Soc 201: Criminology 9/29/05

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

Today we will be discussing the Chicago School of Sociology and how it relates to the field we are studying.
History of the Chicago School
Handout on Further Reading if you'd like

Today, we will discuss in class Social Disorganization Theory

In the original study, the analysts found that even when new immigrant groups moved into an area due to stratification and other factors, juvenile deliquency rates remained at the same levels. Therefore, they supposed that it was not the "constitution" of a particular ethnic of economic group that caused deliquency, but rather the environment itself. One definition of the problem is "The inability of a community structure to realize the common values of its residents and maintain effective social controls."

Discussion question for class: How much do you believe environmental factors play into criminal behavior?

It is exam time again. Study Guide for Monday's Exam The questions will be taken from the first 25.

Comments

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Okay, if I'm getting this right then families do not fall under environmental factors. I think the society around us determines a lot of our behaviour, but it not the only and final determining factor.

If you just take a look at the weapons ban discussion, you'll see that there are kids who have grown up in an enviroment where being armed meant pretty much staying alive. Now, you can take this example two ways. It means that in their enviroment, there are a lot of people who fall into criminal behaviour because it is common enough. When your society does not punish or even condones criminal behaviour, it's only natural that your citizens will behave accordingly.

Then again, it needs to be said that even though so many people grew up surrounded by violence, they still chose for themselves to not fall into the same behaviour and have used their weapons in defence of not only themselves, but also others around them. I'm not sure what the driving factor behind it is, but I can imagine that family and education are a big influence. If you are taught to not harm another person or to not steal, then chances are likely that you will not do this either.

Even so, I think it's easy to go out and blame society and education or your parents. In the end it's the individual who decides. We can try to come up with as many excuses as we want to for people committing a crime and we can try to be compassionate about it too, but in the end they still made the decision. I don't think it is so unusual for someone who was taught to do harm in a violent enviroment to still end up doing the right thing.

((Apparently Cam feels strongly about it.))

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

Excellent thoughts Cameron, the issue of personal responsibility vs. the effects of society is not easily understood. Good work today.



[damn]

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

*smiles, relieved that he didn't take this thing too far* Thank you, sir.

[chasingangela]

Angela is in class, but she just cannot focus on the lecture. She's praying Grissom won't call on her.

Which probably means he will.

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"Hello Ms. Chase. You look a bit distracted today."

[chasingangela]

Angela shifts a lock of hair out of her eye and raises her head halfway from the desk.

"I might be. Sorry," she says.

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

Grissom wonders to himself why he ever, ever took a job at a high school.

"Ummmm... right. That's okay. Do you not feel well? Do you need to see the nurse?"

[chasingangela]

Angela wonders why she's stuck in a school where a girl can't even think in class in peace.

"I'm fine," she says. "Was, there, like, a question you wanted me to answer or something?"

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"I don't have the time nor to I have the desire to force you to participate, Angela. You're almost an adult, you can make those decisions for yourself, and I am not going to waste my energies when your classmates are eager to learn."

[chasingangela]

"Okay," Angela says, feeling extremely put-upon and exhausted and putting her head back on her desk.

[OOC: So you know, it's not Grissom ... Angela just doesn't feel like being in class today. Sorry.]

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

I think the environment and environmental factors can play a major part in criminal behavior. The world around us influences almost everyone in some way. Some are negative and some are positive. For example, we can take the people who say that watching too much violent tv or too many violent movies can lead to people becoming violent in an effort to imitate what they've seen.

The thing about environmental factors, though, is that proving that they are a direct cause of crime is difficult at best. There's no way to measure if a violent movie caused John Doe to go kill someone.

My opinion may be that John Doe was influenced by said movie but proving that in a court of law in order to punish the movie makers would not be easy.

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

But perhaps some classes and socio-economic groups are more exposed to violent media than others - is it because these cultures identify with what is going on in their communities, a reflection of the culture, or perhaps groups with more power providing it? How does that effect personal responsibility?

I do agree with your thoughts, however. Where the line can be drawn over responsibility for the effect of media is something I don't have the answer to. It it a trigger for criminal elements that are already present, or can longterm exposure result in criminal behavior? Good thoughts today.

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia sits down, her eyes are bagged and she is trying very hard to stay away. Maia's eyes have a glazed look to them but she continues to write as Dr. Grissom lectures. exam monday