NCJ Number
58781
Date Published
1978
Length
38 pages
Annotation
AN EMPIRICALLY BASED MODEL OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS IS PRESENTED AS A TOOL FOR SCHOOL-SPECIFIC STUDIES OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE.
Abstract
TEAMS OF ETHNOGRAPHERS CONDUCTED ON-SITE STUDIES AT THREE HIGH SCHOOLS (ONE RURAL, ONE SUBURBAN, ONE INNER-CITY) IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. THEIR FIELD METHODOLOGY WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE CODE OF RULES THAT MAKE A HIGH SCHOOL A SOCIAL SYSTEM AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH PEOPLE LEARN TO PLAY BY THE RULES. FOUR STRUCTURAL DOMAINS OF SOCIALIZATION TRANSACTIONS WERE IDENTIFIED: (1) THE TEACHING-LEARNING STRUCTURE (ORGANIZES ENCULTURATION OF COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE SKILLS THAT DEFINE THE SCHOOL'S LEARNING FUNCTION), (2) AUTHORITY-POWER STRUCTURE (ENCULTURATION OF ADULT EXERCISE OF AUTHORITY OVER CHILDREN), (3) PEER-LEARNING STRUCTURE (ENCULTURATION OF VALUES AND MODES OF BEHAVIOR IN ADULT AND YOUTH PEER GROUPS), AND (4) CROSS-GROUP STRUCTURES (ENCULTURATION OF BEHAVIOR CODES FOR INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE TWO PEER GROUPS. THESE STRUCTURES ARE ADJUSTED TO CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC, POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THROUGH THREE PROCESSES: (1) SORTING (INDIVIDUALS' CLASSIFICATION OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS ACCORDING TO CULTURALLY DEFINED LABELS IN EACH SCHOOL), (2) TERRITORIALITY (FORMAL AND INFORMAL ASSIGNMENT OF SPACE WITHIN THE SCHOOL), AND (3) RULEMAKING AND RULE BREAKING. THESE PROCESSES ARE EXPRESSED COLLECTIVELY IN THE FORM OF CONVENTIONS THAT SET THE LIMITS FOR APPROVED BEHAVIOR IN THE SCHOOL. THIS LOOSE COLLECTION OF UNDERSTANDINGS MAY BE VIEWED AS THE SCHOOL'S 'CHARTER.' BY PROVIDING A MEANS OF ISOLATING SCHOOL-SPECIFIC FACTORS IN STUDENT BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS FROM MORE GENERAL SOCIETAL FACTORS, THE STRUCTURE/PROCESS MODEL OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION SHOULD PROVE USEFUL IN DEALING WITH SCHOOL CRIME. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)