Race, Crime, and the American Dream

Although strain and social control theories assign a central role to the influence of the American dream on criminal behavior, little research has examined its impact on African Americans. Furthermore, while the criminology literature is replete with studies of the influence of aspirations and expec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of research in crime and delinquency 2000-05, Vol.37 (2), p.131-170
Main Authors: CERNKOVICH, STEPHEN A., GIORDANO, PEGGY C., RUDOLPH, JENNIFER L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
African Americans
Behavior
Black people
Black White Differences
Crime
Criminal behaviour
Criminality
Criminals
Criminology
Economic conditions
Economic goods
Evidence
Goal Orientation
Influences
Life Plans
Occupational Aspiration
Ohio
Race
Racial differences
Social Class
Social Control
Social Differences
Social Structure
Social Values
Strain theory
Success
U.S.A
USA
Whites
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Summary:Although strain and social control theories assign a central role to the influence of the American dream on criminal behavior, little research has examined its impact on African Americans. Furthermore, while the criminology literature is replete with studies of the influence of aspirations and expectations on behavior, few of these have exphasized the economic goals so central to the core tenets of the American dream. In contrast, this study is based on a sample approximately half African American and measures the American dream in economic terms. The findings indicate that African Americans maintain a stronger commitment to the American dream than do Whites, but the nature of its influence on behavior offers little support for social control theory among either Whites or Blacks. Its effect is, however, consistent with strain theory, but only among Whites. The implications of the inapplicability of both strain and control theories to African Americans are discussed.
ISSN:0022-4278
1552-731X
DOI:10.1177/0022427800037002001