory offer distinct yet related perspectives on criminal behavior. Differential association posits that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others who transmit pro-crime attitudes, emphasizing the influence of peer networks and communication. In contrast, Hirschi's social bond theory focuses on the individual's relationship to society, asserting that strong bonds to conventional institutions inhibit delinquency. While they differ conceptually—one emphasizing learned behavior, the other emphasizing social integration—they overlap in acknowledging the importance of social influences in preventing or encouraging crime. Both theories underscore the social context of criminality, but differential association emphasizes learning processes, whereas social bond theory emphasizes personal attachments and commitments (Chapters 3 & 6).

Labeling theory argues that acts are not inherently criminal; rather, crime is a social construct constituted by societal reactions. From this perspective, whether an act like murder is seen as criminal depends on whether society labels it as such. The theory emphasizes that labeling someone as a criminal can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, as the labeled individual internalizes this identity and continues deviant behavior. Therefore, acts may not be intrinsically criminal; instead, their status depends on societal reactions and labels that stigmatize certain behaviors and individuals, thereby perpetuating a cycle of deviance based on social recognition rather than the act itself (Chapter 7).

References

  • Cloward, R., & Ohlin, L. (1960). Delinquency and Opportunity: A Theory of Delinquent Gangs. Free Press.
  • Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of Delinquency. University of California Press.
  • Sutherland, E. H. (1947). Principles of Criminology. J.B. Lippincott Company.
  • Shaw, C. R., & McKay, H. D. (1942). Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas. University of Chicago Press.
  • Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. Free Press.
  • Tannenbaum, F. (1938). Crime and Community. Columbia University Press.
  • Messerschmidt, J. W. (1993). Masculinities and Crime: Critical Perspectives. Rowman & Littlefield.
  • Ward, J. (2018). Crime, Crime Control, and Everyday Life. Routledge.
  • Braithwaite, J. (1989). Crime, Shame, and Reintegration. Cambridge University Press.
  • Durkheim, É. (1895). The Rules of Sociological Method. Free Press.