Ronald Weitzer

New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory

Social disorganization theory focuses on the relationship between neighborhood structure, social control, and crime. Recent theoretical and empirical work on the relationship between community characteristics and crime has led to important refinements of social disorganization theory, yet there remain some substantive and methodological deficiencies in this body of work. This article addresses these problems and charts some promising new directions in social disorganization theory.

The Social Construction of Sex Trafficking: Ideology and Institutionalization of a Moral Crusade

The issue of sex trafficking has become increasingly politicized in recent years due to the efforts of an influential moral crusade. This article examines the social construction of sex trafficking (and prostitution more generally) in the discourse of leading activists and organizations within the crusade, and concludes that the central claims are problematic, unsubstantiated, or demonstrably false. The analysis documents the increasing endorsement and institutionalization of crusade ideology in U.S. government policy and practice.

Race, Class, and Perceptions of Discrimination by the Police

Previous research has shown that Blacks are more likely than Whites to hold unfavorable opinions of criminal justice agencies in America, but the literature has rarely examined whether social class also affects these opinions. Using recent national survey data on perceptions of racial discrimination by the police and the criminal justice system, this study examines the effects of race and class on citizen attitudes. The findings indicate that (1) race is a strong predictor of attitudes and (2) class affects several of these views. An important finding is that middle-class Blacks are sometimes more critical of the police and justice system than are lower-class Blacks.

Breaking News: How Local TV News and Real-World Conditions Affect Fear of Crime

Many Americans report that they are fearful of crime. One frequently cited source of this fear is the mass media. The media, and local television news in particular, often report on incidents of crime, and do so in a selective and sometimes sensational manner. This paper examines the role of the media in shaping crime fears, in conjunction with both demographic factors and local crime conditions. Unlike most previous research in this area, which typically focuses on only one medium, the present study examines the effects of several—local and national television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet. The findings address four theoretical perspectives on the relationship among the media, real-world conditions, and fear of crime.

Flawed Theory and Method in Studies of Prostitution

Analysis of a body of literature on prostitution that does not meet conventional standards for scholarly inquiry or scientific research methods.

Misogyny in Rap Music: A Content Analysis of Prevalence and Meanings

Rap music has a reputation for being misogynistic, but surprisingly little research has systematically investigated this dimension of the music. This study assesses the portrayal of women in a representative sample of 403 rap songs. Content analysis identified five gender-related themes in this body of music—themes that contain messages regarding ‘‘essential’’ male and female characteristics and that espouse a set of conduct norms for men and women. Our analysis situates rap music within the context of larger cultural and music industry norms and the local, neighborhood conditions that inspired this music in the first place.

Policing Under Fire: Ethnic Conflict and Police-Community Relations in Northern Ireland.

This volume addresses two audiences: sociologists of policing and students of Ireland. In the first pursuit, Weitzer provides a descriptive model of “divided society policing”: systematic bias in favor of the dominant social group, politicized policing that strongly identifies with the regime, dominant-group monopoly of top police positions, dual policing for counterinsurgency and “ordinary law enforcement,” special powers against the subordinate population, absence of effective police accountability, and polarized community-police relations. He proposes that communitypolice relations in divided societies are shaped at the neighborhood level by police effectiveness at fighting ordinary crime, the intensity of counterinsurgency policing, the legitimacy of the state in the neighborhood, and national-level controversies over policing that spill over into local political discourse. Finally, in his implicit dynamic model, divided societies with “divided society policing” evolve into “modern” societies with “liberal” policing. Policymakers in “modern” societies such as Britain are more genuine about reform than those in “traditional” societies. Although Weitzer (mercifully) avoids describing Irish divisions as “tribal,” this implies a battle between progressive British reforms and traditional Irish backwardness. Weitzer tests his models with a thorough case study of policing since the northern Irish state was created in 1922. He distinguishes two periods: overt sectarian Protestant rule before 1968 and “reform” thereafter. His comprehensive use of varied data sources gives his analysis more credibility than some previous studies of policing in northeastern Ireland that uncritically used social attitude surveys or interviews of policemen themselves. Weitzer is knowledgeable about his case. His desire to present a balanced analysis leaves him unwilling to whitewash police harassment, violence, bias against Catholics, and so forth. He also has interesting insights into the contradictory nature of police relations with Protestants. Despite this, Weitzer’s functionalism and trust in British liberalism limit his analysis. At the outset (pp. 3–4), he contrasts functionalist theories, which assume that policing provides protection and order, with conflict theories, which view police as repressive state organs that protect dominant groups from subordinate groups seeking change. While conflict approaches may explain communally divided societies, he argues, functionalist approaches suit “liberal democracies,” where policing represents broad community interests. Thus, while the pre-1970s sectarian Protestant statelet was biased against the subordinate Catholics, Weitzer implies, post-1960s policing is reformist in intent because it is administered through direct rule by modern “pluralist” Britain.

New Directions in Research on Human Trafficking

This article evaluates four popular claims regarding human trafficking’s international magnitude, trends, and seriousness relative to other illicit global activities. I find that the claims are neither evidence-based nor verifiable. Second, an argument is made for carefully conducted microlevel research on trafficking. Several such studies are described, including the contributions to this volume of The Annals. I argue for microlevel research, which has advantages over grand, macrolevel claims—advantages that are both quantitative (i.e., identifying the magnitude of trafficking within a measurable context) and qualitative (i.e., documenting complexities in lived experiences)—and is better suited to formulating contextually appropriate policy and enforcement responses.

Prostitution Control in America: Rethinking Public Policy

In the past two decades there has been little critical examination of the prevailing methods of controlling prostitution in the United States. This article examines selected problems in the control of prostitution in the United States and critically assesses three major alternatives to the prevailing policy of criminalization. Alternative approaches are evaluated using the criteria of public preferences, efficient use of criminal justice resources, and harm reduction. One policy, involving a dualistic approach, is found to be superior in satisfying these criteria.

Racial discrimination in the criminal justice system: Findings and problems in the literature

Abstract Race-based conflict theory predicts substantial, institutionalized discrimination against minorities within criminal justice systems. This article examines the nature and extent of racial discrimination by police, courts, and correctional agencies in the United States. The body of research analyzed points to racial effects at certain points in the criminal justice system and in certain social contexts, but it also suggests that discrimination is less extensive than what is anticipated by conflict theory. In critically evaluating the literature, the article also points to a number of methodological and analytical deficiencies that require attention in future research—problems, which, if rectified, may lead to documentation of more subtle forms of discrimination and identification of important contextual factors.