CONTENT:
Social Networking and Criminal TheoriesNameInstitution Social Networking and Criminal TheoriesQuestion OneSocial networks are the connections that individuals create through friendship, socialization, and interaction with others. It occurs at different levels, the most basic one being the micro level. At this level, individuals establish connections with friends, college/class mates, and friends of friends. This expands to the meso level whereby individuals’ connections go beyond cultural and national levels. Social networks are important sources of power and opportunities. For instance, a student with a strong social network is more likely to secure employment after college than one without. The same impotence is seen in business and politics, whereby knowing the right people can help one secure business deals or get elected into political office. In fact, no individuals are better known than politicians and businessmen. A number of factors determine the kind of social networks that one can create. They include social status, education, and personality. Social status exposes individuals to people of power and influence. For example, being born into a rich family helps one to get socialized into the high class society, which has more access to desirable resources and opportunities such as job positions. Education gives one the skills and knowledge desired by others, which makes a well-educated person an asset. Accordingly, educated people create powerful networks because their skills are sought by well-connected persons like entrepreneurs, organizations, and government institutions. Personality helps one to attract people and create friends more easily, which expands their social networks. Nevertheless, I tend to think that the nature of social networks one establishes reflect the individual’s social status, rather than an individual’s ability...
