How does the process of social interaction contribute to criminal behavior?
Social interaction is manner in which an individual associates with other people within their environment. In most cases, social interaction has led to the development of social groups that have certain rules and regulations designed for persons within the group to observe. Social norms are opinions constructed by a majority in the society. Therefore, deviant behavior only results from breaking rules comstructed by those in authority. This implies that criminal behavior can be an outcome of social interaction following because a given social group may be engaging in activities that are otherwise considered deviant by the society at large, but is acceptable within the group.What are the various social process perspectives discussed in this chapter?
The different social process perspectives include differential association, social learning, social bonding, self-control, labeling and neutralization.
Why do people tend to accept the labels applied to them?
People’s behavior is intrinsically out of the ordinary, but the same only comes to be acknowledged when a certain group of people usually the majorities do not confer. People tend to accept labels because since the society has already labeled the, they will use the same to engage in crime. Furthermore, the labeled will engage in criminal behavior because law enforcers track them only because it is their duty and not that the behavior is wrong to them. The law enforcers given a choice would also engage in what is rather considered deviant.
What kinds of social policy initiatives might be based on social process theories of crime causation?
Social policy initiative based on social process theories of crime causation is the development of crime prevention programs that work towards enhancement of self control and construction of pro-social bonds. Citing the marriage institution as an example, the children associate themselves with a favorable role model who maybe the parents. What are the central concepts of social development theories?
The key concept of differential association is that crime is learned during social interaction while the history of punishment or reward is paramount in social learning whereby excess reward for deviant behavior perpetuates it. In social bonding, bonds are associated with institutions such as family that prevent crime. The self control theory explains the origin of crime resulting in individuals with low self control usually brought about by minimal adult supervision hence exposing one to criminal opportunities. The labeling theory explains that a deviant behavior is propelled by the fact that one is labeled deviant, therefore, they build the self concept around that label. The neutralization theory is whereby individuals drift in and out of crime since they neutralize the moral constraints and hence their guilt for committing a crime. What kinds of social policy initiatives might be suggested by social development perspectives?
In labeling theory, the society should allow offenders to protect their self image as law abiding citizens by not critiquing their technique of neutralization, have positive role models in differential association and social bonds while the criminal justice agents should challenge the excuse making of deviants in neutralization.
