Final Paper Criminology
Explain how this family fell victim to the violence that surrounded them and what some of the dynamics involved were.
American History X is a film produced in 1998 portrays a vicious story of racism in a family and lasting seeds of hate that can develop. The film comprises of a broad view of the American racism whose story will offer a good ground for hope in today’s society.
The family stayed in Venice Beach, a place that had a high diversity in cultures and extremely hot. This offered a good ground for dangerous groups of vicious youths, frustrated by life, insecure and ethnocentric white men. The rise in other communities has made these people to be nervous of their position (Schmalleger, 2013). With the rise in illegal immigrants in the locality and the government’s policies that were loose, additionally increased their white anger. Incitation by the group make them to form groups that were well organized with their objective covered in the cover of saving the American society from social exploitation. This part of the group dynamics that fuelled violence.
This mode of thinking which was quite out of place was made appealing by Derrick Vinyard, the leader who was far skilled and made known his displeasure of the cultural exploitation. His life has been filled with crime that involves killing. His attributes are based on anger and emotions. These are just but come of the factors that are fed to those that follow him. The followers were young and of poor mental state in addition to frustrated with life. His life in prison breads hate towards his Nazi boss, Cameron.
He was taken into a world where he was forced to live his former way of life. The hypocrisy that they used made him to change his way of life from thinking to how he acted (Schmalleger, 2013). Though the guilt, he leaves his ties with Nazi family after being gang raped for associating with the African-American. The aspect of hate was sowed in the family greatly and this came a norm in how they lived to spread violence to the close people.
How could some of it have been alleviated?
Some of this acts of violence that were implanted through anger could have been avoided by avoided a multi-cultured neighborhood. In this respect they would avoid the acts of dominance that is created in such societies. The society comprised of youths that were disgruntled with life and with this being a dangerous age group to associate it with, it would have proven risky for them to get involved which they did.
Additionally, Derrick was transformed to join the group due to the past experiences. He was influenced by his past life and brutality that was meted on him. He could have taken control of himself and avoid such acts of hate (Brandt, 2013). His ability to be a leader and influence others would have played to his benefit by avoiding any form of confrontation. He was easily tricked to joining the group, he did not know who to trust and hence slowly his way of thinking was changed to breed hate and violence due to the group he associated with.
What concepts/theories could benefit the family?
The dissonance theory could be of great help to Derrick. This theory is useful in cases that one is faced by conflicting views, beliefs or attributes. This leads to one to acquire a feeling of discomfort in the person. The person is hence made to change his beliefs and tendencies so as to acquire balance (Brandt, 2013). Derrick had a choice to stick by his beliefs and behavior and he could have chosen to stick with his behaviour. According to this theory, one has an inner control that manages how we behave as one and do away with disharmony.
The theory of social dominance theory plays a great role in this movie. This theory suggest that inter-groups are keen in sustaining their stability of group-based controls. This theory states that inequalities are bred through discrimination and behavioral asymmetry. The family took up a neighborhood that had taken up a certain way of behavior (Jost et al, 2002). This made the group to feel threatened, and according to the group, they felt a rise in inequality that made them to use group discrimination and behavioral asymmetry. Hence, Derrick was made part of the groups and his behaviour was altered. The family could not have moved into this neighborhood knowing the state it was in and implications that would rise according to the social dominance theory. With regard to this theories, the families would have benefited greatly and avoid the acts of violence that were meted out to them. Adding to the acts of hate that was imparted on them.
References
Brandt, M. (2013). Do the disadvantaged legitimize the social system? A large-scale test of the status–legitimacy hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 104(5), 765- 785.
Jost, J. et al. (2002). Social inequality and the reduction of ideological dissonance on behalf of the system: evidence of enhanced system justification among the disadvantaged. European Journal of Social Psychology 33(1), 13-36.
Schmalleger, F. (2013). Criminology. New York: Pearson Education.
