Question

Explain the roles society plays in increasing the risk of delinquency for certain groups according to conflict theorists and labeling theories. Provide your thoughts regarding at-risk groups and provide examples to support your rational.

Answer 1

Conflict theory suggests that the society is in a perpetual conflict for the limited resources available where social order is maintained not through consensus but through domination. This would mean that the society is highly stratified in terms of race, religion, ethnicity, culture etc. thus, the majority group would always own most of the resources, have more opportunities and possess more political power. It would discriminate the minority groups in terms of education, employment, housing, healthcare, political participation etc. when people are asked to chase the same American Dream without any means to pursue them, people would engage in crimes.

Labelling theory suggests that the society would shame and reject those who engage in acts of deviance or crime by labelling them as criminals. This would mean that those who have committed a crime wouldn’t have any second chance because they would be considered life long criminals by the society which would make them internalize this label thus would engage in crimes further. Most of the minority groups such as, the African Americans and the Latino Americans would be continuously hunted by the police and the scoiety when a crime occurs.

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