Summary
The subcultural approaches to criminology argue that various groups of people establish norms and values that contrast those held by other members of society. These clashing norms and values are often the driving factors for crime. When members of communities hold different values in importance a break down in social control occurs causing neighborhoods to ineffectively address crime. Therefore the break down in social control allows crime to flourish and leaves communities at odds on how to combat crime.
Warner’s (2003) article addresses the two current theoretical approaches to the role of culture in a community-level model, but focuses on cultural attenuation as the main factor in community level violence. The first approach is …show more content…
Shaw and McKay (1969) developed this approach, which suggested that children in poor, residentially mobile, and ethnically diverse neighborhoods have a conflicting value system that differs from the value system of other members of society like the middle-class. The conflicting value systems are then perceived to be part of the reason criminal acts come to fruition (Warner, 2003). Warner’s (2003) work looks at the second theoretical approach, cultural attenuation. Cultural attenuation argues that the strength of conventional culture differs across communities and that weakened culture does not provide effective social control. This approach argues that weakened values characterize social disorganization. Social disorganization is described as “the inability to realize common values,” and therefore it leads to cultural attenuation (Kornhauser, 1978). This “inability to realize common values” has been transformed into the inability to prevent crime. Neighborhoods havocked by structural inequalities, specifically concentrated disadvantage and residential mobility affect resident’s ability to enforce societies normative values (Warner, 2003). When these …show more content…
By strengthening the community ties through the five core elements as well as strengthening ties with law enforcement, this is a valid approach to attempting to combat social disorganization. While the study aims to combat social disorganization it fails to take into account competing value systems among gang and non-gang related members in Little Village. Implementing various programs and opportunities to gain employment and education may have little to no effect on gang members who have already established street values. Some gang members may already be too indoctrinated with non-normative values causing this program to be
The subcultural approaches to criminology argue that various groups of people establish norms and values that contrast those held by other members of society. These clashing norms and values are often the driving factors for crime. When members of communities hold different values in importance a break down in social control occurs causing neighborhoods to ineffectively address crime. Therefore the break down in social control allows crime to flourish and leaves communities at odds on how to combat crime.
Warner’s (2003) article addresses the two current theoretical approaches to the role of culture in a community-level model, but focuses on cultural attenuation as the main factor in community level violence. The first approach is …show more content…
Shaw and McKay (1969) developed this approach, which suggested that children in poor, residentially mobile, and ethnically diverse neighborhoods have a conflicting value system that differs from the value system of other members of society like the middle-class. The conflicting value systems are then perceived to be part of the reason criminal acts come to fruition (Warner, 2003). Warner’s (2003) work looks at the second theoretical approach, cultural attenuation. Cultural attenuation argues that the strength of conventional culture differs across communities and that weakened culture does not provide effective social control. This approach argues that weakened values characterize social disorganization. Social disorganization is described as “the inability to realize common values,” and therefore it leads to cultural attenuation (Kornhauser, 1978). This “inability to realize common values” has been transformed into the inability to prevent crime. Neighborhoods havocked by structural inequalities, specifically concentrated disadvantage and residential mobility affect resident’s ability to enforce societies normative values (Warner, 2003). When these …show more content…
By strengthening the community ties through the five core elements as well as strengthening ties with law enforcement, this is a valid approach to attempting to combat social disorganization. While the study aims to combat social disorganization it fails to take into account competing value systems among gang and non-gang related members in Little Village. Implementing various programs and opportunities to gain employment and education may have little to no effect on gang members who have already established street values. Some gang members may already be too indoctrinated with non-normative values causing this program to be