Theory
The theory of race, crime, and urban inequality is based on the paradigm of social disorganization theory formulated by the Chicago School. The conventional paradigm was established in the early 1900s. More contemporary notions and suggestions have been added to it to give meaning to what is now the theory of Race, Crime, and Urban Inequality. The most notable of contributors is Robert J. Sampson and William Julius Wilson in 1995 basing most of their notion on Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay’s works on social disorganization theory and cultural transmission theory. This theory is widely referred to as the “racial invariance” in the fundamental causes of crime (Cullen and Agnew 10).
Paradigm
Traditional based belief of criminology argues that rising crime rates were directly interlinked with neighborhood ecological distinctiveness. It further states that the youth from neighborhoods that are disadvantaged tend to be active participants in a subculture that condones delinquency. This serves as an example that doles out a pattern or model for how criminality is attained and delinquency becomes an approved behavior, especially that which forms the basis of a methodology or theory in explaining societal practices (Cullen and Agnew 21). The concept of social isolation captures this process by implying that contact between groups of different class and/or racial backgrounds either is lacking or has become increasingly intermittent, and that the nature of this contact enhances effects of living in a highly concentrated poverty area (Cullen and Agnew 69).
Classical criminology belief is that actions are made by people in the rational exercise of freewill, this perception moves away from conservative thinking where crime in the community is attributed to the negative culture of society members (Cullen and Agnew 120). According to this conservative notion, the youth would not be involved in trouble if they knew and saw the value of education; had good morals and values; respected the law and dressed in the right way. However criminologists disallow this notion stating that it’s a one-dimensional line of thought which expediently pays no attention to the harsh realities and environment that are faced by people in inner-city communities (Cullen and Agnew 77).
This new line of thought argues that if culture was to be blamed for the rot, then there is definitely need to focus consideration to probable causes of violence and a lack of respect of the law such as: poverty, inadequate and poor quality healthcare, poor quality education, and a depletion of economic opportunities (Cullen and Agnew 63). Unlike the concept of the culture of violence, then, social isolation does not mean that ghetto-specific practices become internalized, take on a life of their own, and therefore continue to influence behavior no matter what the contextual environment (Cullen and Agnew 59).
Concepts
The theory of race, crime, and urban inequality argues that the rise in societal isolation and ecological concentration of disadvantaged society members is resultant from the levels of community racial inequalities (Cullen and Agnew 41). This theory tries to answer the paradox brought about by an inconsistent representation of African Americans as both offenders and victims of crime (Cullen and Agnew 47). The effect of this is so profound that they end up in creating structural barriers shored up with cultural adaptations which challenge the organization of the society. Causes of crime at community levels are identical across all demographics, whether it is whites or blacks involved (Cullen and Agnew 74). However, the minority are exposed as a result of racial segregation to fundamental mechanisms that are responsible for both inducing and protection of violence. This theory therefore explains the paradox brought out by white black disproportions witnessed in violence (Cullen and Agnew 96).
Assessment
Logical consistency: the theory’s logical consistency by being tested in relation to a wider range of violence causes in the society. Its consistency and non contradictions have weathered and survived more vital tests against other theories especially the social disorganization theory, and comes out as the most strongly and supported by empirical data than any other social psychological explanation of crime and deviance that explains the disparities between blacks and whites (Cullen and Agnew 121).
Scope: The theory on race, crime, and urban inequality can be applied extensively on a broad area covering the community/society as a whole even outside the world of criminology. What’s more its ability to define crime by basing its causes on bad structures, it is able to be applied at a macro level and can be applied to various crimes committed (Cullen and Agnew 156).
Parsimony: This theory suggests that understanding the increases in violence witnessed recently is supported by first, an understanding of the philosophical and reflective changes that occurred in the 1970s on urban structure makeup of minority communities (Cullen and Agnew 2010).
Testability: The harshness of criminal penalties is measured by use of statistics collected from judicial procedures and perceptions of individuals’ on the subjections of penalties (Cullen and Agnew 2010). A person’s perception of punishment determines if they commit the crime regardless of what the objective data says. However, it is difficult to measure one’s perception of crime, and there are many crimes that go unreported and in which people are not caught (Cullen and Agnew 2010).
Usefulness: This theory’s usefulness would be manifested if it is wholly focused on issues that bring whites and blacks to conflict. The goal is to understand race, urban inequality and crime and what are the major causes (Cullen and Agnew 2010).
Empirical validity: Researches carried out have found out that focusing attention on culture alone hides the deeper meaning and root cause of what ails the society (Cullen and Agnew 2010). Criminologists argue that basing the explanation of causes of crime on bad culture as brought out by the paradigm of social disorganization theory obscures the full understanding of crime and violence (Cullen and Agnew 2010). The explanation as to why crime is committed is simple but the main focus is laws that could prevent crime, this is backed up by the race, crime, and urban inequality theory which focuses attention on the role of bad structures as the most prevalent cause of violent criminal behavior among racial lines and especially the minorities (Cullen and Agnew 2010).
Personal Recommendation
This theory should be widely applied to a range of criminal acts so as to further understand the causes of violent criminal behavior.
Works Cited
Cullen, Francis, and Agnew Robert. Criminological theory: past to present: essential readings. Boston: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.