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Sociological theories of juvenile delinquency
Sociological theories of juvenile delinquency
Sutherland, Edwin H.: Differential Association Theory
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One of the positivist theory demonstrated in Crips and Bloods: Made in America is Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory. Both gangs initially started as a new generation watched the turmoil that their parents endured. They saw the police targeting and the response of their parents. That is how the Crips was formed. Sutherland’s Theory states, “If an individual associates with people who hold deviant (or criminal) ideas more than with people who embrace conventional ideas, the individual is like to become deviant” (24). The founders of the Crips associated with rest of the African-American population as they grew up watching their families be brutalized by the police and result in riots or other criminal behaviors. Society had such a
big impact that they started turning on themselves. Today, many of the gang members are many generations after their founders, and they do not know what they are fighting for. They are apart of a gang and use gun violence because the people they associate do. People also joined the one of the gangs to gain protection, knowing what was happening is wrong. Despite not starting deviant, they become deviant from the situation they live in and those with whom they interact. (3) A prominent constructionist theory shown in the documentary is the Social Reality Theory. To begin, the Boy Scouts did not want black children to join because they saw it as a threat to their organization. Whites hold the power at this time, so they are trying to stop the African-American population from gaining power. Police further demonstrate this by targeting Blacks. They pull over any Blacks that cross over into 'white territory', claiming that they look like a robber. A targeted traffic stop against a black man is what started a five day riot. After the riot, the Blacks created new groups to try to rebuild their cities. The Whites, with their preconceived ideology of criminal black behavior, squashed their new groups. Even though, the Blacks were looking for reform, the Whites ended it to retain their power.
There were groups such as the Black Panthers, and the US Organization, which were known to have been rivals due to false rumors that had been spread by the government and the media. Black Panthers were known to have offered a more reliable source of protection during this time than the police did for African Americans. Sloan interviews current and former gang members from a variety of gangs spread throughout Los Angeles. He gives us a different perspective on where gangs came from and why they formed. Although they were originally formed to protect African Americans, they have strayed far from where they started.
The impression that I made out from watching this film is that back in 1965 in Los Angeles the gangs Crips and Bloods was found to protect black Americans from the violence cause by white police officers and white gang members. During those periods black kids in high school and junior schools were being attacked by white students in school so black people teamed up together to fight against them in school; and that was how the black gangs became. Some gangs were sponsored by Slausons, Farmers, Bausinessmen, and Gladiators. Moving forward, bastards of the party came from a passage in city of quartz which was later made a documentary film in 2005, it was produced by Alex Demyanenko, and directed by a former blood gang member Cle Sloan. Inside this movie, it explored the creation of two of Los Angeles’s notorious gangs Crips and Bloods from the perspective of Los Angeles community.
The documentary, “Crips and Bloods: Made in America” talks about many social concerns. In the documentary, both discrimination and economics are the main factors for the problems in Southern California. The gangs started because of discrimination. By denying people because of their skin color to join social activities such as the boy/girl scouts is what led to the formation of groups that later turned into gangs. Apart from that, hatred and threats escalated the situations that then turned the gangs into what they are today. According to the documentary, because of the gang rivalry there exists an invisible line that separates the territories of both the Crips and the Bloods. Not only is that the only factor, but also
The documentary Crips and Bloods: Made in America, can be analyzed through three works: “Modern Theories of Criminality” by C.B. de Quirόs, “Broken Windows” by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling and “Social Structure and Anomie” by Robert K. Merton.
This can be connected to the Crips and the Bloods by the similar treatment the African Americans receive compared to the roughnecks. This recognition as being a roughneck makes it much more difficult to get a job, and escape the society they are currently in.... ... middle of paper ... ... Anderson discusses the code of the streets and how this set of rules and norms dictates how people behave in South Las Angeles and gives rise to organized gang violence.
One direct quote from the film, Crips and Bloods: Made in America that Differential Association Theory can be used to explain is “I joined a gang not only for the protection but for the love for the unity, to be a part of
...haviors he so wishes to comprehend are those whom he labels as The Cocaine Kids. Now that examples of these drug sellers’ behaviors have been provided, the criminological theories that can explain such behaviors have been made visible to the unseen eye. Criminological theories including the theory of Differential Association, the Subculture of Violence Theory, and the Social Learning Theory can be viewed as methods for developing a knowledgeable understanding of how and why such behaviors introduced individuals to the drug-selling world, kept them submerge deep within it, and allowed for them to leave it.
An estimated 1.4 million people are active in more than 33,000 street, prison, and outlaw motorcycle gangs across the country, according to a report from the FBI. FBI officials, however, were quick to emphasize that the apparent 40 percent increase in membership may reflect more accurate reporting of numbers in gang ranks (FBI). Neighborhood-based gangs have proven that they can be very violent. Neighborhood Crip Rollin’ 6o’s is the most popular street gang in many states. Neighborhood Crip Rollin’ 6o’s is a gang that have many interesting things about it such as it’s early formation, how to get in and out, and what they do.
Differential association theory states that, “[P]eople who associate with some groups learn an ‘excess’ of definitions of deviance, increasing the likelihood that they will become deviant.” (Henslin) To put it in layman’s terms: “Tell me who you hang out with and I’ll tell you who you are.” The first example of differential association theory can be seen at the beginning of the film when the boys encounter the “gangsters” near the dead body. There are many factors that could have contributed to their unification as a group. It can range anywhere from age similarities to the fact that they live in the same neighborhood. What ever it may have been this group of men now share common deviant behaviors that are associated with gang affiliations. The following example of differential association theory deals with Ice Cube’s character “Doughboy.” As the years went by and the boys grew up “Doughboy” did not really amount to anything and began to hang out with the wrong crowd. They presented with deviant behavior that society tends to frown upon such as them not going to school, drinking and hanging out with the wrong crowds, gambling, selling drugs, etcetera. This crowd was very similar to the gangsters he and his friends encountered at the beginning of the film. Lastly, due to his relationship ...
The Crips, originating in Los Angeles, California, are one of the oldest, largest, and most notorious gangs in the United States. They have been involved in murders, robberies and drug dealing in the Los Angeles area. The Crips are mostly identified by the blue color worn by their members. What was once a single gang is now a loose network of "franchises" around the United States. The gang primarily (but not exclusively) comprises African Americans. The Crips have an intense rivalry with the Bloods and are also known to feud with Chicano gangs.
This paper will cover issues that young minorities encounter in the movies; Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008), Gran Torino (2008), A Better Life (2011). Movies will be summarize, and compare and contrast youths experienced. Criminological theories shall be utilized to further elaborate issues. Finally steps and theories will be utilized towards solving issues, also possible methods to correct the issues will be addressed in the end.
Many have attempted to explain gang involvement in today's society. However, there is an underlying activity of youth joining gangs that does not seem to have enough media coverage or thorough explanations. As the name suggests, youth gang membership is about the juvenile population creating and joining gangs. Research indicates that youth gang membership exists in contemporary north America (Bernburg et al. 2006; aLilly et al. 2011; Maclure and Sotelo 2004; Sims 1997; Wiley et al. 2013; Yoder et al. 2003). This paper will examine the factors associated with youth gang membership using Karl Marx's conflict theory and labeling theory in comparison. Although conflict theory helps explain why a troublesome economy and coming from a low-socioeconomic status contributes to gang involvement, the theory has its limitations. On the other hand, labeling theory is unable to fully explain youth gang involvement based on the aforementioned factors. That being said, it can give a better explanation based on the factor of government intervention in the lives of citizens such as the context of stop-and-frisk which lead to unwarranted searches.
The film, Crips and Bloods: Made in America, analyzes the social conditions of young African Americans associated with gang violence in South Los Angeles. Given limited opportunities aside from education and employment, many young teens were forced to partake in drug-related gangs in order to survive on the streets of South Los Angeles. The barriers that segregated whites from blacks led to the poor economic conditions of these African American communities. Dr. Josh Sides discusses how those who crossed specific boundaries were harassed and put into place. One scenario can demonstrated by Bird, whom he talks about being detained and questioned by police as to why he had been robbing. He reacts by saying, “What does a robber look like…he looks
The differential association theory has been used to explain various criminal case studies and the model can be projected onto various crimes. For example youth delinquency and gangs are a steadily growing phenomenon in cities all over the world. Statistics show that 22% of all serious violent crimes in England and Wales are committed by gang members, they also commit half of the shootings which take place in the city. (Ministry of Justice: 2013) Gang behaviours could be underpinned by the differential association theory. It has been stated that it ‘powerfully calls up the image of [a] gang of
Gang violence is a major problem in our society today. If nothing is done soon, gang violence could take place in our neighborhoods. MW Klein, a gang researcher, says that gangs are an aggregation of youths who perceive themselves as distinct, and that are viewed as distinct by the community. Klein also states that the gangs call forth a consistently negative image of themselves through their actions (Klein). To those involved in gangs however, gang membership provided a youth means of attempting to consolidate their gender identities (Douglas). Most of the early American street gangs have historically been ethnically based. Early gangs were mainly Irish, Polish, or Italian (Klein).