Main types of Social Problems

Norm Violations and Social Conditions

There are 2 main types of Social Problems according to the course textbook; Norm Violations and Social Conditions.

Norm Violations can be identified by how powerful people, groups, big business and politicians decide and that can be every changing depending on who is in power, who has the most money and how they spend it.  Homelessness for both “normal people” and “mentally ill” should be blamed on politics, therefore, big business.  If money was directed more to help people off of the streets either with housing and help with a job for those that lost their homes due to the economy or a tragedy in their lives, they would and could become “the norm” again.  Treatment for drug abusers, (although a lot of substance abusers on the streets turned to drugs and alcohol out of the hopelessness our government bestows on them) and a chance to get on their feet would really work for quite a few.  Places for the mentally ill to go, like group homes and hospitals for the mentally ill if they’re severe, would drastically reduce our prison populations. These mentally ill people were put on the streets by our government when Ronald Reagan decided to empty all of the mental hospitals.  If the severe ones could go back where they would be safe and taken care of and the less severe, put into assisted living or group homes, there would be far fewer violations of the norm.  The authorities encourage our society to see homeless people as “lazy” when few really are.  Let’s not forget our “throw away kids” that we could have given appropriate schooling for their special needs who  could have been productive members of society instead of criminals, yet we continue to ignore them until it’s far too late.

          Social Conditions is stated in the book as the 2^nd type of Social Problem.  When reading the two descriptions, I admit I’m confused how they are different yet somewhat the same.  Where does the line get drawn?  I hope to get a clearer picture of the differences in my mind as this course proceeds.  I believe that minorities who grow up in violent neighborhoods, steal just to eat and can’t get employment because of “who they are”, are affected by Social Conditions.  After finding a way just to survive their whole lives and losing empathy for people they victimize due to no one having empathized with them, I have seen in documentaries where some of these young (mostly) men have said just that.  If society doesn’t care about us, we have to help ourselves.  That forces them into crime

Four research methods are:

1.    Survey Research: This is the use of statistically obtained data obtained through interviews or written questionnaires.  The larger the sample of people interviewed would produce a more accurate example of a larger population than using selected samples.

2.    Experiments: Using control groups vs. experimental groups to use as comparisons.  Testing both groups about their social views on a particular subject then testing them again after the experiment to see of the experimental group’s views had changed from the control group.  The experimental group and control groups would consist of the people from the same atmosphere, like the book mentioned white students segregated the same in schools split into two groups to see of going to school with black students changed their views.

3.    Observation: As a life long caregiver having once worked in a state facility for the developmentally disabled and mentally ill, part of my job was to observe.  Some of what I observed was exactly for this reasons so Social Workers could gauge improvement or decline in client behaviors depending on what other clients they shared units with ant which staff worked well with them and which did not.

4.    Existing Data: The book lists many, including data for the nation, regions, states, communities, census reports.  I think migration would be exceptionally important to help start narrowing down what has been going on in different societal situations to narrow down what other data is needed to add or gather.