Michelle Skelton Profile picture
Criminal Justice professor, avid reader, budding artist, aspiring yogi, tattoo aficionado, coffee drinker, football & color guard Mom, TedX, she/hers

Oct 4, 2022, 41 tweets

Happy Tuesday! Tomorrow at 2pm, cst, we are taking a look at social class, crime, and the #AmericanDream.

Do YOU believe in the American Dream?

#CRJ105 #MoraineValley #SocialStructure #Strain

Hello! I had office hours in A109 this morning, now I'll be here live tweeting for criminology. I'm glad you can join me

#CRJ105 #MoraineValley #SocialStructure #Strain

I'll be updating the grade book for Unit 02, I should finish tomorrow, so keep an eye on your grades, I'm happy to answer any questions.

Let's jump into #StrainTheory #CRJ105

We are changing gears in how we understand crime.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

The biological and psychological theories of criminal behavior share the assumption that such behavior is caused by some underlying physical or mental condition that separates the criminal from the non-criminal

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

Which means that up to to this point, we have really been looking at the INDIVIDUAL offender, the potential offender's unique choices, biological, and psychological traits

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

Biological and psychological theories do NOT explain why crime rates vary from one neighborhood to the next, from group to group, within large urban areas, or within groups of individuals

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

We are going to shift to looking at group explanations of behavior.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

These theories can be grouped into three general categories: strain, cultural deviance, and social control.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

So grab your cup of tea, pull up your notebook to take some notes, grab a pencil to jot down questions, let's start to take a look at how we develop throughout our lives & how we interact with our environment

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

As a thinking exercise, pull out a sheet of paper.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Write down 3 - 5 defining traits about your personality.

#CRJ105 #SocialStructure #StrainTheory

For me, I'd include:
~ Friendly
~ Hardworking
~ Patriotic
~ Duty-driven
~ Compassionate

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Oh! And obviously HUMBLE

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

THINKING CHALLENGE: What forces in your life were most influential in shaping your personality?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

For me, personally, I am friendly & compassionate because of my supportive family

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

The reason I ask you to consider this exercise is that we are going to explore the concept of #Socialization

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Socialization examines how our life experiences and interactions help us develop as an individual

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

An individual isn't BORN with particular traits that make them more likely to break the law

(ahem biological & psychological trait theory, we're looking at you!)

rather ... we are shaped into criminal choices by interactions with our environment

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

Some common forces and institutions that shape our development:

Family! The individuals with whom you spend formative years and influence your life as an adult

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

THINKING CHALLENGE: When describing your "family", do you think of ...

#MoraineValley #CRJ105

Family may be biological, it may be social, and often changes throughout the duration of our life.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Another influence on many individual's socialization is their education. This may be related to the chosen curriculum, but also school performance is linked to self-esteem and sense of life opportunity

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

THINKING CHALLENGE: What was the most significant aspect of school in shaping the way you see the world?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Did you have a teacher that changed your life for the worse or better?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

How about a book you were assigned to read?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Institutional involvement is extremely formative for many individuals. This may be as formal as a religious practice or even an informal membership of shared values & norms

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

How does faith affect you as a person?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Most certainly, who we spend our time with, our chosen friends, say a lot about who we are as a person.

Who is that friend that always pushes you to do better?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

My friendship with @TwoFox15 has been extremely influential in my life, she keeps me motivated (& laughing) through a lot of stress. I apparently have NO photos of our Zoom calls!

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

My morning 'have a good day' exchanges with my coffee friends remind me that there is something good in every day

@Dan_Sinisi
@RealDesmondRyan
@ChiefBurr101
@MargaretMilbur1
@AutismCop
@PaladinShow
@108Charger
@dworakt
@bpridgeo

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Who is that friend that pulls you into 'bad' behavior?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

We will examine family, friends, faith, & education as sources of socialization ... but where we are going to start ...

how does your community & social class affect your lifestyle, life choices, and criminality?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Sociological theories seek the reasons for differences in crime rates in the social environment.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure #SocialClass

A social class is a set of concepts centered on models of social stratification, in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure #SocialClass

The most common distinctions being the upper, middle and lower classes

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

THINKING CHALLENGE: How does your social class affect your lifestyle?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Sociological theories can be grouped into three general categories: strain, cultural deviance, and social control.

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

Next week we will dive deeper into each of these categories, which are you most interested in learning about?

#MoraineValley #CRJ105 #SocialStructure

If you read this far, tell me more about what group is most influential in shaping you ...

there is no doubt that being a #Midwesterner has shaped me! #Midwest #TellYourFolksISaysHi

@midwestern_ope @CharlieBerens #CRJ105 #Criminology @morainevalley

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