Sociological Theory Analysis

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When trying to find an explanation for why or how events or situations occur, sociological theory is a necessary tool. Sociological theory is a way of observing the world and trying to interpret and analyze the data at different levels and from different perspectives. There are three different types of theories that sociologists use to explain social phenomenon; structural functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. Each has a different perspective and can be used to try to understand and explain why the US has such a high incarceration rate.
The first is structural functionalism. This element focuses on the macro-level of theory and how society is a complex system of interrelated, interdependent parts, such as social institutions. …show more content…
The question cannot be “do we have a problem”. Instead, the question must be “why do we have this problem?” followed by “how do we fix it?” However, while the theories mentioned above help us break down the complex world of our society and the subcultures from which it is comprised, the exercise of trying to understand and break down the causes of the problem also exposes how difficult the effort can be to find a solution. Many in the Black community demand that police show more leniency toward youth in the ghetto, due in part to the reality that they don’t have the same support structures that are available within the wealthier communities; the same action taken by a white student will not result in a life-changing catastrophe as it might if a black student were involved. Yet, others in the black community want tougher laws on the assumption that it will remove an undesirable element from a community that already has so many negative attributes against it. This internal disagreement is a natural part of any large community or society. However, it sways in favor of those at the top of the power structure. If the leaders of the poor community cannot even agree among themselves as to what their problems are or what the solutions should be, then what is the wealthier group expected to do? Status quo is reinforced. The effort to advance beyond this static point is intimidating. This is where the study of sociology can be helpful. It’s one thing to predict what will happen and quite another to change what will happen. Within this mix of clashing agendas and presumptive attitudes about the cause and effect of criminal behavior, small groups that had previously been at opposite ends of the argument are now finding that the solution to the problem can be found somewhere in the middle. Sociology is
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