The Causes of Crime - Term Paper Example

Individual Task Sociology and Culture Meryl Omann Colorado Technical Online SOC 205 - 0901A - 14 Ian M. Bolling, Esq. January 7, 2009 Sociological Theory is a set of statements that seeks to explain the behavior or action of an individual or a group of people based on some external factors like group influence (Shaefer 2008). The difference with the psychological theory is it uses indications from the inside and outside part of the individual, such as his/her conscience. Which someone's conscience tends to try to answer questions about a certain behavior or action of a certain individual or group of individuals (Biology Online, 2005). The common factor on these two theories, however, is that they are often times used alternately to explain the causes of crime and why people commit crime. Sociologists used five basic research methods or strategies to collect data: Surveys - enables researchers to gather data on a large population and to quantify results for comparative purposes. Field of Study - allows a researcher to study behavior in its natural setting and to observe subtleties in attitudes and behavior. Experiments - are most useful in studying limited, clearly defined questions. They enable a researcher to isolate independent and dependent variables. Cross-cultural studies - are comparisons of belief, customs, and behavior of two or more groups of people with different languages and way of life; and Historical Studies - permit researchers to study rare, unpredictable, and long-term social phenomena and to answer questions that depend on a particular social context. (James M. Henslin, 2001) One of the well-known researches that applied the Sociological Theory was made by a French Sociologist named Emile Durkheim. He conducted a classic study of suicide, with an attempt to explain the difference between the sociological from psychological intentions of individuals. According to Durkheim, there are four main types of suicide: Egoistic suicide - committed by people who do not feel attached to a group or community that commands their loyalty and participation, for example, foreign students in America who are away from their family and friends. Altruistic suicide - committed by people who are has an excessive loyalty to his group than himself, for example, soldiers compared to individual. Fatalistic suicide - occur when people believe that there is nothing they can do to alter their life conditions. Anomic suicide - people depend on social guidelines to order their lives and they commit these suicides to have one consequence when rules of behavior are conflicting (Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, 2007). In arriving at his conclusions, Durkheim identified few factors relating to the issue and applied theories one at a time to the data until they fitted. He concluded that "suicide rate varied from group to group" (Gelles and Levine, 1999, p.25). It means to say that there is no exact causal pattern for suicide and the tendency that people may or may not commit suicide depends upon the attributes of the group he belongs. For example, Japanese soldiers were most likely to take their lives than other members of armed forces; "unmarried people had much higher rates than married people did" (Schaefer, 2001, p. 11). Though Durkheim offered a more scientific explanation to the causes of suicides compared to other findings, his conclusions were still weak. A theory is not a final explanation of events, like human behavior. That is why sociologists continue to determine other factors that will explain why people commit suicide (summarized based from Shaefer, 2001, p.11; website reference containing closely similar facts at http://www.hewett.norfolk.sch.uk/CURRIC/soc/durkheim/durkw2.htm) There are three major sociological perspectives that are useful in explaining the presence of a society. These are the functionalist, conflict, and, symbolic perspectives. Under the functionalist perspective, a society is looked up as integral part that plays a vital role without which a world can not exist. In the conflict theory, a society is looked up as the causes of struggle, competition, and other conflicts. And under the symbolic interaction, it may be look up as a means of communication, whether verbal or non-verbal, between individuals (Shaefer, 2008). Applying these perspectives in religion for example, religion is"societal glue" (Schaefer, 2008) that integrates people together in its functionalist perspective. For example, immigrants from other states tend to select a new home in their new homeland to which they have a church where they can freely exercise their religion. In the conflict perspective, there are religions that teach certain act not a sin, while others teach the same act as a sin. Others believed there are three places that you might probably go after death, heaven, purgatory, or hell, while others believe it is only heaven or hell. And lastly in the interactionist perspective, religious rituals such as praying before and after meals or baptism through immersion in the river are important factors in reinforcing the followers' commitment to their faith (summarized based from Schaefer, 2001, pp. 377 - 381; website reference containing closely similar facts at CliffNotes ) These three perspectives, though different in meaning, but when used collectively can explain human behavior. References (Schaefer, 2008) Schaefer, Richard T., 2008 "Sociology: A Brief Introduction, 7th edition" ISBN 978-0-07-352805-2 Published by McGraw-Hill, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, New York, New York, 10020. (Hewett, 2009) Hewett, 2009 "The Durkheim Page" Sociology at Hewett Articles retrieved January 9, 2009 from http://www.hewett.norfolk.sch.uk/CURRIC/soc/durkheim/durk.htm (James M. Henslin, 2001, 2001) James M. Henslin, 2001, 2001, 2007 "Essentials of Sociology" Articles retrieved January 9, 2009 from http://books.google.com/booksid=852vjh_IwusC&pg=PA20&lpg=PA20&dq=5+basic+research+methods+sociologists+use+to+collect+data&source=web&ots=PHhQWzSfY0&sig=5B6LxVvHv7CK6tjfM1dZXUSM5B4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPT82,M1 (Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, 2007) Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, 2007 "DURKHEIM, MILE" Articles retrieved January 9, 2009 from http://www.deathreference.com/Da-Em/Durkheim-mile.html (Biology Online, 2009) Biology Online, 2009 "Psychological Theory" Biology Online Articles retrieved January 9, 2009 from http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Psychological_theory Read More