The Sociology of Social Problems

This chapter outlines the four components that tend to occur in all of the most important social problems of today. These components are as follows: The important social problems (1) cause physical or mental damage to individuals or society; (2) offend the values of standards of some powerful segment of society; (3) persist for an extended period of time; and (4) Different groups with different social positions offer competing solutions to them (Parrillo, 2002, p. 5).

The chapter also contends that most social problems are old ones that keep returning in forms that seem brand new (Parrillo, 2002, p. 6). For example, the author argues that prostitution is a problem that has long plagued society without an effective solution. Similarly, pollution regulations have not eradicated the problem of pollution. Parrillo argues that these problems reoccur because to solve them would either require a thorough examination of society's gender relations (in the case of prostitution) or because some powerful group is profiting from the problem (as in the case of pollution) (Parrillo, 2002, pp. 6-7).

Thus, Parrillo contends that our views of social problems are often intertwined with our personal prejudices, politics and values (2002, p. 9). Thus, our own subjective beliefs can often hinder or affect our studies of these social problems. Consequently, Parrillo discusses the research methods and sociological perspectives used to achieve objective evidence of a

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ricans tend to blame the poor for being poor not only because native-born Americans tend to associate poverty with the cultural differences of immigrants, but also because the American belief system revolves around individualism and the existence of widespread economic opportunity (Parrillo, 2002, p. 147). Consequently, native-born Americans tend to believe that the poor could "make it" if they were just willing to work. Parrillo explores the idea of poverty in American in some depth. He explores the culture of poverty, the ways that the impoverished adapt to poverty and thereby keep themselves poor. He also explores the populations that make up the poor in America. He finds that, contrary to media portrayals and popular belief, more White people in America are poor than are minorities. Specifically, 46 percent of the poor are White, while 26 percent are Black, 23 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Asian or Native-American (2002, p. 152). Notably, however, minorities are over-represented in poor populations in relation to their representation in the general population, which Parrillo attributes to several factors, including immigration and discrimination. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the impact of poverty of othe

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