Social Process Theory: Killing Them Softly

The social process theory is the view that criminality is a function of people’s interactions with various organizations, institutions, and processes in society. If someone has an organization pressuring them to something bad, such as a robbery, the social process theory comes into effect. The social process theory relates to “Killing Them Softly.” During the movie Frankie and Russel were asked by Johnny to rob a card game. Frankie and Russel drive to the card game and before they go inside they both put on black masks, and yellow gloves. When they walk into the card game, one of the guys point their gun at Markie, the head guy of the game, to get the money. Markie goes into the back and pulls out two brief cases then gives it to him, while
the other guy tells everyone to empty out any extra money everyone might have in their pockets. Once Frankie and Russel get all the money they leave and drive away. Overall, the social process theory is made up of three theories that are shown when Frankie and Russel agree to, and are committing the crime. These three theories are social learning theory, social control theory, and social reaction theory.
Social learning theory states that criminal behavior is learned through human interactions. Frankie and Russel are an example of this because they live in an area with run-down buildings where crime is high, and they probably learned crime from seeing it happen before. When they were going to steal money from the card game, they knew it was done before and decided to do it because Johnny wanted it done. The criminal behavior in the town taught Frankie and Russel how to commit the crime successfully, and ultimately influenced them to steal the money for Johnny.
Social control theory states that human behavior is controlled through close associations with institutions and individuals. Johnny told Frankie and Russel to commit the crime, but in the end Frankie and Russel are the ones who end up paying for the crime they agreed to do for Johnny. Since Frankie and Russel are close with Johnny, Johnny was able to get Frankie and Russel to do the dirty work. The social reaction theory states that people given negative labels by authority figures accept those labels as a personal identity, setting up a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is shown when Johnny asks Frankie and Russel to steal money from a card game. Johnny is indirectly saying that Frankie and Russel are criminals and are able to commit the crime with no problem. This puts the label on Frankie and Russel that they are criminals and they will fulfill that label the rest of their lives.
Along with those three theories under the social process theory there are other theories/crimes that explain what Frankie and Russel did and why. An act committed in violation of the criminal law for the purpose of monetary gain and financial benefits is called an economic crime. Frankie and Russel committed an economic crime when stealing the money from the card game for Johnny, who they are doing the crime for. Economic crimes are part of the part one crimes, which include robbery and burglary along with six other crimes. These crimes combined make up the eight most serious offenses included in the Uniform Crime Report by the FBI.
Additionally, the social structure theory has an impact on why Frankie and Russel committed the crime they did. The social structure theory is the view that disadvantaged economic class position is a primary cause of crime. Frankie and Russel live in a lower-class town where the buildings are all run down, and stealing occurs to get ahead. I believe the environment Frankie and Russel are living in influenced them to help Johnny rob the card game.
Overall, the social process theory was prominent in Frankie and Russel’s crime they committed for Johnny. The social learning theory, social control theory, social reaction theory, economic crime, and social structure theory all relate to the social process theory. Each theory shows how people and/or the environment influence people to commit the crimes they do, just like Frankie and Russel’s crime.