SOCIOL 2CC3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Juvenile Delinquency, Erie Canal, Plant Ecology
30 Apr 2018
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Monday, February 19, 2018
1
Lecture 4: The Chicago School
Midterm Review Checklist
• Concepts you are responsible for within The Chicago School note:
O Chicago School and Social Disorganization Approach with scientific approach, causes of
crime and role of the physical environment
O TWO models such as ecological and subcultural approaches
O Park’s Ecological Theory of Deviance and TWO plant ecology concepts
O Park and Burgess’ Eco Model and Concentric Zones including natural areas and where
crime is found
O Shaw and McKay’s Social Disorganization Theory claims, role in juvenile delinquency and
3 commonalities linking neighbourhoods and crime
O Cohen and Felson’s Routine Activities Theory claims, type of victimization and 3 conditions
necessary
The Chicago School
• Like biological and SF approaches, it is a scientific approach
- Applied principles of natural sciences such as ‘laws of causation’
• Causes of deviance seen as forces external to individuals rather then the internal individual
such as their biology or psyche
- Causes of crime found in peoples physical environments where people live and interact
socially
- Structures of physical environments, its organization and structural factors that create
conditions for criminal and non-criminal behaviours
• Focus on ways cultural groups develop norms and values since it is a reflection of their
physical and natural circumstances
• TWO models within this approach:
- Both approaches reflect concerns over social changes taking place in Chicago late 19th to
early 20th century
1. Ecological Model — Focus of this Course
- Importance of geographic area in shaping deviant behaviour and was borrowed from
natural sciences
2. Subcultural Model
- Societal groups have norms and values conductive to deviance and crime
- For example, Sutherland’s Differential Association — who you hand out with will
determine if you will be deviant
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Monday, February 19, 2018
2
Socio-Cultural Context
• In 19th century, Chicago was the fastest growing city in US history at this period
- For example, early 1800s there was a population of 5,000 and by 1900s 2 million+
• Geography of city played important structuring role:
- Land locked until creation of Erie canal which is the route to Atlantic
- Railroads allowed for continuous stream of migration to city
• Growing social problems of crime and deviancy especially amongst youth
- For example, youth running wild in streets since parents were not intervening
- For example, youth involved with street gangs since they were in control and organized by
ethnicity
• A lot of deviance since there was no social agencies to handle problems of urbanization such
as no social workers, garbage collection, police or inspectors
• Communities left to solve their own problems which creates opportunity for deviance
• People could not understand each other which made it impossible for citizens to organize
themselves and solve problems
- For example, did not speak common language or share same cultural experiences
- For example, 70% residents foreign born
- For example, only 20% 1st generation American
• Rapid urbanization, industrialization and mass immigrant within a short period of time resulted
in chaos and normlessness/anomie
- Led to social crime and social issues within the community
• Chicago archetype of an anomic society
- Also known as a city of normlessness that has little moral guidance and has a complete
breakdown of social control
Ecological Theory of Deviance
• Developed out of work of criminologists and sociologists at Chicago School of Human
Ecology (1920-1930)
- Chicago School seeks to study sociological issues using sociological framework
• Theory of deviance is based on effects of rapid urbanization, industrialization and mass
immigration allowing the city of Chicago to be a perfect laboratory, where they:
1. Conducted empirical observations of city life
2. Researcher studied people where they lived
3. Little resistance from studying the poor and the immigrants since they were powerless
relative to the social power of researchers
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Midterm review checklist: concepts you are responsible for within the chicago school note: O chicago school and social disorganization approach with scientific approach, causes of crime and role of the physical environment. O two models such as ecological and subcultural approaches. O park"s ecological theory of deviance and two plant ecology concepts. O park and burgess" eco model and concentric zones including natural areas and where crime is found. O shaw and mckay"s social disorganization theory claims, role in juvenile delinquency and. O cohen and felson"s routine activities theory claims, type of victimization and 3 conditions necessary. The chicago school: like biological and sf approaches, it is a scientific approach. Applied principles of natural sciences such as laws of causation": causes of deviance seen as forces external to individuals rather then the internal individual such as their biology or psyche. Causes of crime found in peoples physical environments where people live and interact socially.
