Читать книгу Criminology For Dummies - Steven Briggs - Страница 24

Sometimes people make rational choices to engage in crime because their values are significantly different from those of mainstream society. For example, a gangbanger may rationally choose to commit assault to gain status within his gang. How does a person develop such antisocial values?

Criminologists have developed a number of theories to explain society’s role in crime. Social disorganization theory, for example, asserts that the structure of a neighborhood is strongly correlated to the amount of crime in that neighborhood. Where social structures are in decay, more crime is likely to occur. Poor schools, high unemployment, and a mix of commercial and residential property are some of the indicators of social disorganization.

Strain theory contends that everyone in society has generally the same goals and ambitions. But some people aren’t able to achieve those goals because they lack opportunity, attend poor schools, or have few positive role models, for example. In response, they resort to crime to achieve their goals. In other words, the frustration, or strain, of not achieving their goals leads them to commit crime. A variety of strain theories focuses on different causes of frustration.

Yet another theory, called the social learning theory, contends that criminals learn the skills, attitudes, and behaviors that lead to crime from the people they hang out with. Under this theory, a person’s peer group and family are instrumental in shaping the values that lead them to criminal or law-abiding behavior.

Other explanations for crime come from a collection of theories known as social control theories. Generally, these theories argue that crime is exciting and fun and provides immediate gratification, so most people would become criminals if not for a variety of “controls” that restrain the urge to commit crime. These controls may be external, such as family, schools, church, and the social bonds related to these organizations. Or they may be internal, such as self-discipline and strong self-esteem. In neighborhoods where institutional controls are weak, more crime occurs.