The film American Gangster - Essay Example

The film American Gangster Introduction Crime is a social problem present in every society. In order to ensure a safe and secure society, motivations to commit crime must be understood. This will help in the identification of the criminals and neighborhoods prone to crime. Studying crime includes understanding criminological theories. This paper will demonstrate how routine activities theory, strain theory, and social learning theory, can be used to analyze crime in the film American Gangster. Knowledge obtained from this case analysis can be applied to real life situations. It is a practical way of understanding how to analyze crime. This is especially important in America where there are increased rates of crime compared to other nations. For example, the United States’ homicide rate is five times higher than the average rate of other industrialized nations. These theories, as applied to the film American Gangster, help in understanding criminal motivations as well as and the prevention and management of crime. Criminological Theories There are several criminological theories that are used to explain criminal behaviors, such as; social bond theory, self-control theory, social disorganization theory, routine activities theory, strain theory, and social learning theory. In this paper, there are only three theories that outline criminal behaviors in the American society. These theories include routine activities theory, strain theory and social learning theory. Routine activities theory states that there are three main elements that have to come together in a given space and time for crime to occur. These are the absence of a capable guardian to prevent crime, the presence of a suitable target and the presence of a motivated offender. Therefore, location of criminals determines their objective in carrying out fraudulent activities. Strain theory is a mode of adaptation that defines deviant behaviors influenced by the structure and culture of a society. It further posits that people have common goals and values. Perfect examples of the values include owning a home, a car, monetary success, and achieving the American Dream. Some people engage in deviant behaviors to achieve their goals because they do not have similar opportunities to fulfill their aims. This is especially in the United States, where everyone is encouraged to pursue the goal of material success, yet not everyone has the same opportunity to achieve the goal. In some communities, normal and routine operations of the society increase motivations to commit crimes. Social learning theory states that, the behavior of an individual is shaped by observational learning. The environment shapes one’s behavior. If one lives in a society where deviant behavior is part of the normal activities of the society, the person will also be involved in such deviant activities. Learning includes aspects such as direction of rationalizations, motives, attitudes, and drives, and techniques of committing crime. In this case, criminal activities are motivated by culture, values and socialization. The use of these three theories will be demonstrated in an analysis of the film below. American Gangster American Gangster is a story about a drug lord, Frank Lucas, who seizes the opportunity to exploit the benefits of supplying drugs and becomes a criminal kingpin. Lucas was just a driver to a drug lord, Bumpy Johnson, who dies from natural causes. After Johnson’s death, Lucas hardens his status in the following months to become the most innovative drug dealer in the Harlem district of Manhattan. Lucas changed the system and was able to deliver a product that was cheaper and purer compared to his competitors. In his method of controlling the drug underworld, Lucas tries to hide his criminal activities by becoming one of the civil supporters of Manhattan Borough. Through this, he would be semi-legitimate. This becomes suspicious to police detective Ritchie Roberts, who notices that the hierarchy of the drug underworld has changed. Roberts is one of the honest detectives in a very corrupt system. In his investigations, one of the dishonest and corrupt policemen, Trupo, does everything in his power to ensure that Robert’s integrity is destroyed. Robert investigates the members of the Mafia and clears them of holding any drug lord power. The methods of running the business have changed, yet the old people, previously involved in the game, are not involved. He comes to a conclusion that a new power has risen to control the local drug trade. Roberts and Lucas are revealed as two men operating on two opposing sides but with similar strict code of ethics. This distinguishes them from other opportunistic people within their systems. A battle ensues between these two men, each with a similar code of ethics, but with different operating systems. However, only one emerges victorious. Analysis Routine activities theory, states that a crime occurs when certain elements come together in any given space and time. This theory perfectly explains Lucas’ involvement in criminal activity. According to the theory, the elements that must be present in order for crime to occur are; a suitable target, the presence of a motivated offender and the absence of a capable guardian that can prevent the crime. A suitable target is more than a person to attack. It means the existence of an opportunity to be involved in criminal activities. It includes a place, a person or an object (Wikstrom, p, 3). In the case of American Gangster, the accessible target is the readily available market where heroin will be sold as well as the readily available heroin from the source at a cheaper price. This enables Lucas to easily acquire the drugs and sell them at a cheaper price. The absence of a capable guardian is shown by the corrupt police system, in which certain corrupt police officers steal the drugs from the drug dealers or extort money from them. Rossi, one of Lucas’ colleagues in the drug business, even reminds Lucas that there has to be order in life. He says “They seize it, arrest everybody, whack it up and sell it back to us.” Then as the conversation continues, he says “Who can live like that? There has to be order”. It means there are no capable guardians to prevent crime from taking place. A capable guardian could be Roberts, who is one of the only honest policemen in the system. His honesty and integrity pays off when he pursues Lucas and manages to convince him to reveal all the criminals involved in the drug business, which includes the corrupt policemen. Frank’s innovative idea and strength also contributes to the incapability of the guardians that are supposed to prevent crime. He came up with a new idea of obtaining heroin directly from its source at a cheaper price. He has the money, the connections and the skills. He has neighbors, but they are unable to report him or fight him. Instead, the neighborhood supports his drug business. Frank has friends, but almost all of them belong to the drug business or are connected to it in one way or another. Frank is also a perfect representative of a motivated offender. After the death of his boss, he analyzes the situation and finds out that he can easily manipulate the crime prevention system and that the neighborhood is filled with suitable targets. The structure and culture of the society also supported Lucas’ involvement in crime. This is explained by strain theory. According to the theory, people have common goals and values and work towards achieving them. Unfortunately, not everybody has the opportunity to legitimately obtain resources to build a house and meet other needs. This results in involvement in crime. The structure and culture of the society in which Lucas lived in is a perfect example of how a society can push someone into crime. Being a drug lord is one way to meet the cultural goal of material success. Lucas’ lifestyle changed. He was able to buy a Teaneck House, one described as, a showroom of traditional Americana, and he had cars and even a body guard. Social learning theory can also be applied to the film. According to this theory, an individual’s behavior is learned from the environment to which they are exposed. Lucas began as just a driver to a drug kingpin. Through his observations of Bumpy, Lucas was able to learn how to control the people involved in the illegal narcotics business. With such knowledge, he developed the same behavior as that seen in his boss. Although he has his own qualities and values, Frank is a perfect representative of tough, rich, intelligent and powerful black drug lord that sexist in the environment. In the film, Lucas says that, “I was with him every day for fifteen years of them, looking after him, taking care of things, protecting him, and learning from him.” He also notes that Bumpy was rich, but did not own the company. This is contrary to what he is since he learnt from what he saw. According to Lucas, Bumpy thought he owned the company, but he only managed it, someone else owned it. The owners of the company therefore, owned Bumpy. Lucas did not want to be owned, and so he changed how things were managed and became ‘white man rich’ as he claimed. Conclusion An individual’s behavior, relationships and character can be used to understand crime. This is evident in the analysis of the film ‘American Gangster’. In this film, Lucas’ character, relationships and behavior present perfect examples of how to understand criminal behavior through the use of criminological theories. This paper focused mainly on Lucas, Roberts and other characters that could be analyzed to understand crime. Relationships, character and behaviors of Frank and Roberts have conformed to three criminological theories. The film has shown that criminal behavior is influenced by the culture and structure of a society, an individual’s environment and observational learning, and that a criminal has to analyze the possibility of success before engaging in a criminal activity. Routine activities theory has been used to show how crime develops in the film. It has explained how Lucas and the environment he lived in, made crime possible. Social learning theory has been used to explain how Lucas learned the activities that led to crime. Strain theory has also been used to show the forces of the society that contribute to criminal activity. Work cited Wikstrom, P, H. Routine Activity Theories: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide. New York: Oxford University, 2010. Print. Read More