Social Disorganization Theory - Essay Example

The film shows how people in certain areas and certain classes are exposed to more crimes and conflicts from the very beginning of their lives and how this influences the way they grow up and their attitude towards life. It is possible to explain the theme behind the movie with the help of two important theories, namely the social disorganization theory and the conflict theory. According to the Chicago School-borne social disorganization concept proposed by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay, the crime rates at a particular place are influenced by the characteristics of that particular area.

In other words, the place one lives in has a great impact on whether that person engages in criminal activities (William & McShane 2016: 56-59). Based on this concept, Edward Sutherland points out that when a society is marked by chaos, the members of that society see a higher number of conflicts, and this increases the chance of criminal behavior. A typical example of this situation is the movie named Boyz N the Hood. The movie is set in a poor neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles.

The main characters in the film are Ricky, Trey, and another youngster named Doughboy. In the case of these characters, the society they live in is heavily disorganized, and one can see no community activities or other chances for involvement in public welfare activities. In the case of these three characters, the only activity of community engagement is their position in the high school football team. The reason for this disorganized state is to be found in the lack of money to spend on improving social cohesion.

For this reason, juvenile delinquency remains an important element in the community shown in the movie, indicating that the social setup will greatly influence what its inhabitants will do and ultimately become. Conflict Theory and It’s Meaning According to the conflict theory, a societal set up with socio-economic disparities are more likely to see criminal activities in the community because there is a chance of the deprived ones using deviant behavior as a way to overcome the problems they face as a result of the low status in the community (William & McShane 2016: 108).

Similarly, in such societies, the higher classes generally enjoy more control and power over the poor ones, and this can also contribute to an increased number of crimes. In the movie, the reason for the deviant behavior is the social and economic inequality prevailing in South Central Los Angeles. For example, Furious tells in the film that the reason for their misery is that the higher classes are suppressing the poor youth from achieving success by denying them opportunities. According to the latter theory, one important reason for social disorganization as seen in Boyz N the Hood is the stratification of society where different classes engage in a regular power struggle.

However, as the rich ones have nearly exclusive control over wealth, education, and opportunities, the rich become richer, and the poor become poorer. Due to the limited opportunities, competition arises even within the lower classes for grabbing the limited opportunities. For example, in the movie Boyz N the Hood, Brenda- Ricky and Doughboy’s mother- is eagerly waiting with the hope that her son Ricky will help her family improve their status in the society by being a successful athlete.

Thus, one can see that the theory of social disorganization and the conflict concept help to explain the behavior of characters like Ricky in the movie Boyz N the Hood. While the disorganization concept shows how a society without organization and involvement can result in deviant behavior in its inhabitants, the conflict theory explains how the struggle between and within classes is a major reason for criminality. To conclude, it becomes evident in light of both the theories that some localities are more prone to crimes due to two important reasons.

First, many communities are marked by the total absence of community involvement and community activities. This disorganized state makes its inhabitants more prone to be exposed to and commit crimes. Similarly, the difference between classes existing in certain communities will result in the development of class struggles, which lead to conflicts as a way to overcome the problems.