Question 1

Failure to complete high school greatly impacts one's social and economic opportunities. What percent of inner-city, black males do not complete high school?

Accepted Answer

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 50% of inner-city, black males do not complete high school. This statistic highlights the immense educational inequality and systemic barriers that Black students in particular face in the United States.

Question 2

Strain theory holds that crime is a function of:

Accepted Answer

Strain theory posits that when individuals are unable to accomplish their goals through legitimate means, they may turn to crime as an alternative. This can occur when there is a disjunction between socially accepted goals (e.g. wealth, success) and the legitimate means to achieve those goals (e.g. education, hard work). This strain can lead individuals to seek alternative means of achieving those goals, such as through criminal activity.

Question 3

According to the author, the most important of Shaw and McKay's findings was that:

Accepted Answer

The author notes that Shaw and McKay's most important finding was that crime rates corresponded to neighborhood structure. This refers to their identification of certain neighborhoods as having higher or lower rates of crime based on their social and physical characteristics. This concept has had a lasting impact on criminology and the study of crime prevention.

Question 4

What two elements of culture interact to produce anomie and/or anomic conditions?

Accepted Answer

Anomie refers to a sense of normlessness or a lack of social norms guiding behavior. This can occur when there is a mismatch between the culturally defined goals and the socially approved means for obtaining them. For example, if society values wealth and success but does not provide equal opportunities for achieving these goals, individuals may feel frustrated and disconnected from society, leading to anomic conditions. Therefore, the interaction between culturally defined goals and socially approved means can lead to anomie.

Question 5

What is the result of ineffective community social control efforts?

Accepted Answer

Ineffective community social control efforts result in a lack of accountability and enforcement measures, which leads to an increase in crime rates. Mutual trust, neighborhood cohesiveness, and siege mentality are unrelated to the effectiveness of community social control efforts.

Question 6

Which of Merton's social adaptations is most closely associated with criminal behavior?

Accepted Answer

Innovation, the adaptation where individuals accept cultural goals but reject socially acceptable means to achieve them, is most closely associated with criminal behavior. Innovation involves using illegal or deviant methods to reach economic success or social status, often leading to criminal behavior such as theft or fraud.

Question 7

According to Shaw and McKay, a __________ neighborhood is an area wracked by extreme poverty and suffering high rates of population turnover.

Accepted Answer

Shaw and McKay's theory of social disorganization centers around the idea that neighborhoods with high poverty rates and high population turnover are more likely to experience high rates of crime and social problems. They referred to such neighborhoods as transitional neighborhoods. While the other answer choices are also associated with social disorganization, none of them specifically describes the type of neighborhood Shaw and McKay focused on.

Question 8

Which theory focuses on the urban conditions, such as high unemployment and school dropout rates, to explain crime?

Accepted Answer

Social disorganization theory focuses on the idea that urban conditions, such as high poverty, unemployment, and school dropout rates, create an environment where social control is weakened and crime is more likely to occur. This theory suggests that crime is not caused by individual characteristics, but rather by the social and economic environment in which individuals live.

Question 9

Why are personal relationships, including establishing communication and common goals, strained in socially disorganized neighborhoods?

Accepted Answer

Socially disorganized neighborhoods often experience high levels of transience, with residents frequently moving in and out. This instability hampers the development of strong community ties and effective communication, as there is little opportunity for sustained interactions and the establishment of common goals.

Question 10

________ are segments of the population whose members have a relatively similar portion of desirable belongings, and who share attitudes, values and norms.

Accepted Answer

Social classes are segments of the population based on their relative level of economic, social, and political power. Members of a social class share similar attitudes, values, and norms and have access to similar resources and opportunities. Social groups and subcultures refer to smaller, more specific segments of the population, while social culture is a broader term that includes all aspects of social life.

Question 11

Cultural deviance theory combines elements of _____ and social disorganization theories.

Accepted Answer

Cultural deviance theory draws on the strain theory's concept of blocked opportunities leading to deviance, as well as social disorganization theory's focus on the breakdown of social norms and values in certain communities. It does not directly incorporate poverty, socialization, or transmission as its central concepts.

Question 12

When members of the lower-class are unable to achieve symbols of success via conventional means they feel anger, frustration, and resentment. These feelings are collectively referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment experienced by members of the lower-class when they are unable to achieve symbols of success via conventional means are called strain. This term refers to the strain or pressure that individuals feel when their aspirations for success are not being met, which can lead to negative emotions and behaviors. Focal concerns refer to the values and beliefs of the lower-class subculture, while aggression and siege mentality are specific manifestations of the broader concept of strain.

Question 13

Social ecology school criminologists associate crime rates and the need for police services to:

Accepted Answer

Social ecology school criminologists believe that crime rates and the need for police services are associated with community deterioration. This means that areas with deteriorating physical and social conditions, such as poverty, unemployment, and social disorganization, are more likely to experience high crime rates and require more police services. Therefore, option A is the best answer as community deterioration is closely linked to crime rates and the need for police services.

Question 14

Oscar Lewis argues that the crushing lifestyle of lower-class areas produces ________ that is passed on from one generation to the next.

Accepted Answer

Oscar Lewis's concept of the culture of poverty suggests that the values, beliefs, and behaviors of lower-class individuals are shaped by their harsh living conditions and lack of opportunities, which are passed down from generation to generation. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty where individuals struggle to escape their circumstances due to the cultural barriers and limitations they face. Therefore, the best answer is A, a culture of poverty. Physical deterioration, social deterioration, and family disorganization are all potential outcomes of living in poverty but are not specifically mentioned by Lewis as being tied to the cultural phenomena he describes.

Question 15

Cohesive communities with high levels of social control and social integration and where people develop interpersonal ties are also likely to develop:

Accepted Answer

Cohesive communities with high levels of social control and social integration and where people develop interpersonal ties are also likely to develop collective efficacy, which is the ability of members of a community to work together to solve problems and prevent crime.

Question 16

According to social structure theory, the root cause of crime can be directly traced to:

Accepted Answer

Social structure theory suggests that crime is a result of socioeconomic disadvantages that are embedded in American society. This theory argues that individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to engage in criminal behavior due to the lack of opportunities and resources available to them. These disadvantages include poverty, lack of education, and discrimination, among others. Therefore, this theory emphasizes the importance of addressing structural factors that contribute to crime, rather than merely focusing on individual responsibility or behavior.

Question 17

Shaw and McKay explained crime and delinquency within the context of:

Accepted Answer

Shaw and McKay's theory of social disorganization emphasized the importance of the changing urban environment and ecological development of the city in explaining crime and delinquency. They argued that certain neighborhoods or areas with high rates of poverty, residential mobility, and ethnic heterogeneity were more likely to experience social disorganization, which in turn led to higher rates of crime and delinquency. This theory focused on the structural factors that shape individuals' opportunities and behaviors, rather than individual-level factors such as biological changes or subcultures.

Question 18

Social disorganization theory was popularized by the work of two Chicago sociologists:

Accepted Answer

Social disorganization theory was popularized by the work of Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay, who studied the effects of neighborhood dynamics on crime and delinquency in Chicago.

Question 19

As working and middle-class families flee inner-city poverty areas, the most disadvantaged population is consolidated in urban ghettos. This phenomenon results in a poverty:

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described in the statement is known as the concentration effect, where the most disadvantaged population is consolidated in urban ghettos due to the migration of working and middle-class families from poverty areas. This results in a high concentration of poverty in certain neighborhoods or areas.

Question 20

Social strata are created by the unequal distribution of wealth. While the upper-class is exceptionally well-to-do, ______ people live in poverty in America.

Accepted Answer

As of recent data, approximately 37 million people live in poverty in America, reflecting the significant economic disparity and social stratification.

Quiz 6: Social Structure Theory