Examining Social Structure Theory Essay

For the purpose of this paper in examining theories, I have chosen to hatful the tent City, AZ image. Located in the desert near downtown Phoenix, populate City houses 2,000 inmates in canvas tents (Films Media assembly, 2007). Conditions argon difficult for the inmates, and since there are no prison bars, economizeing control over the inmates is a constant concern for the guards (Films Media Group, 2007). I will show that the content of the telly should be appropriately hold as well as studied using a neighborly structure theoretical application. I will review the companionable disorganization theory, the try theory, and the culture conflict theory, and how they supported the social structure theory in relation to Tent City. I will identify the primary subjects of the video, and the social issues that are raised for the inmates in the Tent City facility. Additionally, I will examine the major(ip) article of faiths of sociological theories and the ramifications of social process change. Lets begin with an rendering of the social structure theory and rough workouts from the video that supports these theories.Supporting favorable Structure TheoryIn watching the Tent City video, it is observable that it follows the social structure theory. The subcultures that are fabricated by dividing the inmates into racial convocations comes with some protection for the inmates from those in their racial group, but this protection can come with a price (Films Media Group, 2007). consort to the text, there are three major types of theories that support the social structure theories. They include the social disorganization theory, demarcation theory, and culture conflict theory (Schmalleger, 2012, societal Structures Theories/Types of affectionate Structure Theories). The text goes on to explain that the fond disorganization theory (which depicts social change, social conflict and lack of socialconsensus as the square off causes of crime and deviance) (S chmalleger, 2012, Social Structures Theories/Social Disorganization Theory). The strain theory is defined as the pressure that individuals feel to reach socially determined goals (Schmalleger, 2012, Social Structures Theories/Strain Theory). The culture conflict theory suggests that the root cause of criminality can be found in a clash of set between differently socialized groups over what is acceptable or proper behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, Social Structures Theories/Culture Conflict Theory).The social disorganization theory, the strain theory, and the culture conflict theory are supported in this video by the following examples. The social disorganization theory is supported in the Tent City video by the segregation of inmates being housed with their same racial group. This causes the groups to stick to themselves for reasons of safety and protection from separate racial groups and gives each group a sense of belonging and fitting in. The inmates are expected to follow the rules that include avoidance of involvement with contraband. The contraband is used by the inmates to get things such as money, commissary items, and power or perspective within their racial group as well as to the new(prenominal) racial groups. The strain theory is supported in the video because the restrictions of inmate belongings are enormous. The inmates are deprived of many things including condiments, tobacco, drugs, and anything that can be used to construct weapons.The inmates are subjected to frequent but hit-or-miss searches by the guards and the particular Response Team (SRT). They are often stripped down to their infra ware during the searches, which gives the inmates negative feelings, and reduces their self-esteem as they are agonistic to cower to the guards. Additionally, the restrictions put strain on the inmates, causing some to disobey the rules, which puts them in a position of acting deviant to gain the things they desire. While, to some stratum the inmates mu st count on on other inmates for safety, protection, and contraband items, they each know that they are on their own. The culture conflict theory is supported in the video in the aspect of racial segregation. This causes power and status struggles between the racial groups as they are struggling to survive their incarceration while attempting to maintain some form of self-worth.Primary Subject of VideoThe primary subject of this video is keeping control of the facility with the use of zero tolerance policies for the inmates of Tent City. It focuses on a new inmate named Ryan Merlina, who was convicted of forgery, burglary, and most recently, possession of methamphetamine (Films Media Group, 2007). Merlina, who has a long history of drug use and has been in and out of the juvenile agreement for a considerable amount of his teen years, at age nineteen came to Tent City, an adult facility (Films Media Group, 2007). In addition to the videos depiction of the circumstances approach by staff and inmates, it chronicles Merlinas personal struggles with his journey through incarceration at Tent City. On an Internet video, Films Media Group (2007) states that, the court offered Merlina a reduced disapprobation in exchange for him pleading guilty.If he behaves himself, hell serve just six months at Tent City. But if he messes up, hell get 12 years in state prison (Films Media Group, 2007). At Tent City, the inmates are not allowed to have certain things such as sugar, tobacco, drugs, and weapons. The prison system employs the Special Response Team (SRT), who conducts random and frequent searches to stay ahead of the inmates attempts to control and distribute contraband items. This is done to catch the inmates off guard, detain contraband, and find out who is responsible for the contraband, and hold that inmate accountable through punishments such as solitary confinement and in some cases the implementation of utmost sentences (Films Media Group, 2007). In a setting such as the one of Tent City, the inmates face social issues of their confinement.Social Issues RaisedThe social issues raised in the video relate to the subcultures created within the Tent City facility. The inmates are separated into racial groups. The newly arriving inmates are assigned to a tent that they share with twenty-one other inmates, all who are felons (Films Media Group, 2007). According to the video one guard stated, Unfortunately, everything out here is organized by race. And when a new inmates comes into our system, theyll be approached by soulfulness from their race who will explain to them what the rules and expectations are out here (Films Media Group, 2007). Rule number one, stick to your own race. Each group has its own seating orbital cavity and name (Films Media Group, 2007). Because the inmates stick with their own racial group, this creates social issues amongst all inmates. The groups claimthey exist to provide protection. Officers say their purpose is c ontrolling inmates and contraband (Films Media Group, 2007). Each racial group has leaders that generally involve themselves in contraband. It becomes a struggle for the inmates to try to control contraband while also trying to stay under the radar of the guards.In this hostile environment, tensions run high and chaos is always just around the corner (Films Media Group, 2007). New inmates quickly learn that, sometimes its not a rival group inmates have to worry about, its their own (Films Media Groups, 2007). The DOs have ways of number us against each other if we mess up. Thats their way of punishing us. Theyll make you look like a bad guy and get your tent tossed on you. Then its going to make everybody in your tent mad at you (Films Media Group, 2007). For those inmates that break the rules of their group, they suffer punishments that are swift and painful (Films Media Group, 2007). The punishment for minor infractions such as a verbal insult will result in a punch in the jaw, b ut for major ones, such as not remunerative a debt, the inmate will receive a beating by three or more inmates of their racial group (Films Media Group, 2007). Due to the social issues that heighten from incarceration, principles of the sociological theories are evident.Major Principles of Sociological TheoryAccording to the text, social structure theories look at the formal and informal economic and social arrangements (or structure) of friendship as the root causes of crime and deviance (Schmalleger, 2012, Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories). In addition, the social structure theories look at the negative aspects of communitys structure, such as disorganization, poverty, and disadvantages associated with lack of educational success as the cause of criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories). The major principles of the sociological theory that are addressed in the video are Tent Citys social group arrangements of society that provides focus for study, group dynamics and subgroup relationships from which crime develops, societys structure and degree of organization/disorganization, and specific behaviors that can statistically estimate characteristics to engage in crime.The social groups organize in Tent City are racially motivated, meaning that each inmate is segregated to their own racial group to keep thedifferent racial groups separated from each other. The group dynamics in a population of criminals that are divided into subgroups by race offers two examples the major principles. One example relates to the group being made up of all criminals, and the second example relates to the racially segregated subgroups that keep the inmates with their own race.This can lead to struggles related to status amongst their own racial group, and to the other racial groups. Societys structure, being a prison that is run under zero tolerance rules (organization), and the co nflicting disorganization of the inmates and their desire for obtaining contraband, while they struggle to complete their sentence without getting into trouble. Additionally, the specific behaviors that each inmate possesses that brought them to commit crimes that resulted in their incarceration is a major principle of sociological theories. Criminal behaviors by individuals, grouped with the criminal behaviors of the other inmates, can be a cause for special criminal behavior.Possible Ramifications for Social litigate ChangeWhile integrating the inmates together and removing the racially segregated groups may seem like the appropriate thing to do, there are possible ramifications of changes in their social processes that need to be addressed. For the inmates, these racially segregated groups offer some form of protection. By removing the built in sense of protection, it can cause additional stress and anxiety for the inmates. The inmates are deprived of many luxuries, and tend t o look to their fellow inmates to receive some creature comforts of home. Although the inmates can only depend on themselves, the racially segregated groups offer the inmates a sense of support by belonging to a group. Removing that element can open the door for ethnic clashes. According to the text, the Social process theories draw their explanatory power from the process of interaction between individuals and society (Schmalleger, 2012, Theories of Social Process and Social reading/The Social Process Perspective).Social process changes within the Tent City facility can weaken the inmates established social bonds, which could result in them turning on each other because of different cultural practices and beliefs. According to the text, criminal behaviors are learned through the interaction with others(Schmalleger, 2012, Theories of Social Process and Social Development/The Social Process Perspective). And social process is seen as the primary route through which learning occurs (Schmalleger, 2012, Theories of Social Process and Social Development/ sum-up). If changes are to be made, they have to be enacted in society during a persons learning process, only then can it make confirming change.ConclusionAs you can see, the content of the video should be appropriately acknowledged and studied using a social structure theoretical application. I have shown how the subcultures created by dividing the inmates into racial groups comes with some protection for the inmates from those in their racial group, but this protection comes with a price (Films Media Group, 2007). The three major types of theories that support the social structure theories include the social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. All of these theories are supported in the video by the conditions and circumstances presented to the inmates of Tent City both current and in the past. The primary subjects addressed in the video include the zero tolerance practices of t he guards and its focus on the inmate named Ryan Merlina. For Merlina, its a daily struggle to do his time quickly by avoiding deviant behavior while for the guards its a constant struggle to maintain control over the inmates.This leads to how the social structure theories look at the negative aspects of societys structure like disorganization, poverty, and disadvantages that cause criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories). The ramifications for social policy change discussed show that any changes to the current situational practices of the Tent City facility would cause problems for the inmates, and possibly create cultural clashes amongst the inmates. Since the inmates are deprived of luxuries and comforts, they depend on the friendships of other inmates for support and protection. By removing a built in sense of protection, it can cause additional stress and anxiety for the inmates. While it is obvious that the inmat es can only depend on themselves, the racially segregated groups do offer the inmates a sense of belonging. To conclude, it is apparent to me that this video does provide some important factors that can be appropriately acknowledged and studied using a social structure theoreticalapplication.ReferencesFilms Media Group (2007). Lockdown Tent City Video file. Retrieved from Films on Demand website http//digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=7967&xtid=40796 Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology Today An Integrative Introduction (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection Database