Home » Articles posted by Sofia Delgado Avila
Author Archives: Sofia Delgado Avila
Assignment #4
Sofia D. Avila
12/16/22
I do believe we must rethink how we enforce traffic laws in cities and suburbs because they do not accomplish their task of deterring unsafe driving. Instead, they reveal more racial profiling and decrease the sense of trust and safety communities feel towards officers. The enforcement of traffic laws specifically minor traffic stops ineffectively decreases unsafe driving and instead has increased the fatalities involved in these interactions. The increased fatalities from traffic stops result in a decrease in trust and safety which only fuels the number of fatalities as individuals will feel at risk when stopped. Individuals are more likely to become paranoid or aggressive, which can go deeper into racial disparities.
“the risk of escalation created by disproportionately stopping Black drivers — exacerbated by pre-existing tensions between the police and Black residents — was a greater threat to public safety than the traffic violations.” – Cities Try to Turn the Tide on Police Traffic Stops, The New York Times.
This same article, states how some police unions and officers argue that “pulling over cars to search them is an essential weapon against serious crime”. This statement is contradicting itself, the minor traffic stop due to a vehicle’s broken tail lights, expired registrations, or window tints should not suggest officers be able to use probable cause in searching a vehicle. This is the stem of racial disparity, distrust, and life-threatening interactions.
Banning traffic stops in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Seattle, etc, is in a way controversial if we are thinking about all traffic stops. I believe that in order to bring positive changes to the justice system and affected communities we would need to reform traffic stop protocols. Focusing more on individuals who are speeding, recklessly driving, and other more dangerous infractions would primarily deter unsafe driving. While stopping vehicles for minor infractions should not be enforced as heavily, officers should also be limited as to when to enforce probable cause that would lead them to search a vehicle. Cities and schools should also focus on educating individuals about their rights as a way to feel more secure when presented with these situations. Officers should also learn how to properly de-escalate situations in order to solidify trust and safety among communities.
Assignment #3
Sofia D. Avila
11/25/22
After listening to the “Ear hustle: Episode 2: Misguided loyalty” podcast, the theory that would apply to explain Tommy Shakur Ross’s involvement in gangs and crime would be Merton’s Strain theory. This theory explains how societal structures can pressure individuals into committing crimes, Merton proposed a typology of deviant behavior defined by culturally defined goals and the institutionalized means available to achieve these goals. There are 5 categories in total, and 4 remain within a system which are conformity, ritualism, innovation, and retreatism. The 5th category falls outside of the system which is rebellion, this is the category which Shakur falls under. Rebellion in Merton’s Strain theory is when an individual rejects culturally and society-defined goals and actively replaces them with unacceptable ones.
To start, as Shakur was explaining early childhood life, he had both parents growing up and was one of the middle children among 5 siblings. His mother was a nurse and his father was a Baptist minister, so he grew up going to church. His parents wanted him to become a minister to follow in his father’s footsteps, but he wanted to do other things which eventually led him to resent going to church. Here we can see that Shakur is being presented to institutionalize cultural goals placed by his parents to follow his dad’s footsteps in church. As he started to resent the church and misbehave, his father would discipline him which resulted in him to further resent church and authority. One day when Shakur was ordering food from a taco stand, he was approached by three gang members who attacked him and took his food. Shakur felt humiliated and powerless, this encounter was what drew his attention to gangs.
At the young age of 13, Shakur started becoming close with one particular person who was affiliated with a gang called Eight Tray. With more exposure to gang culture, Shakur became more and more interested in joining. Applying Merton’s Strain theory, Shakur was becoming more interested in the societal structure of “togetherness” and culture in gangs. He rejected acceptable cultural and societal defined goals placed by his parents and replaces them with the cultural and societal goals in gangs, which are seen as unacceptable to overall society. Shakur would be exposed to more delinquent activities when he joined Eight Tray such as selling drugs or driving lowriders, this exposure would result in Shakur engaging in school fights, stealing cars, and snatching purses. His established goal in Eight Tray was “ghetto fame” where he wanted to establish his position in Eight Tray by doing the same level of crimes or beyond. He earned his name “Joker” and wanted to represent them by protecting the name of Eight Tray and upholding his reputation as Joker. These were the true societal structure of gangs, the pressure would result in Shakur committing crimes in order to achieve his new goal of representing Eight Tray.
In the year 1992, at the age of 19, Shakur would shoot Standford Bursey who was a part of an enemy gang of Eight Tray. This encounter would forever change Shakur’s life as his mother and younger brother were shot and killed as a form of retaliation for killing Bursey. He would be arrested and convicted for the murder of Standford Bursey only 4 days after hearing the news of his mother and younger brother, he served 31 years in prison.
Merton’s Strain theory properly explains Shakur’s involvement in gangs and crime. In the beginning, Shakur was conflicted with his own personal goals matching up to the goals his parents wanted him to follow. Applying the rebellion category of this theory suggests how an individual will tend to rebel if they undergo stress caused by inconsistency between their culturally defined goals and accessibility to the means required in achieving those personal goals. Shakur did not have the accessibility to establish his own personal goal because his parents wanted him to follow a goal they already established for him. When he would misbehave, his father would discipline him as a means to straighten him out to follow the set path they had for him. This influenced his rebellious behavior as he would reject these culturally and society-defined goals and actively replaces them with unacceptable ones by joining a gang. The true societal structure of Eight Tray would put pressure on Shakur in order to represent and withhold his reputation by committing crimes.
Short Assignment #2
For this Assignment, I identified the types of situational crime prevention my neighborhood has in order to prevent criminal activity.
1. Surveillance systems
Ring is one of the personal situational Crime preventions I use to deter criminal behavior since it increases the risk of detection. Ring Is popularly used throughout the neighborhood, many homes have ring installed whether it’s the doorbell or a camera system in order to deter crime.
2. Surveillance Signs
While Many homes have surveillance only a handful of homes have signs that say they are protected or secured by surveillance companies such as Ring or ADT. Having these Signs make it more obvious that these homes have security which would further deter any criminal behavior from happening, compared to only having a surveillance system that can only be spotted when you’re in closer proximity. These signs work as a warning sign to those at a further range of an individual’s home since they are supposed to be more visible. This can also help houses in close range because criminals will know that they can be caught on camera even if it’s the next house down since they wouldn’t be able to tell the range of surveillance.
3. Neighborhood Watch
Before entering the neighborhood, you will see a sign that says “WARNING NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH AREA” this increases the risk of being caught and makes offenders aware of increased security. Apart from this warning, our neighborhood has meetings in order to address any crimes or insecurities in the community and potential solutions for these issues.
4. Door Locks
Finally one of the situational crime preventions I have is my door lock which only opens with fingerprints and/or passcode. This increases the effort for offenders to commit crimes since it is heavily locked and secured lockpicking. When passcodes are wrong or unknown fingerprints are used it will set an alarm and notify the app so you know if someone is trying to get in.
Sample Short Assignment #1
Deadline: September 25th
For this assignment, I followed the coverage of crimes in the New York Times. Throughout the week there were a number of stories about crimes published, here is the list.
09/03/22
The New York Times: F.B.I. Found 48 Empty Folders That Had Contained Classified Documents at Trump’s Home
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/us/politics/trump-fbi-folders-classified.html?smid=url-share
Summary: Backtracking to earlier in the year when Trump had returned boxes of classified material to the National Archives, months later negotiations about any additional missing documents handed to the National Archives, Trump’s team told investigators no other records remained. This article covers the ongoing investigation of what F.B.I agents found in their search warrant of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Hundreds of classified documents were found in Trump’s estate and empty folders that were marked as containing sensitive documents, some documents being ripped up/mishandled. This raised the question if all documents had been recovered and the intentions of Trump with such documents. It also suggested that the indication of all sensitive records being returned was untrue. the bureau is holding the possibility of three crimes against Trump, the unauthorized retention of national security secrets, obstruction, and concealing or destroying government documents.
09/04/22
The New York Times: Body of Abducted Memphis Teacher Is Found, Police Say
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/04/us/memphis-eliza-fletcher-abduction-suspect.html
Summary: The body of Eliza Fletcher, 34, a kindergarten teacher in Memphis was found behind a vacant duplex apartment in South Memphis on Monday afternoon. She was last seen jogging around 4:30 a.m close to the University of Memphis campus, video surveillance showed a person exiting a dark-colored S.U.V running towards Fletcher, forcing her into the passenger side. A biker in the area found Fletcher’s phone and a pair of shoes which were linked by DNA testing to Cleotha Abstson. Abston had been sentenced prior to 24 years in prison in 2001 for the abduction and aggravated robbery of Kemper Durand, he was released in November 2020. In addition to these previous kidnapping charges, Abston is being charged with the first-degree murder of Eliza Fletcher.
09/07/22
The New York Times: Sex-Cult Leader’s ‘Trusted Lieutenant’ Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/nyregion/sarah-lawrence-cult-isabella-pollok.html
Summary: Isabella Pollock was a student at Sarah Lawrence College who was a “trusted lieutenant” of Lawrence V. Ray. In April Ray was convicted on more than a dozen offenses such as extortion, sex trafficking, and racketeering conspiracy. When the investigation on Ray first began on his influence over students, Pollock was not seen as an accomplice. Now, Evidence and testimonies support that Pollock helped Ray sexually and psychologically manipulate her friends and roommates providing Ray to gain payments of hundreds to thousands of dollars. Pollock’s case is severed from Ray’s case but faces one similar charge and stands on trial for conspiracy to launder money. Some statements from former roommates said that Pollock help video recordings that Ray created in order to falsely incriminate students under his influence, and would routinely pick up money from those who had been steered into prostitution by Ray. Claudia Drury one of the victims who fell into prostitution, turned over nearly $2.5 million in about 4 years. She cut off ties when Ray had threatened and nearly killed her in 2018 in the Gregory Hotel in Manhattan, she testified Pollock had been present in the room during this altercation.
09/08/22
The New York Times: In Memphis, Renewed Attention on Violence After Shooting Rampage
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/08/us/memphis-shooting-gun-violence.html
Summary: Sometime after 12 a.m, a gunman shot and killed a 24-year-old man in a driveway. Later on after 4 p.m around the same location, this same gunman would go on a shooting spree killing four people and wounding three others. Being pursued in a high-speed chase by police until finally being caught and arrested around 9 p.m. Police later identified the gunman as Ezekiel Kelly, 19, he had live streamed the entire shooting on Facebook. The information came out that Kelly had been charged in 2020 with attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison but after pleading guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault, he was released in March after serving 11 months.
09/12/22
The New York Times: Father Says He Sought Custody Before 3 Children Drowned in Brooklyn
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/12/nyregion/three-children-dead-coney-island.html
Summary: Around 2 a.m on Monday, Officers received a call to check on a 30-year-old woman in concern of 3 young children. After 90 minutes and another call, officers came to find the woman barefoot and soaking wet with relatives and there was no sign of the 3 children with her. After searching for an hour the children, a 3-month-old boy, a 4-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old boy were found unconscious by the shoreline about two miles from where they found the mother. They were later pronounced dead at the Coney Island Hospital, the mother was not identified but the father, Derrick Merdy, of 7-year-old Zachary, identified the other children who weren’t his as Liliana and Oliver. Merdy met his ex-wife in 2014 but then broke up in 2015 and he has been fighting for custody ever since. Merdy’s ex-wife kept his son in shelters and he claimed his son would often come to him dirty, without sufficient clothing, and would tell him there wasn’t enough to eat where he was staying. Merdy said his efforts to get help from authorities came to nothing and child protective services never made a real investigation despite his claims.
Overall Summary:
While following the coverage of crimes in the New York Times throughout the week, I noticed that most stories are only covered if they are very big and controversial or if the Justice System failed to protect their people. For example, the articles on Trump and Pollock are long ongoing trial cases that are meant to determine their guilt and/or charges. Since they revolve around very wealthy people there’s more controversy regarding their gain in their position and/or influence, that’s why these types of crimes end up in The New York Times. Whereas the other crime stories such as the ones in Memphis and New York City show a fault in the Justice System. The stories in Memphis mention that the person who committed the crime had actually committed crimes in the past, these criminals were released earlier or should have been more carefully monitored. The crime story in New York City also shows a fault in this system when mentioning the father had tried to reach out to authorities about the welfare of his child and was ignored.
Recent Comments