Social Structure

Social Structure theory
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Introduction
Tent City Arizona is not a conventional prison, and mainly sentenced inmates, and it is an extension of the Maricopa County jail system. The jail can accommodate more than 2000 residents, and the conditions are harsh. The jail has very few permanent houses, and this has led to calls for better housing for the inmates given that extreme weather conditions in Arizona can be overwhelming for the prison’s residents. The social structural theory presupposes that structures determine deviant and criminal behavior in the society. This paper delves into social structure theory, and specifically highlights on the strain theory, culture conflict theory and social disorganization theory. These theories will be discussed in the context of the video Tent City, Arizona.
Tent City
The Tent City primarily came into being to offer services to the Maricopa county jail, in Phoenix Arizona in 1993 (MCSO, 2013). Joe Arpaio, the Sheriff of the county jail came up with idea, in order for the jail to compliment service provision of the county jail. The suspects held in the jail tend to be accused of serious offences. However, they are merely suspects, and it remains to be seen whether the conditions of the jail have had a negative impact on the behavior of the inmates. The video gives the impression that social interactions and social learning also determine criminal behavior. Researchers have long theorized on the possible reasons as to why people commit crime, and the social structure theory offers explanation through social and environmental factors. This is in contrast to theorists who propose that criminal behavior may at times exist because of genetic predisposition.
The various theories that make up the social structure theory suppose that they are underlying reasons that perpetuate crime. At the center of this theory’s premise is that people from disadvantaged social ...