Case Study of Frank Lucas
Name
Institution
In essence, Frank Lucas was the former US drug dealer who operated in Harlem in the late 1960s and 1970s. Frank Lucas was born in September 9th 1930 pin North Carolina and grew up in the Greensboro. In his entire life, he was known in the drug trade particularly, buying heroine directly from his source within the Golden Triangle. Interestingly, Frank Lucas had no formal education until he moved to the New York City’s district. From that point, he engaged into street crime and by 1960, he constructed an international drug empire that originated from New York to the Southern East of Asia. Sociologist argues that, killings, bribery and extortion were his daily routine (Kachmar, 2002). It with no doubt that, his personality is shrouded mystery, myth with the great depression. He grew up in poor conditions, which as a resul, attributed to the great depression. Because of the poor conditions, Lucas spent much of his youth looking after his younger siblings, which greatly got him in trouble and depression. Because of huge responsibilities he had accumulated in his life, Lucas saw how real money was made easily in the street through gambling and illegal drugs. This made him ruthlessly to the extent he joined the gangster. With this in mind, there are two theories to sociology that explain Frank Lucas that include social disorganization and learning theory. In this regard, this paper seeks to examine the behavior and life of Frank Lucas based on social disorganization and learning theory.
First, social disorganization theory is the important theory developed by Chicago school, which relates on ecological theories. Studies indicate that, social disorganization theory mostly relates to crime rates based on neighborhood ecological characteristics, which discusses how youths from the disadvantaged families engage into crime through the process of making ends meet and in the process of interaction (Siegel, 2008). Siegel argue that, Znaniecki and Thomas introduced the aspect of how individual thoughts are constructed through the process of interaction that involves life experiences and personal behavioral. It at this point, Znaniecki and Thomas outlined that; attitudes are not inherited instead they are acquired through the process of acculturation. From their assumption, the root of attitudes in life originates from the interaction between an individual and the world outside. The theory of Social disorganization seeks to explain the existence of social problems such as crime, drug baron among other problems that arise in the community.
In this regard, Social disorganization theory analyses the behavioral of Frank Lucas in the sense that, he adopted the behavioral from the transformation in the society. In reality, Frank Lucas grew up in a very poor background, which as a result, attached to the society that, mostly sold drugs, gambling as well as in gangsters. Actually, social expert argue that, Frank Lucas intention of selling drugs and betting involved in gangsters was to look for money made easily in criminal aspects (Kachmar, 2002). It is at this point, Edwin Sutherland adopted the concept in social disorganization that; if the society is disorganized in values and norms, the crime cannot be eliminated. In this case, Edwin underline the approach of how society greatly contributes in many crimes experienced in the society.
With this regard, Edwin Sutherland in social disorganization theory underlines the aspect that, Frank Lucas behavior is determined from the background society. Additionally, Clifford Shaw with Henry McKay explains how community greatly attributes to delinquency as well as crime. From their assumptions, if the community is unable to solve problems experienced by youths, it contributes to systematic-criminal behavioral. Overall, Frank Lucas came from a poor background that demanded him to help financially. Unfortunately, there was no one that Lucas looked upon for help. For that reason, he got into selling illegal drugs and robbing to become rich. This implies that, he looked forward to the future including every approach that would rescue him from poverty.
Based on Lucas background, he walked under Johnson wings that in his teachings made Lucas join the criminal organizations. After the death of Johnson in 1968, Lucas took the opportunity of seizing into drug trafficking. From this aspect, Edwin Sutherland argue that, Lucas behavior mostly derived from the members that Lucas related with since; within the inner city, the aspect of becoming delinquent is determined by the interpersonal relationship involving gangs, family and neighborhood. Comparing Lucas behavior with social disorganization theory, we can outline that; the pattern of Lucas felony corresponded to the environment he grew up and people he interacted in the society. Based on Robert Sampson assumption in social disorganization theory; Lucas behavior is contributed by the fact that; children from a broken family have a high tendency of joining violent gangs. Additionally, Robert argue that, unstable communities mostly lack organizations along with political connections to get resources of fighting crime which as a result, gives young people an alternative of deviant behavior. From this assumption, we can derive the aspect that, Lucas coming from unstable community may have contributed to felonious behaviors.
The second theory that best explains Franklin Lucas is learning theory derived from the work of Albert Bandura. Researchers argue that, Albert Bandura proposes the aspect that, learning theory occur in four main stages; role model behavior, understanding of learning concept, imitation of superiors and a close contact. In this aspect, individual behavior is directly related by the context of social interaction, experiences, observing others and the aspect of media influence. Social analyst agree on the fact that, people acquire behaviors from what other people do in addition, central understanding of human thoughts (Bandura, 1977). Bandura argue that, learned behavior is displayed in the environment which an individual grows up which therefore, determines the moral development process.
Learning theory clearly shows how Lucas behavior was influenced by the environment he grew up. For instance, Lucas being the oldest boy in the family, he had to find ways for his family to survive. Depression was raging over his life having challenges in obtaining and holding job to the extent he resorted in stealing food. In his life, he had undergone lack of basic needs until in his later teens, he obtained a job as a truck driver in a pipe company. Because of depression, he got involved in various offenses such as sleeping with the boss’s daughter. Later, he stole over $400 from the company. From this aspect, lack of basic needs like food led him to steal food in his neighborhood, which later graduated to stealing money in the company. In essence, most of his life is documented in robbing and drugs involvement, which clearly indicates how his behavior was contributed by the environment, he grew up.
In criminology, Robert Burgess and Ronald Akers explains that, criminal behavior is transmitted from one person to another thus, increasing criminal behaviors. Moreover, people tend to observe what they watch from the society and social context. This greatly advocates for an increase in crime and the act of reproducing criminals. From this aspect, Frank Lucas behavior can be explained in the aspect of being influenced from in the environment he grew up. For instance, it well outlined that; he grew up in a poor background exposed to all set of crimes. Businesses of selling illegal drugs were all over in the society along with gambling. Having no one to imitate in good conduct; he got involved into mobster. As outlined by Kachmar (2002), Frank had a passion to come out of poverty to help his family financially. Having encountered with people that made money easily who in this case were gangsters was a rich opportunity for him to flourish from poverty.
In conclusion, based on Robert Burgess and Ronald Akers argument, it with no doubt, Frank behavior was contributed by the life experiences he encountered and his social context. In this regard, this paper has examined the behavior of life of Frank Lucas based on social disorganization and learning theory.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. New York: Prentice Hall Publisher
Kachmar, D.C. (2002). Roy Scheider: a film biography. New York: McFarland Publisher
Siegel, J.L. (2008). Criminology. New York: Cengage Learning Publisher
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