Robert Merton s Deviance And Control - 1651 Words

Robert Merton was a well educated individual big on learning societies focus and concerns, his career as a criminal theorist initiated at his start as a professor at the University of Columbia. His claims involved the why and how groups of people in America excluding other countries would involve the American Dream â€Å"wealth† as a mean to commit crimes trying to achieve the â€Å"goal†. In every city we could map out the social groups by crime rates and incident rates Nichols, Lawrence a sociologist explained â€Å"Robert K. Merton gained renown as a distinguished sociologist, especially in connection with the paradigm of structural-functionalism and he publicly self-identified as a structuralist. † (Lawrence Nichols. Sep2016) That explained†¦show more content†¦The purpose of a person can determine how strong his will and his border lines are for achieving the wants. Some are so willing and mentally strong that they become their only turning poin t meaning only they could stop themselves. Obviously, a lot does still matter on the environment. How he determined one s means and goals was by using the adaptation chart, explaining 5 different sections involving the ways individuals looked at goals and means. The first section was labeled as â€Å"conformity†, being the least to commit crime that’s where a large amount of the population would be considered part of. Conformity is accepting the means and goals which meant that these people were the hard workers working hard to achieve the wealth needed. These folks know it takes that extra mile to achieve wealth the right way but doesn t mind it, this involves higher education and dedication. Another way to explain would be showing your acceptance in means to accomplish your conformity in society. The second classification is the innovators, they accept the goals and reject the means. This group understands that wealth is important but their means to achieve it are no t. Their opinion in education and hard work has nothing to do with achieving wealth, meaning that any form of income legal or illegal doesn’t bother them. This thinking process is where we see deviant behavior come to surface, this category is affected by the environment and having access to those illegal waysShow MoreRelatedRobert Merton : Strain Theory1606 Words   |  7 Pages Robert Merton: Strain Theory Lashaya B. Jenae B. Raykyle H. Dominique W. Lidiya Y. Morgan State University Sociology 331-001 03/05/2015 Robert K. Merton developed the structural strain theory as an extension of the functionalist perspective on deviance. This theory traces the origins of deviance to the tensions that are caused by the gap between cultural goals and the means people have available to achieve those goals (CrossmanRead MoreChapter 7. 7.1 What Is Deviance?. Deviance – Behavior That1447 Words   |  6 PagesChapter 7 7.1 What is Deviance? Deviance – behavior that departs from societal or group norms Crime – an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law Social Control – consists of the forces and processes that encourage conformity, including: self control, informal and formal control Criminal Justice System – the organizations - police, courts, and prison officials - that respond to alleged violations of the law The Biological ContextRead MoreEssay about Social Deviance1286 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Deviance Social deviance is a term that refers to forms of behavior and qualities of persons that others in society devalue and discredit. So what exactly is deviance? In this essay we are concerned with social deviance, not physiological deviations from the expected norm. 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Merton was an American sociologist that wrote in the 1930’s putting out his first major work in 1938 called Social Structure and Anomie. After publication, this piece was we worked and tweaked to counter criticisms. The importance of the time frame of which Merton initially began his work is significant, as during this time crime and the approach to crime was examined predominantly based on the individual and was explained from a psychological base. Merton on the other handRead MoreMertons Strain Theory1923 Words   |  8 Pagescriminology. Robert K. Merton was an American sociologist that wrote in the 1930’s putting out his first major work in 1938 called Social Structure and Anomie. After publication, this piece was we worked and tweaked to counter criticisms. The importance of the time frame of which Merton initially began his work is significant, as during this time crime and the approach to crime was examined predominantly based on the individual and was explained from a psychological base. Merton on the other handRead MoreSocial Structure And Social Processes Essay1535 Words   |  7 Pagesthe criminal as a product of his or social environment (Siegel, 2000). There are three types of social structure theories. First, Disorganization theory describes conflict, change and the lack of consensus, as the main cause of deviance and crime. During the 1900’s some of the communities that were prospering could tell that crime increased in certain areas due to displaced people and this caused social disorganization. The inability of the immigrants to successfully instill values for their