"They Call Us Monsters" is a documentary about three young juvenile offenders who signed up for a screenwriting class as they await their respective trials in Los Angeles. It provides an insight look at the lives of three juvenile offenders in Los Angeles, focusing on the complex factors of their involvement due to their underage condition in crime. The documentary provides a whole other aspect of juvenile offenders since most people would think they are all just mini Charlie Manson. The whole movie provides a variety of examples that apply to the social theories that we have studied in class. Rational Choice Theory refers to individuals engaging in criminal behavior after weighing the potential benefits against the risks. In the film, we saw this theory in action when Jarad and his friends …show more content…
In the film, the presence of gang activity in the community goes unchecked, as fear and distrust inhibit residents from intervening or reporting criminal behavior. Social disorganization theory means that ecological differences in levels of crime are based on structural and cultural factors shaping the nature of the social order across communities. Since the movie was filmed in LA, which is a huge urban area that intersects with different areas and subcultures, all three young offenders in the movie lived in an environment that is a relatively disadvantaged neighborhood. In the background, it is normal to see highways and construction sites a lot, which is a sign of a high circulation of people around the area. This aligns with Shaw and McKay's theory of social disorganization, which emphasizes the breakdown of social control mechanisms in disadvantaged neighborhoods. On the other hand, Social Process Theory shows criminality as a part of people's interactions with various