CRJ231 Principles of Correction

Introduction:

The video, “Why People Kill”, by Richard Rhodes is a keen examination of the various stages that amount into a situation known as “violentization” which explains what triggers human beings to get to a point where they can be brutal to an extend of committing crimes like murder and rape. Rhodes was brought up in a family where the father was brutal and this grew his curiosity of wanting to know what drives people into brutality. This film is therefore a representation of his extensive research regarding the matter. Rhodes provides the most sensible explanation concerning the matter of “why people kill”. This paper explores the findings of Rhode’s research and how the various segments of the video relate to various sociological theories.

Brutalization:

This is the first stage into criminal violence. From the film, one can draw some of the key reasons as to why some people choose to kill. Theories on social structure shed light into understanding the phase of criminalization. People’s behavior is shaped by what they are exposed to in their immediate environment as they grow up.  According to the Athen’s, brutalization occurs as a result of people receiving harsh and cruel treatment from those immediate to them. This could be members of the family as well as other close people. An example from the film is the way Lonnie Athen’s father is quick to resolve in violence when handling his wife and children. He carries around unlicensed gun and is always willing to use it on anyone at every slight provocation. Rhodes also grew up in a violent family where his step-mum was always driven by anger. These kinds of awful and hateful treatments further result into the second stage and segment of the film.

Belligerency:

This is the next segment of the film and the second state into creation of notorious criminals and criminal offenses. This entails an individual choosing to return violence with violence. At this point, the person has read the mean acts of those around them as a nagging reminder that at some point, one needs to act the same in order to survive in the world. At this point, one is now fully coached to be violent through experiencing it, and is willing to respond.

Principles of Sociological Theory:

Major principles of the sociological theory witnessed in the film include the fact that social groups and institutions present the direction for studying criminology. In the film, the family as a social institution plays key roles in shaping behavior. The impact of violent upbringing is seen in how one behaves in the community. Social groups like those formed in schools and neighborhood also contribute into character formation. Criminals are made from these groups if their impact is negative.  The structure of a social institution can be used to predict the behavior of an individual. In a case where one is brought up in a family institution that the head of the family is a serial killer, one is likely to end up committing similar offenses.

Theory of social structures.

In regard to the video, the theory of social structures being the root cause of deviant and criminal behaviors is connected to the brutalization segment in that family as the smallest social structure contributes to in promoting violent behavior if the members of it are violent and show it all the time, which is brutality. Children borrow and learn from those they are around while growing up. Poverty in families and the immediate society also contributes highly to conduct and it is much likely to result into promoting criminal behaviors.

These effects from violent social structures then prompt the victims into responding with the same violence, which is belligerency.

Social processes theories.

From the film, social interactions in groups formed from social institutions contribute into brutalization in that people borrow from each other. Hanging out with violent people in turn makes one to slowly evolve into the same behavior.  Consequently, as time goes by, one begins to apply what they borrowed from these groups, which is belligerency.

Social development theories.

As people mature, they feel the need to protect themselves and their own people. In return, some resolve into violence in an effort to protect themselves, which is brutalization. However, this is entirely depended on the kind of environment one grows in. The act of turning to criminal actions for defense or to be able to provide as a result of poverty is belligerency.

Social issues in the video.

Some of the issues in the video “why the kill” include violence at family level which in turn results into bringing up violent children. The issue of poverty also comes out in the video. Poverty contributes into social evils in that people turn to criminal actions for them to be able to provide for their families. The contribution of gangs in promoting unlawful conduct, which is social interactions, also clearly comes out in the film.

Role of Sociological Theories on Crime Causation on Policy Implementation.

Crime causation is a complex issue. As far as research done by philosophers in this field is concerned, people are unaware of what causes others to behave in a certain manner. Sociological theories like strain theory, social learning theory and control theory do try to explain human behavior in regard to committing criminal offenses. For instance, strain theory suggests that people who struggle with life are much likely to become more negative and eventually commit crimes. These theories play key roles when it comes to policy implementation on crime causation. They provide a basics for scientists and scholars to analyze human behavior and possible causes of it. This paves way for making proper decisions on policy implementation policies as through the theories, human conduct is categorized into a smaller scope rather than studying it as a society in whole. It becomes easier to study people as a smaller group than it is as a society.

Conclusion.

The film provides a clearer and more meaningful understanding of what drives humans into acting in a certain way. From the video, criminals are not exceptionally poor people who are trying to survive. Some of them are formed from social institutions. Family violence can affect how a child grows up, how they interact with other people in the society and the kind of influence they might have on fellow children. People who grow up in a ferocious environment filled with crime incidences are much likely to carry on such behavior later in life as humans tend to learn from the immediate environment.

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