anomie & strain

Imagine that you are sharing a cab with Robert Merton.  During your cab ride, you go through “the bad part of town.”  A conversation ensues about what causes every city to have a “bad part of town” and what is responsible for crime and social problems in inner cities.

1. Using his theory of strain, how might Robert Merton explain crime in the bad part of town?  What would he say are the major reasons for crime in lower-class areas?

   After driving a couple blocks, you stop and pick up 2 more passengers in the cab… Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay (they guys who developed social disorganization theory).  They immediately join your conversation.

2. Drawing from their theory, how do you think they would explain why crime is so much higher in lower class areas?

3. Do you think that these three men would agree or disagree about what causes crime in the slums?  In what ways would they agree or disagree?  In what ways do their arguments about the causes of crime in poor communities differ?  Could their ideas be combined or are they talking about different concepts and processes altogether?  Explain.

** Apa format, in text citation, 3-4 pages, answer all items & no plagarisim