Criminality a Meaningful Response to Overt and Covert Discrimination Within the criminal justice system there exists many mechanisms intended to control for immoral and deviant behaviours agreed upon by mainstream society. This becomes evident in the laws and regulations that are set in place by society. However, these forms of social control have proven to consistently marginalize the most vulnerable of society. In that, those without the already established social capital needed to acclimate and maneuver (Rios, 2011), are made to participant within a disadvantageous system that is inclined to oppress them. Therefore, an instinctual response is often necessary to oppose institutions of systemic discrimination, a restrictive economic system,
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In regards to discrimination, racial minorities are faced with this the most, in forms of covert exclusion. The institutions that are set in place to serve and protect are not representative of the populations that they oversee, thus they perceive the behaviour of minorities as being abnormal and overtly criminalize them (Rios, 2011). Sociology Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Victor M. Rios coins the term “misrecognition” to demonstrate the disconnect between a dominate groups interpretation of socially acceptable norms compared to ones’ of visible minorities. In his case study of Ronny, a young African American youth attempting to pursue a legitimate career path, Victor M. Rios found that as youths attempted to change their behaviour for the better, they typically had a different impression of what respectability in regards to professionalism constituted in comparison to mainstream norms. This resulted in the communities that they wished to become involved in to view their honest attempts as rather nefarious and criminalized them for it instead (Rios, 2011). In addition, with regards to Ronny’s circumstances, Rios found that as Ronny continually received rejection from society in terms of denial of job prospects, he become more dejected, soon internalizing these failures as his true identify. Which, consequentially perpetuated feelings of …show more content…
This seems to stem from their need to retaliate in unabashed ways as a means to not only garner attention to their plight and frustrations but also reclaim some semblance of dignity and respect that they feel as though has long been denied to them. In Rio’s case study analysis of the stolen bag of chips, he found a prime example of minority youths actively embracing the repercussions of defying the criminal justice system so long as they could assert their dignity and self-respect (Rios, 2011). As Rios (2011) describes, seemingly irrational behaviours from the boys’ perspectives, “they had won a small battle in a war they were so tired of losing” (pg.
In regards to discrimination, racial minorities are faced with this the most, in forms of covert exclusion. The institutions that are set in place to serve and protect are not representative of the populations that they oversee, thus they perceive the behaviour of minorities as being abnormal and overtly criminalize them (Rios, 2011). Sociology Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Victor M. Rios coins the term “misrecognition” to demonstrate the disconnect between a dominate groups interpretation of socially acceptable norms compared to ones’ of visible minorities. In his case study of Ronny, a young African American youth attempting to pursue a legitimate career path, Victor M. Rios found that as youths attempted to change their behaviour for the better, they typically had a different impression of what respectability in regards to professionalism constituted in comparison to mainstream norms. This resulted in the communities that they wished to become involved in to view their honest attempts as rather nefarious and criminalized them for it instead (Rios, 2011). In addition, with regards to Ronny’s circumstances, Rios found that as Ronny continually received rejection from society in terms of denial of job prospects, he become more dejected, soon internalizing these failures as his true identify. Which, consequentially perpetuated feelings of …show more content…
This seems to stem from their need to retaliate in unabashed ways as a means to not only garner attention to their plight and frustrations but also reclaim some semblance of dignity and respect that they feel as though has long been denied to them. In Rio’s case study analysis of the stolen bag of chips, he found a prime example of minority youths actively embracing the repercussions of defying the criminal justice system so long as they could assert their dignity and self-respect (Rios, 2011). As Rios (2011) describes, seemingly irrational behaviours from the boys’ perspectives, “they had won a small battle in a war they were so tired of losing” (pg.