Buffalo Creek, West VirginiaSocial Power and the Construction of Crime-Conflict Theory

Conflict theories can best be defined as, “theories that focus attention on struggles between individuals and/or groups in terms of power differentials.”(Lily, Cullen, & Ball 126). In addition, conflict theories tend to fall into three identifiable categories. Those that search for the sources of the conflicts, those that attempt to establish theoretical foundations for alleviating the conflict, and those that try to both identify the source of and eliminate conflict. (126)
In the book, Everything in Its Path, Kia Erickson, a sociologist, alludes that the disaster that occurred in Buffalo Creek, Virginia on February 26, 1972 is an excellent example of Conflict theories as a whole. The events of February 26, 1972, the ensuing litigation and its resolution tend to support Erickson’s assertions. The parties involved in this particular conflict were citizens of Buffalo Creek, the coal mining industry, and governmental bureaucracy. In response to citizens’ concerns about slag,...