Are the urban poor their own worst enemies? Answer this question from the perspective of both Rational Actor Theory and Structured Socialization Theory
The documentary “Baltimore: Anatomy of an American City” examines how the American government has been dealing with drugs. This war on drugs has received numerous feedbacks from different researchers and sociologists. The documentary examines how the war on drugs targets young African Americans. The “war has taken the energy that emerged from the Civil Rights Movement” (Hayward 242).
Many young African Americans have been incarcerated. This malpractice makes it impossible for them to achieve their potentials. Some government officials are focusing on new approaches that can deal with this public problem. The idea of incarceration has failed to produce the best outcomes. More families have become disoriented. Such families have also been unable to achieve their potentials. The malpractice continues to promote new misbehaviors. Such misbehaviors will affect the future of many citizens. The greatest question is whether the urban poor can be described as their own worst enemies.
To begin with, the urban poor cannot be described as their own enemies. This is the case because American society has always supported the concept of inequality. The dark history of America has left a mark on the faces of many minority groups. Many African Americans have been living in poverty. They do not receive the required support from the government. They have been unable to get a proper education. This position explains why they engage in dirty businesses such as drug trafficking (Hartney and Vuong 2). Such African Americans have also been using drugs. They have become aggressive and violent. The above documentary explains how the war on drugs targets specific minority groups in Baltimore.
Different theories can be used to explain why these African Americans should not be blamed for their misfortunes. According to the Rational Actor Theory (RAT), human beings will always focus on their needs and expectations. They “make rational choices whenever weighing means and ends” (Hayward 247). The theory argues that “crime is committed when an individual seeks to address his needs such as money, food, entertainment, and sex” (Hayward 238). The provision of such needs can fulfill the goals of many criminals. The theory explains why many African Americans engage in criminal activities.
As well, the Structured Socialization Theory explains why different individuals in a given society embrace specific behaviors. Human beings have the capacity to inherit specific customs, values, and ideologies. Socialization “is, therefore, the means through which socio-cultural continuity is maintained” (Gul 39). The theory describes how a person’s genetic makeup influences his or her behaviors. The environment will also dictate the behavioral aspects of an individual. This knowledge can be used to analyze the nature of crime in a given society. Many poor individuals in different urban regions embrace most of the behaviors supported by their neighborhoods (Hartney and Vuong 5). This theory supports the continued use of drugs in Baltimore.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these perspectives (Rational Actor Theory and Structured Socialization). Is there a middle ground? Are there alternatives for these young black men living in Baltimore? If so, what do these alternatives look like? If no alternatives exist, why not?
The Rational Actor Theory justifies why many individuals in Baltimore engage in criminal activities. Most of “the children born in poverty do not get proper education” (Gul 41). They eventually engage in dirty practices in an attempt to fulfill their social needs. This perspective is relevant because it highlights the fate of poor Americans. Many young African American men fail to get a proper education. They lack appropriate amenities and services, thus looking for new ways to fulfill such needs. The “strengths of this theory make it effective towards describing the behaviors of many individuals in the society” (Gul 39).
The concept of Structured Socialization (SS) also explains why crime is common in Baltimore. According to the documentary, drugs and guns have become a way of life among the youths. Many individuals engage in criminal activities due to lack of the required resources. The “situation becomes worse when the genetic makeup of the individuals is inclined to criminal activities” (Hartney and Vuong 7). However, this perspective argues that the entire society will focus on specific values, habits, and behaviors. This weakness makes the theory inapplicable in many settings.
It should be agreeable that there is a middle ground. Many cities across the country are characterized by crimes and drugs. Many young men “have been imprisoned for engaging in different criminal activities” (Hartney and Vuong 7). The situation has worsened because more individuals are engaging in criminal activities. That being the case, the government should use the Social Contract Theory (SCT) to support the needs of its people. The above perspectives explain why many young African Americans continue to face numerous obstacles.
The government should use several alternatives to help these young people. The government should support the needs of these individuals. The Rational Actor Theory “supports the fulfillment of different social needs in order to produce the best behaviors and moral values” (Hartney and Vuong 8). The society should also “use a powerful public development strategy” (Hartney and Vuong 8). This strategy will fulfill the health, social, economic, and educational needs of every individual. New support mechanisms should be in place in order to empower these young men.
Works Cited
Gul, Serdar. “An Evaluation of the Rational Choice in Criminology.” Journal of Sociology and Applied Science 4.8 (2009): 36-44. Print.
Hayward, Keith. “Situational Crime Prevention and Its Discontents: Rational Choice Theory versus the ‘Culture of Now’.” Social Policy and Administration 41.3 (2007): 232-250. Print.
Hartney, Christopher and Linh Vuong, 2009, Created Equal: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the US Criminal Justice System. Web.