Question 1

Define concentric zones and the relationship between the zones and the crime rate.Specifically discuss the work of Shaw and McKay focusing upon transitional neighborhoods.

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Question 2

Organic solidarity is a postindustrial social system that is highly developed and dependent upon the division of labor,and in which people are connected by their interdependent needs for one another's services and production.

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Organic solidarity is a real concept in sociology and this statement accurately describes it.

Question 3

Discuss the cycles of community change and how they impact collective efficacy.

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Question 4

According to Messner and Rosenfeld,the dominance of economic concerns weakens the informal social control exerted by the family,church,and school.

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Messner and Rosenfeld argue that the focus on economic concerns leads to a weakening of informal social controls traditionally exerted by family, church, and school.

Question 5

Cultural deviance theory links crime rates to neighborhood ecological characteristics.

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Question 6

According to Cohen,the "delinquent boy" adopts a set of norms in direct opposition to middle-class values.

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Cohen's theory of delinquent subcultures suggests that delinquent behavior arises as a result of a group's adoption of norms and values that are in opposition to mainstream or middle-class values. Delinquent behavior is seen as a way for individuals to express their dissatisfaction with their social status and the limitations placed on their opportunities by society.

Question 7

What is anomie and what are the conditions that cause anomie?

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Question 8

Cohesive communities with high levels of social control develop collective efficacy.

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Collective efficacy refers to the belief that a community can work together to achieve shared goals and overcome challenges. Cohesive communities with high levels of social control are more likely to have trust, communication, and cooperation among members, which can lead to the development of collective efficacy.

Question 9

Describe the relationship between socioeconomic structure and crime.If one is a member of the lower class does it predispose that person to a life of crime according to social structure theories?

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Question 10

Retreatists reject both the goals and the means of society,while rebels substitute an alternative set of goals and means for conventional ones.

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Retreatists completely disengage from society, while rebels actively seek to replace the current system with a new one.

Question 11

How does poverty impact children and minority groups?

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Question 12

Identify the community-level factors that are associated with fear and describe how these factors contribute to the level of fear in a neighborhood.

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Question 13

Discuss Merton's version of strain theory and its social adaptations.

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Question 14

Subcultural values are handed down from one generation to the next in a process called cultural transmission.

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Cultural transmission is the process by which subcultural values, beliefs, and practices are passed down from one generation to the next. This can occur within families, peer groups, or other social networks.

Question 15

According to Agnew,criminality is the direct result of negative affective states that are produced by a variety of sources of strain.

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Agnew's general strain theory proposes that negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and disappointment that arise from experiencing strain, such as the inability to achieve goals or the loss of valued resources, may lead to criminal behavior as a coping mechanism.

Question 16

General strain theory is a micro-level theory.Explain the multiple sources of stress contained within this view and how general strain is associated with criminality.

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Question 17

While short-term national economic trends may have little effect on crime,long-term local unemployment rates may have a significant impact on conditions at the neighborhood level.

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Short-term national economic trends may not have a direct impact on crime at the neighborhood level, but long-term local unemployment rates can contribute to the development of social and economic conditions that foster crime. Unemployment can lead to poverty, inequality, and social disorganization, which are all factors associated with higher crime rates in local communities.

Question 18

What is social disorganization and how does social disorganization develop?

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Question 19

A weakness of Shaw and McKay's research was their reliance on official police records to calculate neighborhood crimes rates.

Accepted Answer

This is true because official police records only show reported crimes and not all crimes that occur in a neighborhood. This could lead to underestimating the actual crime rate in a particular area.

Question 20

According to Sellin,culture conflict occurs when the rules expressed in criminal law clash with the demands of group conduct norms.

Accepted Answer

Culture conflict occurs when there is a clash between the rules expressed in criminal law and the demands of group conduct norms. Edwin H. Sutherland and Donald R. Cressey developed this view, which emphasizes the norms and values of different groups in society. The resulting conflict can cause strain and tension between groups and individuals, and can ultimately lead to criminal behavior.

Quiz 6: Social Structure Theories