Social disorganization theory links delinquency to middle-class measuring rods

The Middle-Class Measuring Rod explains how a delinquent subculture rises, everywhere it is initiated within social structure, and why it has the particular features that it does. A subculture is a unit within the stronger culture that has its own beliefs, norms and values. They have a tendency of develop where people in like situations find themselves secluded from the mainstream and assemble together for shared support. Subcultures are present within a bigger society, not separated from it. Mike Carlie, Ph.D. at Missouri State University explains, “Albert Cohen’s theory is intended to explain how a delinquent subculture rises, where it is found within social structure, and why it has the particular characteristics that it does” (Carlie). According to Cohen, “Some lower-class children fail to measure up to the middle-class values and feel frustrated as a result of their inability to measure up to the school 's expectations. He believes some of these frustrated children will act out by turning the middle-class values upside down” (Carlie). Delinquent subgroups are fixed in class variances within parental …show more content…

According to Clarence C. Schrag author of Crime and Justice: American Style, “Juvenile delinquency isn’t rooted by the denial of middle-class values, but comes from lower-class culture, maintaining its own value system. This system has grown as a reaction to living in disadvantaged neighborhoods categorized by single-parent households” (Schrag). Norms of gang activities are the juvenile expressions of the lower-class culture. Some of the identified concerns to which lower-class males give persistent attention to include toughness, trouble, excitement, smartness, luck, and autonomy. Some criminologists wonder if lower- class boys are changing to their own value structure, and whether they suffer guiltiness or embarrassment after they commit delinquent

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Social disorganization theory links delinquency to middle class measuring rods.
The version of control theory articulated by Travis Hirschi in his influential 1969 book Causes of Delinquency is today the dominant version of control theory. Hirschi links the onset of criminality to weakening of the ties that bind people to society.

What is true about social disorganization theory?

Social disorganization theory specifies that several variables—residential instability, ethnic diversity, family disruption, economic status, population size or density, and proximity to urban areas—influence a community's capacity to develop and maintain strong systems of social relationships.

What does social disorganization theory identify as the main cause of disorganized neighborhoods?

Social disorganization theory suggest that a person's residential location is more significant than the person's characteristics when predicting criminal activity and the juveniles living in this areas acquire criminality by the cultures approval within the disadvantaged urban neighborhoods.