Previous chapters looked at beliefs that crime is the result
of rational choice or that there is something about the
offender, such as a biological or psychological characteristic,
that leads him or her to commit a crime. This chapter turns
to sociological explanations, discussing early ecological,
anomie/strain, and subculture theories along with their
modern counterparts. The relationship of family structure
and power relationships to delinquency and crime are noted,
followed by an analysis of the routine activity approach.
Examination of the conflict approach and of critical
criminology focuses on a brief history of these approaches
and a discussion and critique of the major contemporary
scholars and approaches. The chapter closes with an
analysis of female criminality from a social-structural
perspective.