Two Armed Men Rob Liquor Store: Positivist School? - Essay Sample

Find online a current news story on a local criminal event. Based on the report, do you think the crime being described is consistent with the positivist school of thought? Explain why or why not.

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Recently, Gonzalez (2020), on the FOX 5 article reported that a clerk at a Santa Ana liquor store was robbed by two armed masked men. They pointed a gun at her and run off with cigarettes and all the cash in his store. Based on Gonzalez's (2020) report, I think the crime being described is consistent with the positivist school of thought.

According to the positivistic school of criminology, crime is caused by forces beyond the individual’s control; biological, psychological, or social forces. This however, relies on the scientific method, a concept which states that theories developed must be tested against our observations of the world. As with the report, criminals knew that during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be easier to rob the clerk for the reason that everybody concentrates on the pandemic. Given that they might have been motivated by biological, psychological, or social forces, they must have also viewed their actions through a systematic lens.

Think about your neighborhood and address the following: How would you describe your neighborhood in terms of the concept of collective efficacy? Does it have high, medium, or low collective efficacy? Justify your response in some detail.

In my neighborhood (Darien, IL), we have little to no crimes. Based on the concept of collective efficacy, our neighborhood is made of people who are willing to exercise social control in that they trust and help one another. It has medium collective efficacy.

Darien, IL has little or no crimes; this is important because residents support and trust one another. The concept of collective efficacy states that in such kind of neighborhood, resources can be mobilized when the need arises due to the presence of social cohesion. At the same time, residents can mobilize a group to solve problems and thus reduce the number of crimes.

Using information from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, research how crime rates have changed in the United States over the past fifty years. What does the trend look like? Does institutional-anomie theory seem like a plausible explanation for this national trend in crime? Justify your response.

As mentioned by the United States Department of Justice (2019), FBI Uniform reports that the rate of crime has reduced in the US over the past fifty years. The trend of change shows a 17 percent drop in Wyoming, and this represents a 3.9 percent reduction of violent crime rates nationwide by only 2 years. The projections indicate the rate of crime has been reducing even though the reduction is so gradual.

Institutional-anomie theory seems like a plausible explanation for this national trend crime for the reason that Americans are no longer attributed to committing crimes due to the goal of material success. Recently, the pressure is not only exerted to culture or American dream, crime is explained from the lens of social, biological, and psychological perspectives.

Provide an example when you overcame something you were not proud of (this can be recent or from a long time ago). Describe how your thought process changed from the time you did the act to the time when you were able to move forward. Related this to Maruna’s steps of making good.

I once worked at a public relations firm. I was assigned fieldwork to collect feedback from clients. I was given a file with addresses and signatures and I was required to collect fifty signatures for 2 days. During the first day, I managed to collect thirty-seven signatures. The nest day, I was not at early because I knew after all I will get the signatures. To finish up the task before the second day, I needed the remaining signatures, but I failed to get signatures of the clients. I pleaded to the clients and everything worked fine at the end. I taught myself to be vigilant and cautious in the upcoming events.

Maruna's steps of making good states that the concept of identity evolves from a narrative or life story. I used my experience to make sense of who I am, how I should act, and what my future might hold.

First, describe yourself along the dimensions of negative emotionality, positive emotionality, and constraint. Given your personality, should you be predisposed toward antisocial behavior? Explain, using the theory and research discussed by Caspi et al.

I have not so far experienced negative emotionality, however, at many times I find myself diverged to positive emotionality. I tend to focus attention on a task, a tendency to smile, and also avoid distractions. With constraint, some circumstances limit me from interacting or abandoning some important events/ trips.

Given my personality, I will not be predisposed toward antisocial behavior. As mentioned by Caspi et al. theories of antisocial behavior are those that harm or lack a consideration for the well-being of others; this often leads to crimes/ violets conduct. I think I am not in that category whatsoever.

What are some dangers of using the positivist approach to crime causation? And how should we handle offenders if they are not choosing to commit crime as argued by the positivist school?

According to the positivist school of criminology, crime is caused by forces beyond individual control such as biological, psychological, and social forces; this means it can/cannot be easily controlled. It is not easy to change someone’s makeup.

As argued by the positivist school, we can handle offenders if they are not choosing to commit crimes by using a scientific method. We can use facts and observations to best control crime. At the same time, scientific methods help to decide on the tactic criminals use when committing offenses.

Our inner cities today still characterized by the elements of social disorganization (poverty, rapid population growth, heterogeneity, and transiency) put forth by Shaw and McKay?

Inner cities today are still characterized by elements of social disorganization such as poverty, rapid population growth, heterogeneity, and transiency. Shaw and McKay avow that areas that are most disadvantageous concerning social, cultural, and economic values experience high levels of social disorganization. In the same parallel, social disorganization leads to delinquency for a reason that there are competing and conflicting moral values.

Give concrete examples of how the other social institutions (e.g., school, family, and polity) are impacted by the economy.

Other social institutions, for instance, schools are impacted by the economy in the fact that the social characteristics of some social groups are understood in response to the needs of a stratified society. The prestige of schools is derived from the economic and social status of the occupation for which it prepares.

On the other hand, the family is the basic unit of socialization as well as the social control of children. Family and the economic structure are correlated; the economy, however, does not support or uplift social inequality. The other aspect is politics, a significant interdisciplinary branch that brings the government and individuals together. The economy and political system influence each other.

Why does Maruna stress the importance of recognizing redemption with offenders? What are the consequences of not formally acknowledging an offender making good?

Maruna stresses the importance of recognizing redemption with offenders because he believes that they can change well as they create a good life. Redemption helps offenders to establish goodness and conventionality; they easily espouse a law-abiding life. Narratives of those desisting establish a core belief that characterizes a person’s true self.

Some of the consequences of not formally acknowledging an offender making good comprise of the offender feel inhuman, something that makes him return to the earlier behavior of violence and harm. Also, the offender might be mentally disturbed/stressed.

How did the Glueck and Glueck study change the field? Why did people not value the Gluecks’ data when it first was presented? Why was it a mistake to ignore this research?

The Glueck and Glueck study changed the study for the reason that they highlighted the causes of adults and juvenile delinquency. Also, both the environment and heredity contribute to delinquency.

People did not value Glueck’s data when it was first presented because the research lacked a deep perception of human nature. However, it was a mistake to ignore this research for the fact that it helps to predict delinquency. According to Levine (1963), some judges say that Glueck’s study can be used to sentence juvenile offenders.

References

Gonzalez, C. (2020). Crimes with Masked Suspects on the rise amid COVID-19 Pandemic. Fox 5 Atlanta. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/crimes-with-masked-suspects-on-the-rise-amid-covid-19-pandemic

Levine, R. (1963). Glueck's Pioneer in Delinquency Study. The Harvard Crimson. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1963/5/20/gluecks-pioneer-in-delinquency-study-pin/

United States Department of Justice. (2019). FBI Crime Statistics Show Reduction in Violent Crime across Wyoming. Justice.Gov/USAO. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/pr/fbi-crime-statistics-show-reduction-violent-crime-across-wyoming