Sociology is the systematic study of society and social interaction. In order to carry out their studies, sociologists identify cultural patterns and social forces and determine how they affect individuals and groups. They also develop ways to apply their findings to the real world.
The Individual in Society: Choices of Aboriginal Gang Members
In 2010 the CBC program The Current aired a report about several young aboriginal men who
were serving time in prison in Saskatchewan for gang-related activities (CBC 2010). They all
expressed desires to be able to deal with their drug addiction issues, return to their families, and
assume their responsibilities when their sentences were complete. They wanted to have their own
places with nice things in them. However, according to the CBC report, 80 percent of the prison
population in the Saskatchewan Correctional Centre were aboriginal and 20 percent of those were
gang members. This is consistent with national statistics on aboriginal incarceration which showed
that in 2010–2011, the aboriginal incarceration rate was 10 times higher than for the non-aboriginal
population. While aboriginal people account for about 4 percent of the Canadian population, in
2013 they made up 23.2 percent of the federal penitentiary population. In 2001 they made up only
17 percent of the penitentiary population. Aboriginal overrepresentation in prisons has continued
to grow substantially (Office of the Correctional Investigator 2013). The outcomes of aboriginal
incarceration are also bleak. The federal Office of the Correctional Investigator summarized the
situation as follows. Aboriginal inmates are:
• Routinely classified as higher risk and higher need in categories such as employment,
community reintegration, and family support
• Released later in their sentence (lower parole grant rates); most leave prison at Statutory
Release or Warrant Expiry dates
• Overrepresented in segregation and maximum-security populations
• Disproportionately involved in use-of-force interventions and incidents of prison self-injury
• More likely to return to prison on revocation of parole, often for administrative reasons, not
criminal violations (2013)
The federal report notes that “the high rate of incarceration for aboriginal peoples has been linked
to systemic discrimination and attitudes based on racial or cultural prejudice, as well as economic
and social disadvantage, substance abuse and intergenerational loss, violence and trauma” (2013).
This is clearly a case in which the situation of the incarcerated inmates interviewed on the CBC
program has been structured by historical social patterns and power relationships that confront
aboriginal people in Canada generally. How do we understand it at the individual level however,
at the level of personal decision making and individual responsibilities? One young inmate
described how, at the age of 13, he began to hang around with his cousins who were part of a gang.
He had not grown up with “the best life” with family members suffering from addiction issues and
traumas. The appeal of what appeared as a fast and exciting lifestyle—the sense of freedom and of
being able to make one’s own life, instead of enduring poverty—was compelling. He began to earn
money by “running dope” but also began to develop addictions. He was expelled from school for
recruiting gang members. The only job he ever had was selling drugs. The circumstances in which
he and the other inmates had entered the gang life and the difficulties getting out of it they knew
awaited them when they left prison reflect a set of decision-making parameters fundamentally
different than those facing most non-aboriginal people in Canada.
A key basis of the sociological perspective is the concept that the individual and
society are inseparable. It is impossible to study one without the other. German
sociologist Norbert Elias called the process of simultaneously analyzing the
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller susanwanjiku. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
