Boyz N The Hood Criminological Theories - 1450 Words

Criminological theories have evolved considerably in terms of their interpretations of crime and deviance. Shifting away from the classical and neoclassical schools of criminology, we move towards a scientific approach that explains criminal behaviour as â€Å"determined by biological, psychological and social† (William McShane, 2018: 25) factors. The question of what causes conformity and deviance is one that is asked by all positivist theorists. It is through the various positivist theories that we are able to answer this question and analyze both conforming and deviant behaviour, while simultaneously providing explanations for such behaviour. In the film Boyz N the Hood, we can see that crime is rampant, and through the multiple positivist†¦show more content†¦Even though Tre joins Doughboy, his inner containment prevails as he gains â€Å"self-control† (Williams McShane, 2018: 139) and decides to get out of Doughboy’s car. Tre’s inner and ou ter containment demonstrate reckless containment theory. Evidently, Tre drifts from conformity to deviance, but through his self-control he is able to renegotiate that deviant behaviour back to conforming behaviour. Additionally, in Merton’s modes of adaption, Tre can be seen as a conformist. Merton maintains that conformity is the most common method used to adapt to strain (Merton, 1938: 677). Although Tre drifts between conformity and deviance, he is most notably recognized as a conforming character. Unlike Doughboy who rejects both means and goals, Tre strives to obtain the ultimate goal of wealth through approved means of working at a clothing store in the mall. Also, Ricky demonstrates Tre’s conforming behaviour when he says, â€Å"I’ve got this friend named Tre that’s always talking about going into business and all† (Singleton, 1991). Clearly, in strain theory, Tre is a conformist as he accepts both goals and the legitimate means to achieve those goals. Certainly, Tre’s positive parental influences, especially his father, can be credited for his pro-conformingShow MoreRelatedTheory Paper Based on Boyz N the Hood1007 Words   |  5 Pagesfilm Boyz ‘n the Hood, directed by John Singleton is more than just a Hollywood blockbuster. The film incorporates numerous criminological theories and also demonstrates the concepts of conformity and deviance. This paper will analyze the characters of Tre, Ricky, Doughboy, Furious and other friends and family and show how criminological theories and the concepts of conformity and deviance play a part in their lives. The Learning Approach/ Social Learning Theory Edwin Sutherland’s theory of Differential