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Discuss How the Interaction of Class, Gender, Race and Age Affects Criminal Opportunities

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1. Discuss How the Interaction of Class, Gender, Race and Age Affects Criminal Opportunities
Many criminologists have looked for the answers on the effects of crime with only a few who agree on common grounds on why some choose to commit crimes and others choose to defy it even though there are given opportunities. Criminologists have found four sociological variables class, gender, race, and age are now viewed as a direct contributor to deviant behavior. One view as put by Anderson “When alienation becomes so entrenched, an oppositional culture can develop and flourish. This culture, especially among the young can gain strength and legitimacy by opposing dominant society and its’ agents.”(Andersen 1999: 216). This view I think is one of these biggest contributing factors. The second biggest factor I think lies in the Strain theory which argues that these variables, particularly class, lead to blocked opportunities in achieving the shared “American Dream” which then fostered deviant alternatives for economic success (Cloward and Ohlin 1960). Race, class gender and age are positions that do shape access to the opportunity structure, and may make a path to values that are a direct cause of deviance. Certain types of deviant activities do require knowledge, skills, rationales, and avenues for engagement. Class continues to be the primary consideration, because it interacts with race, gender and age, these which are often implied if not thoroughly addressed. Until recently, the focus has been on poverty as a third contributor to deviance, and yes, some types of deviance are more available to the poor, often not by choice. Some forms of crime require wealth and power such as White Collar crimes generally committed by the middle-class or the rich being mostly white, male and middle-aged. No factors in class, gender, race, nor age are a direct link to the cause of

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1. Discuss How the Interaction of Class, Gender, Race and Age Affects Criminal Opportunities

...though there are given opportunities. Criminologists have found four sociological variables class, gender, race, and age are now viewed as a direct contributor to deviant behavior. One view as put by Anderson “When alienation becomes so entrenched, an oppositional culture can develop and flourish. This culture, especially among the young can gain strength and legitimacy by opposing dominant society and its’ agents.”(Andersen 1999: 216). This view I think is one of these biggest contributing factors. The second biggest factor I think lies in the Strain theory which argues that these variables, particularly class, lead to blocked opportunities in achieving the shared “American Dream” which then fostered deviant alternatives for economic success (Cloward and Ohlin 1960). Race, class gender and age are positions that do shape access to the opportunity structure, and may make a path to values that are a direct cause of deviance. Certain types of deviant activities do require knowledge, skills, rationales, and avenues for engagement. Class continues to be the primary consideration, because it interacts with race, gender and age, these which are often implied if not thoroughly addressed. Until recently, the focus has been on poverty as a third contributor to deviance, and yes, some types of deviance are more available to the poor, often not by choice. Some forms of crime require wealth and power such as White Collar crimes generally committed by the middle-class or the rich being mostly...

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