Crime and the American Dream

Abstract

The basic idea behind this book is that the American dream TTitselfTT and the normal social conditions engendered by it are deeply implicated in the problem of crime (e.g., our cultural emphasis on achievement which promotes productivity and innovation, also generates pressures to succeed at any cost). In looking at the American dream, Messner and Rosenfeld examine interconnections between culture and institutional structure in contemporary American society and explore the implications of these interconnections for levels of crime.This critical examination challenges students to question and critically analyze broadly supported cultural goals and social organization. The book's tightly crafted theoretical perspective also helps students see the application of theory to real world problems.

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