Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

 Explain the major principles of sociological theories and be able to identify three key
sociological explanations for crime
 Show how the organization and structure of society may contribute to criminality, and
explain what sociologists mean by the term social structure
 Identify three types of social structure theories and list the characteristics of each
 Identify modern-day crime control policies that reflect the social structure approach
 Assess the shortcomings of the social structure approach to understanding and preventing
crime

Sociological theories explore relationships among groups and institutions and envision crime as
the result of social processes, as the natural consequence of aspects of social structure, or as the
result of economic and class struggle. Social structure theories, with which this chapter has
mostly been concerned, are only one of three types of sociological explanations for crime. Social
structure theories emphasize poverty, lack of education, absence of marketable skills, and
subcultural values as fundamental causes of crime.

Three subtypes of social structure theories can be identified: social disorganization theory, strain
theory, and culture conflict theory. Social disorganization theory encompasses the notion of
social pathology, which sees society as a kind of organism and crime and deviance as a kind of
disease or social pathology. Theories of social disorganization are often associated with the
perspective of social ecology and with the Chicago School of criminology, which developed
during the 1920s and 1930s. Strain theory points to a lack of fit between socially approved
success goals and the availability of socially approved means to achieve those goals. As a
consequence, according to the perspective of strain theory, individuals unable to succeed through
legitimate means turn to other avenues that promise economic and social recognition. Culture
conflict theory suggests that the root cause of criminality can be found in a clash of values
between differently socialized groups over what is acceptable or proper behavior.

Because theories of social structure look to the organization of society for their explanatory
power, intervention strategies based on them typically seek to alleviate the social conditions that
are thought to produce crime. Social programs based on social structure assumptions frequently
seek to enhance socially acceptable opportunities for success and to increase the availability of
meaningful employment.

In the field of sociological criminology, social structure theories emphasize the relation between
social structure and criminal behaviour, asserting that disadvantaged economic conditions are
primary influential factors in criminal activity. As an interdisciplinary approach, it combines an
examination of the social dynamics of human behaviour with the a study of systemic barriers in
place that drive crime increase, such as concentrated poverty, community frustration, and class
struggle. Social structure theories for the most part identify poor educational resources, absence
of marketable skills, economic hardship, and subcultural values as being the fundamental causes
of criminal behaviour.
There are three sub types within the hierarchy of social structure theories: social disorganization
theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. Social disorganization theory posits that crime
rates are interrelated with issues of social pathology, and are often associated with perspectives
of the Chicago School of criminology; this theory implies a direct link between residential
location as a factor in influencing a person’s inclination towards engaging in criminal behaviour.
Strain theory focuses on a schism between socially approvable goals and the availability of
means by which to socially achieve those goals which results in a turn to crime by individuals
unable to succeed legitimately. Lastly, culture conflict theory proposes that the root cause of
criminality is to be found within the values dissonance of differently socially taught groups as to
what constitutes acceptable or appropriate behaviour.

http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/crime/school-violence/social-structure-theories-and-
school-violence/