The assumption behind the theory is that, in an essence no action can be considered as criminal. Criminal behavior is defined by those people who are in power and interpreted by the law enforcement agencies and courts.  To understand the concept clearly it is important to know why some people are labeled as criminal and other are not. The legislature, judiciary and law enforcement agencies are the source of tagging people as criminal. These institution make the categories of deviance to fortify the power structure of society.

The rules for explaining the behavior as deviant or non-deviant behavior are formulated by the powerful people of the society. Such as ethnic majority impose and frame rules for minorities, rich for poor, older for younger and men for women. The dominant group of the society develop and impose the rules on subordinate groups and decides whether the behavior is deviant or not.

About 500 years ago the dominant and powerful institution in the west was church. The minister of the church decided which behavior is deviant and which is not. If a person was found drunk he would be considered as sinner and out casted by the minister of the church. But with the passage of time other institution came in to power and molded some rules of deviant behavior. Law enforcement agencies considered public drinking as criminal behavior and label the drunk trouble maker as criminal. Since late 19th century pharmaceutical companies and doctor became powerful and labeled the heavy drinking as a disease. The crimes committed by heavily drunk person like rape, child abuse and theft are considered as mental illness.

However, the laws for upper class and lower class are still different. If a rich lady is caught stealing in a store is treated for obsessive compulsive disorder. Whereas if same thing happen with lower class lady she will be arrested for theft and labeled as thief and criminal. If upper-class boy vandalize the property of school is medicated for hyperactivity. On the other hand, lower-class boy will be put in to jail for his outburst.
Those who obtain label for their deviant behavior as sick or mentally ill gets the sympathy for their condition. Those who secure the label of criminal for same action will be despised by the people and punished for their deviance. People in power often receive the label of sick or ill for their deviant behavior.      

The post Labeling Theory appeared first on Sociology Learners.

General Deterrence

General deterrence are for the general public who are not involve in any crime. The state punishes offenders to send a message to general public that, committing crime has serious consequences. Which is helpful for the state to prevent crimes in general public. Such action creates fear in general population that, if they violate the law of state there would be serious consequences for their actions. The example of general deterrence is corporal punishment which include, maiming, lashing and hanging. The physical pain inflicted upon the offender is known as corporal punishment. Saudi Arabia is the best example of corporal punishment, if an individual is caught stealing the state maim his hands. In Afghanistan during the Taliban regime adultery was punishable by lapidation or stoning. Once hanging in public was carried out in UK and USA and the family members of the offenders were allowed to watch the punishment. To make them aware of the punishment for breaking the law. Such severe punishment are carried out by the state, to make general public aware and witness the infliction of pain upon the people who violate the state laws. 

Specific Deterrence

Specific deterrence is designed to punish the offenders for their deviant behavior. Punishment for the deviant behavior is carried out for the purpose that the offender does not commit the crime in future. Proponent of specific deterrence believe that, severe punishment for deviance may stop the offenders in future to commit crimes. The state punishes the offenders severely for their crimes so that, the benefit of the crime become lower than the cost.              

The post Deterrence Theory appeared first on Sociology Learners.

Collective efficacy is dependent upon the shared values of individuals living in a community. If members of community have shared values to prevent crimes and willing to cooperate with one another, to fight the violence and crimes are more likely to create safe environment in the community.

From sociological perspective, collective efficacy is informal norms which control the deviant behavior of the members of community. Practicing of such informal norms on the daily basis leads to prevent delinquent behavior in a community. In order to develop a collective efficacy, members of community should have unity and trust. Without solidarity and cooperation it is impossible for a community members to prevent crimes.

The post Collective Efficacy Theory appeared first on Sociology Learners.

In capitalist societies individuals’ goal is to become economically prosper. However, few have means to achieve that goal. If the gap between the goals and means to obtain that goal is widen, it may lead to deviance. To accumulate wealth in a society requires wealth, few may succeed in accumulating wealth without the means in culturally approved way but, majority turn towards committing crime to achieve goal of economic prosperity. According to Robert Merton individuals can adapt five ways, when they are in strain. Which are as follow, conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion.

Conformity

Conformist are those individuals, who believe in the norms of society. They obtain their goal by culturally approved means. For example, getting degree from college and getting a job in a reputable firm or organization which pays well.

Innovation

Innovators are those individuals who approve of society goals. However, reject the culturally accepted means to achieve them. Such people use the illegitimate means to achieve society goals. For example, if an individual cheats in exams to get a degree or sell drugs to achieve financial security will be called innovator.

Ritualism

The people who have given up on the society goals. However, using the culturally approved means to earn their livelihood.

Retreatism

Those people comes under the category of retreatism, who have given up on society goals and the socially accepted means to obtain them. Such people are the dropout of society, people who lives on streets and drifters.

Rebellion

Such people rejects the society goals and the approved way of achieving them. However, they choose the alternative values. They are like revolutionaries who create alternate society for themselves.

The post Strain theory appeared first on Sociology Learners.

During the struggle to gain livelihood, people created institutions, which were very much production centric. All those institution except which existed in primitive communism, gave birth to social inequality. All the societies which emerged after the primitive communism introduced division of labor, which lead to the stratified classes of men in the society. These classes are differentiated in the society by their ownership or access to the means of production and their possession of power in the society. Whatever economic surplus is accumulated will be taken by the class who obtain power and own means of production.

History has witnessed confrontation between the different classes, the dominance of one strata over other is often challenged. The history of all the societies which existed until now is the history of class conflict. Following are the some example of class conflict which existed in different society, free man and slaves, aristocrat and commoner, landlord and peasant, bourgeoisie and proletariat and exploiters and exploited.

According to “Karl Marx”, he was never dependent on the contemporary conditions of society. He believed that world is always in changing state, it is not static. However his social change theory is based on economic factors of society, which results in development of different classes and class struggle.                     

The post Social Change Theory of Karl Marx appeared first on Sociology Learners.

According to Ibn-i- Khaldoon when unity diminishes in tribes, there is a chance of external threats. The other tribes will take advantage of the circumstances and raid the less united tribe villages. If there is no unity amongst the members of tribe, they would not be able to defend themselves against, external aggression. He suggested that the state boundaries should not be beyond the control of government. Moreover, he says that, state has physical age of 120 years and every nation rises and then fall after a passage of time and replaced by other nation.    

The post Social Change Theory appeared first on Sociology Learners.