This theoretically balanced text provides the latest research findings and a consistent structure to help students analyze major social problems facing the United States. The authors present both sides of an argument with a neutral voice and use a " down-to-earth" writing style.

When students complete this text, not only do they gain a sociological understanding of social problems, but also they are able to explore-and evaluate-their own opinions about specific social problems. They will gain a greater awareness of the social forces that shape their orientations to social problems and their perspectives on social life. The ideas in this book, then, can penetrate students' thinking and give shape to their views of the world.

Features
Introduces students to the study of social problems:
An emphasis on theory and research consistently demonstrates how to apply sociological theories to social problems:
Analyzes the latest research and social trends to give direction to social problem.
Spotlight on Research boxes - major researchers in social problems share an insider's perspective of how they became interested in a social problem and how they did their research
The three basic theories-symbolic interaction theory, functional theory, and conflict theory- are introduced early in the text giving students the opportunity t immediately grasp the differences of these theories.
Through out the text, these theories are applied to each social problem, providing a cohesive understanding of what otherwise might appear to be a disparate collection of problematic events and issues.

Pedagogical Features

After the first three chapters, Social Problems uses the following framework to analyze each social problem:

Opening Vignette Intended to arouse student interest in the social problem and to stimulate the desire to read more, this brief opening story presents essential elements of the social problem.
The Problem in Sociological Perspective - By presenting a broad sociological background, the authors sets the stage for understanding the social problem.
The Scope of the Problem - This section presents basic data on the extent or severity of the problem. It allows students to grasp the problem's wider ramifications.
Looking at the Problem Theoretically - The authors presents a theoretical analysis of the problem or some major aspect of it. The authors usually begin on a more personal level, with symbolic interaction theory, and then moves from there to functional theory, and conclude with the perspective of conflict theory.
Research Findings - Both current and classic sociological studies are discussed -and, where relevant, studies from other academic disciplines as well. To allow students to become more familiar with primary research, the authors present many sociological studies in detail.
In addition, a feature written by researchers themselves, Spotlight on Research boxes, helps students understand how the researcher's personal background leads to interest in a social problem and how research on social problems is actually done.
Social Policy - This section focuses on actions that have been taken or could be taken to try to solve the social problem. The authors often spells out the assumptions on which these policies are based and the dilemmas that they create.
The Future of the Problem - Because students want to know what lies ahead of them in life, the authors conclude with an overview of the direction that the problem is likely to take, given what we now know about the problem's dimensions and trends.
Summary and Review To reinforce what the students are learning, the authors provide a succinct point-by-point summary of the main ideas in the chapter. Students also find this summary helpful for review purposes, especially in preparing for tests. Some students also find it useful as a preview of the chapter, reading the summary before they read the chapter.
Key Terms When a term first appears in the text, it is set in bold type and is defined in context. Key terms are also listed and defined at the end of each chapter.
Thinking Critically About the Chapter At the end of each chapter are several questions designed to help students evaluate what they have read. These questions also lend themselves well for stimulating class discussions.