This document discusses various theories of crime and deviance. It covers functionalist, Marxist, feminist and postmodernist perspectives on the functions of crime and deviance. It also discusses official crime statistics, why individuals and groups commit crimes, the relationship between social class, region, ethnicity, gender and crime, the influence of the media, victimization studies, and whether social policy can reduce crime. The document provides an overview of many sociological perspectives and debates around the study of crime and deviance.
The document summarizes several key theories of crime and deviance:
1) Strain theories propose that people engage in criminal behavior when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means. This includes Merton's theory of anomie and subcultural strain theories.
2) Labelling theory argues that acts are not intrinsically criminal but become deviant based on the labels applied to them. Being labelled criminal can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
3) Marxism views crime as inevitable under capitalism and sees the legal system as serving the interests of the ruling class by punishing the crimes of the poor more harshly.
1. This document outlines a sociology unit on crime and deviance theories, with four lessons on each of the main theoretical perspectives: functionalism, strain theory, subcultural theory, labelling theory, Marxism, and right/left realism.
2. For each lesson, learning objectives are provided to explain the key aspects of each theory, along with assessment focus, resources, and examples. Theories are to be introduced with short videos or activities before examining each in more depth.
3. Students will learn to define and apply the different sociological approaches to understanding crime and deviance, evaluate the strengths and limitations of each, and assess which perspectives best explain various types of criminal behavior and deviance.
The document discusses the social constructionist theory of deviance and crime known as labelling theory. It covers several key areas:
- The origins of labelling theory within the Chicago school and theorists like Howard Becker who took an interpretivist approach focusing on how social reality is constructed.
- How labelling theory argues that deviance is defined relatively by societies rather than being intrinsically linked to certain acts. Concepts like folk devils, moral panics, and the role of the media in amplifying deviance are discussed.
- The process of labelling and how it can lead to secondary deviance and a deviant career as individuals internalize the labels placed on them. Mental illness is used as a
1. The document discusses several theories of crime and deviance, including functionalism, strain theory, and subcultural theories.
2. Functionalism argues that crime has positive functions for society by reaffirming social norms, while strain theory proposes that individuals engage in deviant acts when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means.
3. Subcultural theories suggest that some groups develop their own norms and values in opposition to the dominant culture in response to status frustration or a lack of opportunity, which can lead to criminal behavior.
Social deviance refers to any violation of established social norms, whether through criminal acts or more minor transgressions. Social control mechanisms aim to encourage normative compliance through both formal laws and informal social pressures. Sociological theories offer different perspectives on deviance, such as viewing it as a result of social and economic strains (strain theory) or as influenced by how individuals are labeled and perceive themselves (labeling theory).
This document outlines various sociological theories of crime and deviance. It discusses definitions of crime and explanations for why some individuals commit crimes while others do not. These include functionalist theories that see crime as inevitable and serving a social purpose, as well as subculture theories that examine why groups turn to crime due to factors like status frustration or lack of legitimate opportunities. Other approaches covered are interactionist/labeling perspectives, phenomenology, neo-Marxism, and spatial theories examining the relationship between crime and location.
The document outlines different sociological theories of crime and deviance. It discusses functionalist theories including Durkheim's ideas about crime serving both functional and dysfunctional purposes for society. It also discusses Merton's strain theory and how it explains crime as a response to blocked opportunities. The document then discusses subcultural theories proposed by Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin which see crime emerging from working class youths' frustration with blocked opportunities and their adoption of delinquent subcultural norms as an alternative way to gain status.
The document summarizes several key theories of crime and deviance:
1) Strain theories propose that people engage in criminal behavior when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means. This includes Merton's theory of anomie and subcultural strain theories.
2) Labelling theory argues that acts are not intrinsically criminal but become deviant based on the labels applied to them. Being labelled criminal can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
3) Marxism views crime as inevitable under capitalism and sees the legal system as serving the interests of the ruling class by punishing the crimes of the poor more harshly.
1. This document outlines a sociology unit on crime and deviance theories, with four lessons on each of the main theoretical perspectives: functionalism, strain theory, subcultural theory, labelling theory, Marxism, and right/left realism.
2. For each lesson, learning objectives are provided to explain the key aspects of each theory, along with assessment focus, resources, and examples. Theories are to be introduced with short videos or activities before examining each in more depth.
3. Students will learn to define and apply the different sociological approaches to understanding crime and deviance, evaluate the strengths and limitations of each, and assess which perspectives best explain various types of criminal behavior and deviance.
The document discusses the social constructionist theory of deviance and crime known as labelling theory. It covers several key areas:
- The origins of labelling theory within the Chicago school and theorists like Howard Becker who took an interpretivist approach focusing on how social reality is constructed.
- How labelling theory argues that deviance is defined relatively by societies rather than being intrinsically linked to certain acts. Concepts like folk devils, moral panics, and the role of the media in amplifying deviance are discussed.
- The process of labelling and how it can lead to secondary deviance and a deviant career as individuals internalize the labels placed on them. Mental illness is used as a
1. The document discusses several theories of crime and deviance, including functionalism, strain theory, and subcultural theories.
2. Functionalism argues that crime has positive functions for society by reaffirming social norms, while strain theory proposes that individuals engage in deviant acts when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means.
3. Subcultural theories suggest that some groups develop their own norms and values in opposition to the dominant culture in response to status frustration or a lack of opportunity, which can lead to criminal behavior.
Social deviance refers to any violation of established social norms, whether through criminal acts or more minor transgressions. Social control mechanisms aim to encourage normative compliance through both formal laws and informal social pressures. Sociological theories offer different perspectives on deviance, such as viewing it as a result of social and economic strains (strain theory) or as influenced by how individuals are labeled and perceive themselves (labeling theory).
This document outlines various sociological theories of crime and deviance. It discusses definitions of crime and explanations for why some individuals commit crimes while others do not. These include functionalist theories that see crime as inevitable and serving a social purpose, as well as subculture theories that examine why groups turn to crime due to factors like status frustration or lack of legitimate opportunities. Other approaches covered are interactionist/labeling perspectives, phenomenology, neo-Marxism, and spatial theories examining the relationship between crime and location.
The document outlines different sociological theories of crime and deviance. It discusses functionalist theories including Durkheim's ideas about crime serving both functional and dysfunctional purposes for society. It also discusses Merton's strain theory and how it explains crime as a response to blocked opportunities. The document then discusses subcultural theories proposed by Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin which see crime emerging from working class youths' frustration with blocked opportunities and their adoption of delinquent subcultural norms as an alternative way to gain status.
1. The document discusses the relationship between social class, age, and crime. It notes that youth crime is disproportionately committed by young working-class individuals and that 70% of youth crime is committed by 7-8% of youth.
2. Coleman's theory of "social capital" links factors like strong family relationships to lower crime rates. However, the theory is criticized for overgeneralizing and scapegoating certain groups.
3. Data shows a link between lower social classes and higher imprisonment rates, though self-report studies find smaller differences in actual offending between classes.
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
This document discusses various topics related to crime and deviance. It defines crime as behavior that breaks formal laws and deviance as behavior that does not comply with social norms. It discusses theories such as functionalist theories, which see deviance arising from structural tensions, and labeling theory, which argues that deviance is determined by the labels applied to people. Left realism and right realism are contrasted in their views of the causes of crime. Statistics on gender differences in crime rates and youth crime are presented. Different types of crimes like white-collar crime, organized crime, and cyber crime are also defined and examples are given.
This document provides summaries of various sociological theories of crime, including:
- Durkheim's functionalist theory and Merton's strain theory, which view crime as normal and resulting from a lack of opportunity to achieve goals.
- Subcultural theories that examine how status frustration and blocked opportunities lead to deviant subcultures.
- Labeling theories that view deviance as a social construct based on societal reactions, not just acts themselves.
- Marxist theories which see crime as a result of inequality and contradictions within capitalist systems.
- Gendered analyses of crime patterns and explanations for male and female offending.
- Studies of ethnicity, criminalization, victimization and explanations for differences in off
This document discusses various topics related to crime control, punishment, and victims. It covers situational crime prevention strategies, environmental crime prevention based on broken windows theory, social and community crime prevention strategies, and different perspectives on victimology including positivist and critical approaches. Key points addressed include evaluating different prevention strategies, their criticisms, emphasizing social conditions that lead to crime, and how victim status is socially constructed.
Sutherland's differential association theorycapesociology
Sutherland developed the theory of differential association to explain criminal behavior. The theory asserts that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others who engage in criminal acts and define such acts favorably. Criminal behavior results from being exposed to more definitions favorable to crime than unfavorable definitions. Sutherland argued that individuals learn criminal techniques, motives, and attitudes by associating with others involved in criminal behavior more than they associate with non-criminal groups. His theory departed from biological and individual theories of crime by emphasizing the social context and social learning aspects of criminal behavior.
CAPE SOCIOLOGY UNIT TWO Is crime socially constructedcapesociology
Social constructionism views deviance as behavior that a person or group labels as deviant, rather than behavior that is intrinsically deviant. According to this perspective, primary deviance refers to norm-breaking acts that have not been publicly labeled as deviant, while secondary deviance describes the consequences after an authority such as the police react and label someone's behavior as deviant. Whether and how a society reacts to deviant behavior is seen as crucial in determining the social consequences and stigma that result. Certain groups may become folk devils or scapegoats that symbolize social fears during moral panics amplified by the media.
This document discusses crime prevention and punishment from various sociological perspectives. It examines strategies for preventing crime, ranging from situational crime prevention to community programs addressing root causes. It also looks at different views of punishment, including deterrence, rehabilitation and incapacitation. Additionally, it covers trends in victimization and the concept of victimology - the sociological study of victims, their experiences and how some groups are at higher risk of being victimized.
This document summarizes several key theories of crime and deviance from sociological perspectives, including functionalism, Marxism, interactionism, and feminism. It also discusses biological explanations, agencies of social control, and aspects of crime statistics and gender. Functionalism views deviance as having both dysfunctional and functional roles in society. Marxism sees crime and deviance examined through a conflict perspective. Interactionism focuses on the interaction between those defined as deviant and those defining them. Feminism challenges the neglect of gender in prior theories.
The chapter discusses social structural theories of criminology including Durkheim's theory of anomie, social disorganization theory, strain theory, subcultural theories, and gang theories. It analyzes how social institutions and culture can influence crime rates. The chapter also evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of these social structural theories and their policy implications.
The document discusses interactionism and labelling theory. It explains that interactionists believe deviance is defined by others' reactions rather than the acts themselves. Labelling theory, proposed by Howard Becker, states that actions only become deviant through the application of a label. Once labelled, a deviant career may follow as the label becomes a person's master status. The media plays a role in socially constructing crime and deviance through how it reports and amplifies certain acts. However, labelling theory is difficult to prove and some acts will always be seen as deviant regardless of labelling.
Left Realism focuses on the exclusion and victimization of the working class. It argues that the working class commits crimes against each other, not the rich, due to relative deprivation and inequality of opportunities. While structural factors like inequality, lack of jobs and poor housing contribute to crime, Left Realism also acknowledges the role of subcultures and individualism in criminal behavior. It supports multi-agency approaches and greater community involvement in policing to curb crime rates. However, simply increasing policing does not address the underlying causes of crime.
Labelling theory argues that acts are not inherently criminal, but become defined as deviant when labeled as such by others in society. For labelling theorists like Becker, a deviant is someone who has successfully been given the label of deviant. Moral entrepreneurs play a role in leading campaigns to change laws in ways that create new groups of outsiders and expand the power of social control agencies. Whether someone is arrested and charged depends on factors like their interactions with these agencies and characteristics like class, gender, and ethnicity. Lemert distinguishes between primary deviance, which involves acts that go unnoticed and unlabeled, and secondary deviance, where the label itself leads to further deviant acts and identity.
Deviance and crime social construction, labeling, power and functionwrigveda
This document discusses deviance and crime from a social constructionist perspective. It defines deviance as any action that violates widely accepted social norms and notes that what is considered deviant can vary between cultures, time periods, and social groups. Deviance is created through social definitions and labeling rather than inherent to behaviors themselves. Power dynamics influence which groups are more likely to label and define behaviors of other groups as deviant. Social control mechanisms aim to regulate behavior and enforce norms.
1. Right Realism emerged in the 1970s-1980s and favored tough law and order policies like increased imprisonment and the death penalty.
2. Right Realists believe that crime is caused by biological differences in individuals, poor socialization rather than structural factors, and rational choice to offend if risks are low.
3. They advocate deterrence methods like zero tolerance policing, surveillance, and harsh punishments to raise the costs of offending. However, critics argue this ignores wider causes of crime and can discriminate against certain groups.
2013 labelling lamert, chambliss, young 2013mattyp99
- Lemert investigated chronic stuttering among Inuits in Canada and argued it was caused by an overemphasis on ceremonial speech making. Failure to speak well caused shame and anxiety, which made minor speech issues worse and led to chronic stuttering. In other words, public labeling turned a minor problem into a major one.
- Lemert distinguished between primary deviance, which involves isolated, insignificant rule-breaking that is not publicly labeled, and secondary deviance, which involves further deviant acts after being publicly labeled as deviant. Being labeled can lead to stigmatization and the development of a deviant identity.
- Labeling theory suggests deviant identities are constructed through interactions between social control agents who apply labels
CAPE Sociology :Crime and Deviance Differential asociationcapesociology
This document summarizes social process theories for delinquency. It discusses two broad types: social learning theories and social control theories. Social learning theories propose that delinquency is learned through interactions with others. Differential association theory and differential reinforcement theory explain how individuals learn criminal behaviors and motivations through social interactions. Drift and neutralization theory also discuss how delinquents drift between criminal and conventional values and use techniques to neutralize demands of conventional society. Social control theories assume humans are predisposed toward self-interest, and most people do not commit crimes because of constraining social influences. Containment theory and social bond theory explain how attachments, commitments, involvements and beliefs in conventional society act to control criminal behavior
CAPE SOCIOLOGY UNIT 2 Deviance teachernotescapesociology
The document discusses deviance from several sociological perspectives:
1. Functionalist perspective - Deviance can serve positive social functions by affirming norms, clarifying moral boundaries, promoting social unity, and encouraging social change. However, it can also be disruptive.
2. Strain theory perspective - Structural strain occurs when people cannot reach socially admired goals, leading them to turn to deviance.
3. Interactionist perspectives - Labeling theory states deviance is based on social response not just acts. Cultural transmission theory says people learn deviant behaviors through social interaction.
4. Conflict perspective - Norms primarily reflect interests of powerful, who can avoid being labeled deviant, while poor cannot
Crime and Deviance - Functionalist ApproachRachel Jones
This document summarizes key aspects of functionalist explanations of deviance. It discusses two important functionalist theorists - Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton. It outlines Durkheim's view that crime is a normal and inevitable part of society that can serve functions like strengthening social solidarity. It also discusses Merton's strain theory, which argues that a mismatch between cultural goals and legitimate means to achieve them can result in deviant behavior. The document also notes criticisms of functionalism and outlines alternative approaches like interactionism.
This document discusses several topics related to deviance and crime:
- It defines deviance as any behavior that violates social norms and lists some examples.
- It describes the criminal justice system and its large size in the United States.
- It discusses different theories that have been proposed to explain deviance, such as functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives.
- It provides statistics on crime in the US and classifications of different types of crimes.
This document provides an overview of key sociological theories and research methods that students should already be familiar with from prior coursework. It includes:
1) A list of modern and postmodern sociological theories like functionalism, Marxism, interpretivism, feminism, and postmodernism that students need a deeper understanding of.
2) Sample exam questions that could require assessing these theories in relation to topics like modernity, social policy, or objectivity in research.
3) An activity prompting students to review and demonstrate their knowledge of functionalism, Marxism, and key concepts from each.
4) A list of important research methods and considerations that students should already understand
1. The document discusses the relationship between social class, age, and crime. It notes that youth crime is disproportionately committed by young working-class individuals and that 70% of youth crime is committed by 7-8% of youth.
2. Coleman's theory of "social capital" links factors like strong family relationships to lower crime rates. However, the theory is criticized for overgeneralizing and scapegoating certain groups.
3. Data shows a link between lower social classes and higher imprisonment rates, though self-report studies find smaller differences in actual offending between classes.
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
This document discusses various topics related to crime and deviance. It defines crime as behavior that breaks formal laws and deviance as behavior that does not comply with social norms. It discusses theories such as functionalist theories, which see deviance arising from structural tensions, and labeling theory, which argues that deviance is determined by the labels applied to people. Left realism and right realism are contrasted in their views of the causes of crime. Statistics on gender differences in crime rates and youth crime are presented. Different types of crimes like white-collar crime, organized crime, and cyber crime are also defined and examples are given.
This document provides summaries of various sociological theories of crime, including:
- Durkheim's functionalist theory and Merton's strain theory, which view crime as normal and resulting from a lack of opportunity to achieve goals.
- Subcultural theories that examine how status frustration and blocked opportunities lead to deviant subcultures.
- Labeling theories that view deviance as a social construct based on societal reactions, not just acts themselves.
- Marxist theories which see crime as a result of inequality and contradictions within capitalist systems.
- Gendered analyses of crime patterns and explanations for male and female offending.
- Studies of ethnicity, criminalization, victimization and explanations for differences in off
This document discusses various topics related to crime control, punishment, and victims. It covers situational crime prevention strategies, environmental crime prevention based on broken windows theory, social and community crime prevention strategies, and different perspectives on victimology including positivist and critical approaches. Key points addressed include evaluating different prevention strategies, their criticisms, emphasizing social conditions that lead to crime, and how victim status is socially constructed.
Sutherland's differential association theorycapesociology
Sutherland developed the theory of differential association to explain criminal behavior. The theory asserts that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others who engage in criminal acts and define such acts favorably. Criminal behavior results from being exposed to more definitions favorable to crime than unfavorable definitions. Sutherland argued that individuals learn criminal techniques, motives, and attitudes by associating with others involved in criminal behavior more than they associate with non-criminal groups. His theory departed from biological and individual theories of crime by emphasizing the social context and social learning aspects of criminal behavior.
CAPE SOCIOLOGY UNIT TWO Is crime socially constructedcapesociology
Social constructionism views deviance as behavior that a person or group labels as deviant, rather than behavior that is intrinsically deviant. According to this perspective, primary deviance refers to norm-breaking acts that have not been publicly labeled as deviant, while secondary deviance describes the consequences after an authority such as the police react and label someone's behavior as deviant. Whether and how a society reacts to deviant behavior is seen as crucial in determining the social consequences and stigma that result. Certain groups may become folk devils or scapegoats that symbolize social fears during moral panics amplified by the media.
This document discusses crime prevention and punishment from various sociological perspectives. It examines strategies for preventing crime, ranging from situational crime prevention to community programs addressing root causes. It also looks at different views of punishment, including deterrence, rehabilitation and incapacitation. Additionally, it covers trends in victimization and the concept of victimology - the sociological study of victims, their experiences and how some groups are at higher risk of being victimized.
This document summarizes several key theories of crime and deviance from sociological perspectives, including functionalism, Marxism, interactionism, and feminism. It also discusses biological explanations, agencies of social control, and aspects of crime statistics and gender. Functionalism views deviance as having both dysfunctional and functional roles in society. Marxism sees crime and deviance examined through a conflict perspective. Interactionism focuses on the interaction between those defined as deviant and those defining them. Feminism challenges the neglect of gender in prior theories.
The chapter discusses social structural theories of criminology including Durkheim's theory of anomie, social disorganization theory, strain theory, subcultural theories, and gang theories. It analyzes how social institutions and culture can influence crime rates. The chapter also evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of these social structural theories and their policy implications.
The document discusses interactionism and labelling theory. It explains that interactionists believe deviance is defined by others' reactions rather than the acts themselves. Labelling theory, proposed by Howard Becker, states that actions only become deviant through the application of a label. Once labelled, a deviant career may follow as the label becomes a person's master status. The media plays a role in socially constructing crime and deviance through how it reports and amplifies certain acts. However, labelling theory is difficult to prove and some acts will always be seen as deviant regardless of labelling.
Left Realism focuses on the exclusion and victimization of the working class. It argues that the working class commits crimes against each other, not the rich, due to relative deprivation and inequality of opportunities. While structural factors like inequality, lack of jobs and poor housing contribute to crime, Left Realism also acknowledges the role of subcultures and individualism in criminal behavior. It supports multi-agency approaches and greater community involvement in policing to curb crime rates. However, simply increasing policing does not address the underlying causes of crime.
Labelling theory argues that acts are not inherently criminal, but become defined as deviant when labeled as such by others in society. For labelling theorists like Becker, a deviant is someone who has successfully been given the label of deviant. Moral entrepreneurs play a role in leading campaigns to change laws in ways that create new groups of outsiders and expand the power of social control agencies. Whether someone is arrested and charged depends on factors like their interactions with these agencies and characteristics like class, gender, and ethnicity. Lemert distinguishes between primary deviance, which involves acts that go unnoticed and unlabeled, and secondary deviance, where the label itself leads to further deviant acts and identity.
Deviance and crime social construction, labeling, power and functionwrigveda
This document discusses deviance and crime from a social constructionist perspective. It defines deviance as any action that violates widely accepted social norms and notes that what is considered deviant can vary between cultures, time periods, and social groups. Deviance is created through social definitions and labeling rather than inherent to behaviors themselves. Power dynamics influence which groups are more likely to label and define behaviors of other groups as deviant. Social control mechanisms aim to regulate behavior and enforce norms.
1. Right Realism emerged in the 1970s-1980s and favored tough law and order policies like increased imprisonment and the death penalty.
2. Right Realists believe that crime is caused by biological differences in individuals, poor socialization rather than structural factors, and rational choice to offend if risks are low.
3. They advocate deterrence methods like zero tolerance policing, surveillance, and harsh punishments to raise the costs of offending. However, critics argue this ignores wider causes of crime and can discriminate against certain groups.
2013 labelling lamert, chambliss, young 2013mattyp99
- Lemert investigated chronic stuttering among Inuits in Canada and argued it was caused by an overemphasis on ceremonial speech making. Failure to speak well caused shame and anxiety, which made minor speech issues worse and led to chronic stuttering. In other words, public labeling turned a minor problem into a major one.
- Lemert distinguished between primary deviance, which involves isolated, insignificant rule-breaking that is not publicly labeled, and secondary deviance, which involves further deviant acts after being publicly labeled as deviant. Being labeled can lead to stigmatization and the development of a deviant identity.
- Labeling theory suggests deviant identities are constructed through interactions between social control agents who apply labels
CAPE Sociology :Crime and Deviance Differential asociationcapesociology
This document summarizes social process theories for delinquency. It discusses two broad types: social learning theories and social control theories. Social learning theories propose that delinquency is learned through interactions with others. Differential association theory and differential reinforcement theory explain how individuals learn criminal behaviors and motivations through social interactions. Drift and neutralization theory also discuss how delinquents drift between criminal and conventional values and use techniques to neutralize demands of conventional society. Social control theories assume humans are predisposed toward self-interest, and most people do not commit crimes because of constraining social influences. Containment theory and social bond theory explain how attachments, commitments, involvements and beliefs in conventional society act to control criminal behavior
CAPE SOCIOLOGY UNIT 2 Deviance teachernotescapesociology
The document discusses deviance from several sociological perspectives:
1. Functionalist perspective - Deviance can serve positive social functions by affirming norms, clarifying moral boundaries, promoting social unity, and encouraging social change. However, it can also be disruptive.
2. Strain theory perspective - Structural strain occurs when people cannot reach socially admired goals, leading them to turn to deviance.
3. Interactionist perspectives - Labeling theory states deviance is based on social response not just acts. Cultural transmission theory says people learn deviant behaviors through social interaction.
4. Conflict perspective - Norms primarily reflect interests of powerful, who can avoid being labeled deviant, while poor cannot
Crime and Deviance - Functionalist ApproachRachel Jones
This document summarizes key aspects of functionalist explanations of deviance. It discusses two important functionalist theorists - Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton. It outlines Durkheim's view that crime is a normal and inevitable part of society that can serve functions like strengthening social solidarity. It also discusses Merton's strain theory, which argues that a mismatch between cultural goals and legitimate means to achieve them can result in deviant behavior. The document also notes criticisms of functionalism and outlines alternative approaches like interactionism.
This document discusses several topics related to deviance and crime:
- It defines deviance as any behavior that violates social norms and lists some examples.
- It describes the criminal justice system and its large size in the United States.
- It discusses different theories that have been proposed to explain deviance, such as functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives.
- It provides statistics on crime in the US and classifications of different types of crimes.
This document provides an overview of key sociological theories and research methods that students should already be familiar with from prior coursework. It includes:
1) A list of modern and postmodern sociological theories like functionalism, Marxism, interpretivism, feminism, and postmodernism that students need a deeper understanding of.
2) Sample exam questions that could require assessing these theories in relation to topics like modernity, social policy, or objectivity in research.
3) An activity prompting students to review and demonstrate their knowledge of functionalism, Marxism, and key concepts from each.
4) A list of important research methods and considerations that students should already understand
The document provides an overview of the examinable skills and structure for the A2 Crime and Deviance exam. [1] It outlines the assessment objectives focusing on knowledge and understanding (AO1) and application, interpretation, analysis and evaluation (AO2). [2] Example questions are provided testing AO1 and AO2 for crime and deviance topics as well as methods. [3] The document aims to prepare students for the exam by familiarizing them with the skills and topics that will be assessed.
Functionalism views crime as inevitable and having some positive functions for society. Durkheim believed crime reinforces social solidarity and norms, as it provokes condemnation that reaffirms shared values. Crime can also drive social change by challenging norms. However, functionalist theories have been criticized for ignoring individual experiences and how crime primarily benefits certain groups. Subsequent theorists like Merton, Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin incorporated structural factors and examined how blocked opportunities and cultural goals can lead some groups to form deviant subcultures as alternative means to achieve success and status.
Merton's strain theory attempts to address criticisms of Durkheim's theory of crime and deviance. Merton argued that an over-emphasis on cultural goals like material wealth without equal access to legitimate means to achieve them can lead to a situation of anomie or normlessness where people turn to deviance. Different social classes experience this strain differently based on their socialization and access to opportunities, leading some to engage in deviant behaviors like crime. While evidence from periods of social change support Merton's theory, it has also been criticized for assuming a value consensus and failing to explain non-materially motivated crimes.
1) The document discusses different theories around why men commit crimes and how concepts of masculinity relate to criminal behavior.
2) Sociologists Bob Connell and James Messerschmidt argue that men feel pressure to live up to socially defined ideals of masculinity, such as being tough, dominant, and successful. For less powerful men, crime may be a way to assert masculinity.
3) Jack Katz takes a different view, arguing that criminology overlooks how the pursuit of pleasure and thrill-seeking drives some criminal acts more than pressures to prove masculinity.
The document discusses several theories around how teachers can negatively label and stereotype students from ethnic minority backgrounds. It explores how this labeling can lead to lower expectations, disproportionate discipline, and marginalization of these students. While labeling can negatively impact students' achievement and self-perception, some studies also found that some students are able to develop coping strategies to avoid these outcomes or reject the negative labels. The document also analyzes how the curriculum and certain policies can reflect or promote institutional racism in education.
The sociology of mass media: Representations of gender on the mediabrunogiegerich
The document discusses representations of gender in mass media and their reflection of patriarchal norms. It describes how media historically portrayed men as breadwinners and heads of household while women were depicted as domestic, maternal, and subordinate. Studies found women underrepresented in achievements and more likely to be sexualized. Magazines in particular were found to promote rigid gender ideals and focus on women's appearance, care for family, and relationship to men.
Willis argued that some working-class boys actively disrupted lessons because they saw the education system as biased against them and knew their career prospects would remain working-class no matter their efforts. These boys were not passive victims and instead aimed to disrupt the system in protest. There continues to be anti-school subcultures today as evidenced by the high number of NEETs in society.
This document discusses various perspectives on feminism and sociological theory. It outlines how early sociology was dominated by men and ignored or distorted issues relevant to women. It then discusses various feminist approaches including liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, and radical feminism. Postmodern feminism critiques the idea of "malestream" sociology and aims to explore the subordinate position of women in society through the concept of patriarchy. The document also notes debates around women's roles in capitalism and changes in perspectives over time.
This document discusses positivism and quantitative research methods. It provides details on the hypothetico-deductive method used by positivists, which involves formulating a hypothesis, deciding on a methodology, collecting data, analyzing the data, and confirming, modifying, or rejecting the hypothesis based on the results. Surveys are described as a common method used by positivists and government/commercial organizations because they are less influenced by personal beliefs. However, surveys have drawbacks like not being able to capture complex or ambiguous information well. Longitudinal studies are presented as overcoming this by following the same people over many years. The main criticism of positivism discussed is that it can establish correlations but not reasons or motiv
The document describes an activity where students take on the roles of different sociologists and their explanations of secularization. They write letters, emails, text messages, and blog posts between the sociologists outlining their varying views on secularization over time. Having to write in each other's books forces students to improve their work and re-read key ideas. This strategy engages students in learning different perspectives on an issue in a fun way.
This document discusses key concepts related to culture, including examples of different types of culture, subcultures, theories of culture, and cultural stratification. It provides multiple choice questions to test understanding of these concepts. The document examines material culture, non-material culture, physical culture, consensus theories of culture, Marxists' views of mass culture, interactionist perspectives on society and culture, and examples of high culture versus mass culture.
The document provides an introduction to sociology for students taking an AS level sociology course, outlining what sociology is, its subject matter and methods of study. It defines sociology as the systematic, objective study of human social life, groups, and societies, with a focus on how individuals are influenced by their membership in various social groups. Students are expected to actively participate in lessons, keep up with assignments, and conduct independent study outside of class.
This document is an evaluation form for a sociology student to rate their confidence level on various topics relating to families and households. There are over 20 topics listed that cover areas like gender roles, power relationships in couples, changes in childhood, population trends in the UK, and sociological perspectives on families and policies. For each topic, the student is asked to indicate if they feel very confident, fairly confident, not confident, or need to revise the topic.
The document discusses patterns and reasons for domestic violence. It notes that domestic violence disproportionately affects women, with nearly 1 in 4 women experiencing assault by a partner. Sociological explanations are presented over psychological ones, citing the widespread and non-random nature of domestic violence. Radical feminists argue that domestic violence stems from patriarchal societies that allow men to dominate women. Other groups at higher risk include those from lower social classes, with lower incomes, or consuming high levels of alcohol. Inequality and the stress it causes is also cited as a contributing factor.
This document defines and explains key demographic terms including birth rate, fertility rate, death rate, migration, and net migration. It describes birth rate as the number of live births per 1,000 people per year, and fertility rate as the average number of children born to each woman. It defines death rate as the number of deaths per 1,000 people per year, and migration as the movement of people between countries or regions. Net migration refers to the difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants.
Parsons viewed power as serving collective goals that benefit society as a whole. Power differentials are necessary to organize society and pursue shared values and goals. Critics argue Parsons naively justified existing power structures rather than recognizing power is often used to benefit certain sections of society. Pluralist theories also viewed power as dispersed among competing interest groups and the government as a neutral arbitrator. Later elite pluralism recognized some groups like the working class are under-represented and economic groups have more policy influence, but power is still seen as diffused with no single dominant group. However, critics note pluralism only examines visible decision-making and fails to acknowledge power can also be exercised through agenda-setting and shaping dominant ideologies.
This document provides guidance on evaluation skills for sociology students. It discusses evaluation as an important higher-order thinking skill that involves critically examining arguments and considering both strengths and weaknesses. It recommends using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework to practice and develop evaluation. Specific evaluation strategies outlined include asking what an argument adds to the debate, using evaluation charts to assess theories and methods, and posing critical questions to take an evaluative approach.
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
Compare And Contrast Two Criminological Approaches To...Lori Gilbert
The document compares and contrasts the classical and positivist criminological approaches to understanding crime. The classical approach views crime as a rational choice, while the positivist approach sees it as influenced by biological and psychological factors outside an individual's control. The document examines these two major theories, their origins in the 18th and 19th centuries, and some criticisms of the classical rational choice perspective.
Neo-Marxism aims to develop a comprehensive social theory of deviance and crime. It draws on two main sources: traditional Marxist ideas about unequal wealth distribution and power structures under capitalism, and ideas from interactionism and labelling theory about the social construction and meaning of deviance. Neo-Marxism sees crime and deviance as meaningful actions resulting from broader social inequalities, rather than as deterministic outcomes. It argues for replacing capitalist societies with more equitable classless societies where individuals are not labelled or their actions criminalized due to differences in wealth, power or social status.
Understanding Hate Crimes And Recognizing VictimsJennifer York
Here are the key aspects of social constructionism as it relates to understanding terrorism:
- Social constructionism examines how humans jointly construct understandings of concepts and realities through social interactions and perceptions. There is no single objective reality.
- Definitions of terrorism are socially constructed - there is no universally agreed upon definition. What constitutes a terrorist act depends on social and political perspectives and contexts.
- Different societies, cultures, and political groups may construct the definition and understanding of terrorism in different and sometimes opposing ways based on their own perspectives and experiences.
- The social construction of terrorism influences politics, law, and conflict. How terrorism is defined and understood shapes counterterrorism policies and designations of terrorist groups. It influences the "
This document discusses several theories of crime and deviance:
1. Labelling theories propose that deviance is not inherent to an act or person, but is a consequence of others applying rules and sanctions to label someone as deviant. This labeling can lead to secondary deviance where the label becomes central to one's identity.
2. Subcultural theories argue that deviant behavior arises from collective groups rejecting mainstream values and norms when opportunities for success are limited. Gangs provide alternative values of aggression and toughness.
3. Strain theories like anomie and Merton's theory of deviant adaptations propose that a lack of clear norms or a strain between goals and means can lead to disorientation, anxiety,
Neo-Marxism critical criminology combines elements of traditional Marxism and labelling theory. It argues that crime often has a political motive and examines the wider social and political contexts of criminal acts and social reactions to them. Young initially developed this perspective but later abandoned it in favor of left realism, which takes crime more seriously by recognizing increases in crime rates and their disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups. Left realism seeks to reduce crime by addressing its root causes such as relative deprivation, subculture, and marginalization.
This lecture will cover various topics related to sentencing and punishment, including the purpose of punishment, parole, probation, community sentencing, the death penalty, penal populism, and the role of media in shaping public opinion of the criminal justice system. It will examine how media represents crime and justice issues and how it can influence perceptions of moral panics, crime waves, and policy agendas. Students will analyze concepts like police culture and subculture in Bangladesh context through readings and a case study. They will also review and critique a video presentation on the state's authority to punish citizens. Key points of the lecture include different types and justifications of punishment as well as issues with Bangladesh's penal policies and the rise of penal populism influenced by
This document provides an overview of criminology, including definitions, the origins and history of the field, theories of crime causation, and the early schools of thought in criminology. It defines criminology as the scientific study of crime, criminals, and criminal behavior. The study of criminology began in Europe in the 19th century and was later accepted into sociology departments in the US. Early theories on the causes of crime included theological, philosophical, and early scientific approaches focusing on individual traits and social/environmental factors. Modern criminology incorporates subjective and objective approaches.
This document summarizes three major theoretical perspectives on deviance: functionalist, Marxist, and symbolic interactionist. It discusses key ideas and theorists within each perspective. The functionalist perspective views deviance as a normal reaction to social structure, examining theories of anomie and status frustration. The Marxist perspective sees deviance as socially constructed to protect ruling class interests. Critical theories analyze how law criminalizes the powerless. Finally, the symbolic interactionist perspective emphasizes how social reactions and labeling shape perceptions of deviance, discussed through labeling theory and the concepts of primary and secondary deviation.
CRIME THEORIES The function of theory is to provide puzzles .docxwillcoxjanay
CRIME THEORIES
The function of theory is to provide puzzles for research (Lewis Coser)
Source: O'Connor, T. (03/26/04). In Crime Theories, MegaLinks in Criminal Justice. Retrieved from
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/111/111lect03.htm on January 9, 2006.
To understand criminal justice, it is necessary to understand crime. Most policy-
making in criminal justice is based on criminological theory, whether the people making
those policies know it or not. In fact, most of the failed policies (what doesn't work) in
criminal justice are due to misinterpretation, partial implementation, or ignorance of
criminological theory. Much time and money could be saved if only policymakers had a
thorough understanding of criminological theory. At one time, criminological theory was
rather pure and abstract, with few practical implications, but that is not the case anymore.
For example, almost all criminologists today use a legalistic rather than normative
definition of crime. A legalistic definition of crime takes as its starting point the statutory
definitions contained in the penal code, legal statutes or ordinances. A crime is a crime
because the law says so. Sure, there are concerns about overcriminalization (too many
laws) and undercriminalization (not enough laws), but at least on the surface, a legalistic
approach seems practical. It is also advantageous to a normative definition, which sees
crime as a violation of norms (social standards of how humans ought to think and
behave), although there are times when criminology can shed light on norms and norm
violators.
Every criminological theory contains a set of assumptions (about human nature,
social structure, and the principles of causation, to name a few), a description of the
phenomena to be explained (facts a theory must fit), and an explanation, or prediction,
of that phenomenon. The assumptions are also called meta-theoretical issues, and deal
with debates like those over free will v. determinism or consensus v. conflict. The
description is a statistical profile, figure, diagram, or table of numbers representing the
patterns, trends, and correlates of the type of crime taken as an exemplar (most
appropriate example) of all crime. The explanation is a set of variables (things that can
be tweaked or changed) arranged in some kind of causal order so that they have statistical
and meaningful significance. Criminological theories are primarily concerned with
etiology (the study of causes or reasons for crime), but occasionally have important
things to say about actors in the criminal justice system, such as police, attorneys,
correctional personnel, and victims.
There are basically thirteen (13) identifiable types of criminological theory,
only three (3) of which are considered "mainstream" or conventional criminology (strain,
learning, control). The oldest theory (biochemistry) goes back to 1876 and the last four
theories (left realism, peacem.
Criminological Research PaperOffenders commit crimes for differe.docxcrystal5fqula
Criminological Research Paper
Offenders commit crimes for different reasons. Criminological theories attempt to explain why crimes occur. For the Final Paper, you will evaluate the theoretical study of crime and crime causation by examining the crime of an offender and applying a criminological theory discussing why the offense occurred.
You must discuss both the offender and the crime in detail. Additionally, you must research the criminological theory to be used; discuss the theorist responsible for coining the theory, the year it was created, the premise of the theory, and how it is applicable.
Below is a list of offenders that were reported in the media as a result of the heinous nature of their offense. Select one of the offenders, and research their crime. You may only use scholarly sources when citing in your paper. Wikipedia is not an acceptable source.
First, select an offender from the list of offenders.
Offenders
Alex and Derek King (12 and 13 when they killed their father)
Andrew Luster (Cosmetic fortune heir who was convicted of drugging, raping, and videotaping assault of young women)
Bernard Madoff (perpetrated world’s largest Ponzi scheme, bilking investors of billions of dollars)
Charles Cullen (Most prolific serial killer in New Jersey history, killed patients with drugs from the hospital)
Cheng Chui Ping (Smuggled thousands of Chinese immigrants to the United States)
Eric Rudolph (Serial bomber responsible for several anti-abortion and anti-gay bombings, killing two and injuring 111)
Jesse Timmendequas (Raped and murdered a seven-year-old girl)
Joel Steinberg (lawyer who beat six-year-old daughter to death)
John B. Taylor (former Wendy’s manager who robbed and shot seven employees)
Kathy Boudin (radical involved in robbery that led to the death of two police officers and a security guard)
Ken Lay (Enron accounting fraud, wiped out employee-stockholders’ pensions)
Michael Devlin (kidnapped and sexually abused two boys while living openly as their “father”)
Robert Chambers (nicknamed the “Preppie Murderer,” killed 18-year-old woman in Central Park)
Sante Kimes (grifter who, with son, murdered elderly socialite to get townhouse)
Seung-Hui Cho (South Korean student who killed 32 people and wounded 17 others at Virginia Tech)
Susan Smith (falsely claimed carjacking to cover drowning of her children)
Zacarias Moussaoui (would-be 9/11 hijacker now serving life sentence in federal prison)
Then, select one theory from the list.
Theories
Age-Graded Theory
Anomie Theory
Arousal Theory
Behavioral Theory
Biochemical Theory
Cognitive Theory
Control Balance Theory
Critical Criminology
Critical Feminist Criminology
Cultural Deviance Theory
Deviance Place Theory
Differential Association Theory
Differential Coercion Theory
Evolution Theory
General Strain Theory
Instrumental Theory
Integrated Cognitive Antisocial Potential (ICAP) Theory
Interactional Theory
Left Realism Theory
Lifestyle Theory
Rational Choice Theory
Theory of Crime and G.
This document summarizes several sociological theories of crime:
1) Strain theories propose that social structures may encourage crime by creating strain, either structural strains in society or individual strains. Robert Merton's strain theory suggests people may turn to crime when legitimate means are blocked from achieving socially accepted goals.
2) Symbolic interactionism views society as socially constructed through human interpretation and the meanings people develop through social interaction.
3) Drift theory argues that delinquent youth are not committed to crime but drift between criminal and non-criminal behavior and can choose whether to engage in delinquency.
4) Routine activity theory explains crime opportunities that occur when a motivated offender, suitable target, and lack of guardian
This document discusses several theories of criminal behavior and how it relates to socialization. It examines anomie theory, which suggests that crime can result when there is a disconnect between socially accepted goals and the means to achieve them. Labelling theory holds that acts only become deviant when labeled as such by others. The author also reviews right realism, which views crime as a matter of free will and advocates for harsher punishments, and left realism, which focuses more on victims and sees crime stemming from lack of resources and social skills due to one's background. Overall, the document argues that criminal behavior is linked to socialization through social structures, learning from others, social class influences, and societies' labeling of certain acts
The document summarizes several theories of criminal behavior, beginning with the Classical school in the 18th century. The Classical school believed criminal behavior was a result of free will and could be deterred through proportional punishment. Notable classical theorists included Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. Later critiques found the Classical school ignored individual differences and mental state. Neo-classical theory accounted for those lacking responsibility. Sociological theories emphasized social and environmental influences on crime.
Postmodern public administration theory rejects positivism and objectivity, instead viewing language and discourse as tools for continuous meaning-making concerned with values and truth. It is influenced by behavioralism, new public administration theories, and social constructionism. Key traits include dialectics, imagination, deconstruction, deterritorialization, and concern for moral others. Postmodernism critiques the legitimacy of the modern nation-state and political system. Research approaches the naturalistic inquiry using qualitative methods and emergent design.
1. The document discusses various sociological perspectives on crime including biological, psychological, functionalist, subculturalist, interactionist, Marxist, feminist, ethnicity, right realist, left realist, and postmodernist perspectives.
2. For each perspective, strengths and weaknesses are outlined in relation to how other perspectives may critique them. For example, Marxists argue functionalists fail to explain what causes crime, and feminists say subculturalists focus only on male crime.
3. Postmodernism is seen as useful for discussing complex issues outside typical crime paradigms, but critics argue it fails to account for social structures like class that influence crime rates.
Amster 2003 - patterns of exclusion sanitizing space, criminaliAlma Nuñez
This document discusses how homeless individuals are often portrayed in a negative light and subjected to practices that exclude them from public spaces. It explores how homelessness has historically been associated with images of dirt, disease, criminality, and moral failings. These perceptions have led to policies and actions that aim to sanitize public areas by restricting or removing homeless people. The document argues these practices reflect societal fears and desires to control spaces rather than actual threats posed by homeless individuals. It examines how portrayals of homelessness in academic and media sources sometimes unintentionally contribute to stereotypes of the homeless as dirty and diseased.
Similar to SociologyExchange.co.uk Shared Resource (17)
The document discusses how views of childhood have changed over time and across cultures. Benedict claims that in non-industrial societies, there is less distinction between adult and child behavior and expectations, and children are treated very differently than in Western societies. Specifically, children in non-industrial cultures often take on responsibilities earlier, have less restricted sexual behaviors, and show less obedience to adult authority. The document then discusses factors like industrialization, laws preventing child cruelty and labor, and theories of child development that have led childhood to be constructed differently and children to be more dependent and protected in modern Western societies.
Cultural, social class, and generational diversity all contribute to differences in family forms. Cultural diversity refers to differences between families of various ethnic, religious, and ideological backgrounds. Social class divisions exist between upper, middle, and working classes as well as within those groups. Generational diversity refers to differences in experiences and attitudes between older and younger family members and generations.
The document is a mark scheme for a sociology exam assessing students' understanding of different sociological explanations of suicide. It provides detailed criteria for evaluating answers in bands from 0-21 marks based on the students' interpretation, application, analysis, and evaluation of concepts from the item and elsewhere. Higher bands are characterized by explaining two or more sociological perspectives on suicide accurately and applying them appropriately to the question.
Sociological research has the potential to influence social policy in several ways:
1) Sociological studies can reveal the true nature and extent of social problems, challenges dominant views, and leads to a redefinition of issues. This occurred with studies of poverty and disability.
2) Establishing definitions and counting the size of marginalized groups through research can raise their profile and lead to new policies. This happened when the disabled population was more accurately defined and quantified.
3) Systematic reviews of research evidence can identify effective solutions and approaches to social issues. An example is a review that informed policies to reduce teen pregnancy and support young parents.
However, critics argue that government-funded research may not be
1) Sudhir Venkatesh spent time living with the Black Kings gang in Chicago to study urban poverty from within the community.
2) He met J.T., the leader of the local gang, who offered to let Venkatesh shadow him for a day to truly understand life in the neighborhood.
3) Over time, Venkatesh grew close to J.T. and other gang members as he observed their daily activities, though he recognized J.T. was a criminal and his research depended on the gang's approval.
This document discusses key concepts in sociology related to social inequality based on age and ethnicity. It provides definitions of ethnicity, ethnic group, and examines how sociologists believe these attributes can create unequal life chances. Specific inequalities are explored around issues like discrimination, legislation, and how views of age and ethnicity may differ cross-culturally.
Here are some potential positive and negative consequences of divorce for each group:
For the husband and wife:
Positive: Opportunity for personal growth and happiness in a new relationship.
Negative: Financial difficulties from single parenthood or splitting assets. Emotional distress.
For the family:
Positive: Conflict may be reduced.
Negative: Loss of the traditional family structure, less contact with extended family. Financial difficulties.
For the children:
Positive: Grow up in a happier environment without parental conflict.
Negative: Stress and insecurity from family breakdown. May feel torn between parents. Adjustment to new living situations.
This document provides information about an advanced sociology exam that will take place on January 15, 2013. It is divided into three sections and students must choose one section to answer all the questions from. The exam will last 1 hour and students must write their answers in an AQA 8-page answer book. The exam is out of a total of 60 marks. Questions worth 24 marks require answers in continuous prose and will be assessed on use of English, organization of information, and appropriate use of specialist vocabulary.
The document also provides two sample exam items, one discussing the dark side of family relationships like domestic violence and child abuse, and problems with statistics on these issues. The other sample item discusses reliability of statistics on modern families
This document provides memory hooks and tools to help students remember important concepts in sociology. It includes acronyms and phrases to summarize key ideas related to topics like family, education, crime and deviance, religion, research methods, and functionalist theory. Color-coded memory hooks are organized by theme to aid recall of sociological information.
The document discusses reasons for overrepresentation of ethnic minorities in crime statistics. It questions whether ethnic minorities truly commit more crimes or if statistics provide an inaccurate picture due to factors like institutional racism and stereotyping. Some reasons given for higher crime rates and convictions among ethnic groups include evidence of racism within police culture and practices, unfair targeting of minorities in stop-and-search policies, and socioeconomic challenges like poverty that are more common in minority communities. The case study of Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager murdered in 1993, illustrates failures in the police investigation potentially due to racism and stereotyping.
Some sociologists would agree that males are more likely to commit crimes than females due to differences in primary socialization and opportunities to commit crimes. However, others disagree because crime statistics may be inaccurate since males face higher rates of arrest and charges. Additionally, the chivalry thesis suggests that females receive more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system since it is male-dominated. In conclusion, there are many complex reasons for apparent gender differences in crime rates that are still debated among sociologists.
1) Gender is defined by sociologists as the social and cultural differences between masculinity and femininity rather than the biological differences between sexes.
2) From birth, individuals are socialized into gender through practices like dressing, naming, toys/books given which prepare individuals for different roles in society based on their gender.
3) While legislation has promoted more equality, sociologists argue that gender inequality still exists in areas like the workplace where women are more likely to be in lower level jobs and face barriers to promotion.
1) Social action theorists argue that people are not constrained by external forces and have control over their own attitudes and actions.
2) Society is a product of people interacting in social groups and applying meanings to social behaviors.
3) Norms and values are seen as flexible guidelines that people apply different meanings to depending on the social situation.
Huntington argued that there are 7 major civilizations - Western, Orthodox, Islamic, Sinic, Hindu, Japanese and Latin American/African - and that conflicts will emerge along the dividing lines of these civilizations, especially between the Western and Islamic worlds. However, critics argue that Huntington's theory oversimplifies conflicts and ignores other important factors like economic and political interests, as well as differences in views on issues like individualism, gender equality and sexuality between societies.
This document discusses values and ethics in sociology research. It outlines the positivist view that sociology should be objective and value-free like the natural sciences. However, others argue this is unrealistic as researchers are inevitably influenced by their own values and motivations. The document also discusses whether truly neutral research is possible given factors like who funds the research and the personal interests of researchers. It concludes by considering perspectives like committed sociology that believe research should not remain neutral and should aim to change society in some way.
This document outlines aims for answering short style questions: to answer as many questions as possible to identify weaknesses for last-minute revision, increase confidence, and prepare for an upcoming exam.
Secondary data sources that sociologists use include life documents, photographs, diaries, letters, official publications, previous research, and media sources. However, each of these sources has disadvantages such as potential lack of accessibility over time, presenting biased positive perspectives, being selectively edited, and relying on flawed human memory. Sociologists must be aware of these limitations and potential biases when utilizing secondary data in their research.
The document discusses key sociological concepts including culture, identity, norms and values, and socialization. It defines culture as things like concerts, buildings, food, language, and clothes, while defining society as things like schools, hospitals, police, towns, shops, industry, and government. It asks how personal identity comes from things like clothes, music, home, and job, while social identity comes from age, gender, status, ethnicity, and association. Finally, it defines norms as guidelines for behavior and values as beliefs about what is good and bad, and explains that primary socialization involves learning from close family, while secondary socialization expands learning to outside the family.
Marriage is defined as the legal union between a man and woman. Reasons for cohabitation instead of marriage include changing social attitudes, availability of contraception, and greater independence of young people. Divorce has become more common and accessible over time due to changes in women's rights and economic independence. There are now many types of diverse families including those distinguished by culture, class, and life stage.
The document discusses how globalization has led to the rise of transnational organized crime and new forms of criminal networks. It also examines green criminology and the identification of primary and secondary green crimes that cause environmental harm. Finally, it analyzes state crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and torture as well as how powerful states are able to commit human rights abuses through techniques like denial of responsibility.
1. SCLY 4 – June 19th 2012
1. Functions of crime & Deviance
Functionalism - manifest versus latent functions, safety valve, boundary
maintenance, reassurance, causes social change – all indicate strain = Merton and
possible policy
Neo Marxism - scapegoating benefits capitalism
Poststructuralism - surveillance
Postmodernism - transgression
2. Official crime Statistics
Functionalists + NRR = valid and comparable and suitable for
hypothesis testing
Feminists – ignore dark figure of domestic violence being unreported
(FRAIDS)
Marxists – ignore other dark figures eg crimes of powerful
Artefacts – materialism increases crime, new laws increase crime, moral
panics increase crime
Interpretivists – PO studies of stereotyping and differential police / court
treatment; institutional racism and sexism
Neo-Marxism - OCS as an ISA creating false consciousness
NLR – young, male A-C’s living in urban areas really do commit more
crime
3.Why do individuals commit crime?
Merton - strain causes IRRR
Feminist & Ma rxist criticisms of Merton
New Right - rational choice theory
Postmodernism - transgression
4. Why do working class youth (Age) commit crime – subcultural theory
A Cohen - status frustration resulting in inversion of m/c values and different types of non-utilitarian deviance
Cloward & Ohlin - access to illegitimate opportunity structure resulting in different types of crime & deviance
Sutherland - differential association = not jus t w/c youth but m/c
white collar workers
Miller – 6 focal concerns of socialised w/c hegemonic
masculinity
Matza – only a minority become delinquents, techniques of
neutralisation prove drift not frustration and subterranean not
subcultural values
Murray - lone parent underclass culture of welfare dependency
Young - relative deprivation & marginalisation
Hall - youth as convenient scapegoats
Young – role of police targeting of youth
S Cohen - social construction of youth folk devils & moral panics
Katz – thrill seeking, Lyng – edgework
5. Why is there a relationship between social class and crime?
2. Marxism - crimogenic capitalism (Gordon) & white collar and corporate crime (Croall)
Marxism – ideology of consumerism / materialism forces w/c to commit crime
Marxism – law is part of the ISA thus OCS are invalid...(Althusser)
Functionalism - Sutherland - differential association & white collar crime
Chambliss - biased law creation
Cicoural - biased law enforcement
Neo Marxism - Hall -w/c as scapegoats for hegemonic crisis in capitalism
New Left Realism – relative deprivation (bulimic society) and political/economic / social / educational
(unmeritocratic) marginalisation (exclusive society) causes subcultural responses – eg Summer 2011 riots
(Young)
New Right - Murray - lone parent underclass culture of welfare dependency
6. Is there a relationship between region and crime – Ecological theories?
Positivists:
Tonnies / Durkheim – rural social control (gemeinshaft) versus lack of urban social control (geselleschaft)
Shaw & McKay - social disorganisation in zone 2
Bottoms - social housing policy of dumping causing tipping
Cognitive awareness zones (eg Oxford Crime Survey, & Cohen -prostitution)
Hobbs et al – nightime economy of edgework (link to Oxford Crime Survey)
Wilson & Kelling (broken windows)
Marxists (police targeting)
Realist solutions & criticisms:
Victim precipitation (BCS) & Situational crime prevention (eg street lighting – Stoke on Trent study)
Different types of displacement
Surveillance & the panopticon (Foucault)
Individualisation & victim precipitation (New Right)
Victim precipitation (New Left Realism and Feminisms)
Communitarianism (Etzioni, Young, Giddens)
7. The relationship between ethnicity and crime
Dysfunctional socialisation (family, media) – New Right
Political, social, educational, economic marginalisation
(racial discrimination) in an exclusive society - NLR
Relative deprivation caused by racial discrimination and
marginalisation – NLR
Subcultural responses because of status frustration and
linked to hegemonic masculinity- eg gang membership
Different masculinities = different crimes (Messerschmidt)
Counter hegemonic fightback – Neo Marxists
Hall - Socially constructed scapegoats – Neo-Marxists
Invalid OCS because of institutional racism in police, CPS,
Courts and Probation –NLR v NRR (OCS are real)
8. The relationships between genders and crime
Statistical trends proving crime is gendered (Heidensohn)
Chivalry thesis (Pollack) + criticisms
3. Malestream bias
Women
Differential socialisation
Differential opportunity / social control
Rational choice – class gender deal (Carlen)
Feminisation of poverty
Feminist liberation theory (Adler)
Gender transgression theory (postmodernism )
Men
Socialised hegemonic masculinity especially in youth facing status frustration (Messerschmidt & Winlow)
Thrill seeking (Katz) or edgework (Lyng)
9. The relationship between the mass media and crime/deviance
Psychological - social learning theory & desenstization (bobo doll, rap,
violent movies/X-box) – Morrison, Sparks, Cumberbatch
Marxism - Cultivation theory (class and racist hegemony)
NLR – bulimic society of conspicuous consumption (Reiner)
Radical feminism (rape, misogyny)
Labelling (folk devils and moral panics – Cohen)
Interactionism - Deviancy amplification spiral and social control
Interactionism – biased media CAGER, police, dramatic fallacies = social
constructionism
Criticisms (determinism, length of moral panics, bias in media methods)
10. Victimisation and crime
Victimology as a paradigm shift by Realists
Proneness versus precipitation (fault) Realisms
BCS aims, methods, findings, strengths and limitations
Realist alternatives to BCS (Local victim Surveys and
Feminist victim surveys – Dobash’s, Walklate)
11. Can social policy reduce crime?
NRR – situational crime prevention and broken windows
(environmental crime prevention)
Criticisms (displacement, ignores crimes of powerful,
malestream, ignores structural causes...)
NLR – communitarianism &
institutional racism
Functionalism – effectiveness
of public punishment / retributive justice
Interactionists – criticisms of prisons
Marxists – depends on definition of crime, mass incarceration
Foucault – panopticon of surveillance and socially controlling carceral
archipelago (Cohen)
4. 12. The relationship between globalisation and crime (Zemiology)
Examples, paradigm shift to zemiology or transgressive criminology
New opportunities (eg transport, cyber crime) – Hobbs & Dunningham
Global networks – living local acting global
Problems of policing
Crimogenic capitalism and transnational corporations (Taylor)
Risk (Beck)
13. Green crime
Definitions - primary versus secondary green crime
Beck – manufactured risk
Marxists – crimogenic capitalism
Interactionists – invalid OCS – can’t police green crime
NLR / postmodernists – paradigm shift from anthrocentrism to
eco-centrism
14. State crime
Types + examples
Marxism – Chomsky- paradigm shift
Marxism = media ignore it (ISA)
Interactionists – invalid OCS + techniques of neutralisation
15. How is deviance socially constructed?
Interactionists – criticisms of OCS & BCS and
SRS
Lemert - primary versus secondary deviance
Becker - role of moral entrepreneurs
Young - police response amplifying deviance
S Cohen - media construction of folk devils &
moral panics
Fawbert - hoodies
Criticisms of moral panic thesis
Criticisms of interactionist topics, values and methods
16. Suicide as a form of deviance
Positivism - Durkheim – scientific method using OSS – 4
types of suicide caused int/reg
9*-+Internal criticisms of Positivism - Halbwachs and
Gibbs & Martin
Interpretivism – critical of OSS, using qual methods – 4
types of suicide (Douglas)
Phenomenology –socially constructed OSS & deviant lab el (Firth, Stengel)
Realists – qual data can prove suicide causes (Baechler – 4 types and Taylor – 4 types linked to degree of
certainty in relation to symphonic and ectopic experiences
5. 17. Sociology and science
Characteristics of science CUDOs (Merton)
Links with positivism eg Durkheim on suicide / New
Right on RCT & SCP
Popper’s criticism - falsification
Kuhn criticism - paradigm bias in science, sociology is
pre-paradigm
Keat & Urry criticisms - sociology has open not closed
science systems
Interpretivist criticisms
Science isn’t a science criticism
Marxist criticisms
Postmodernist criticisms – Sociological modernist
paradigm as a failed metanarrative
18. Sociology and values
Values don’t influence: Positivism – sociology as a science
Values do influence: interactionism, feminism, Marxism, NLR & NRR, postmodernism
19. Social policy
Does influence: measurement, advice, analysis skills eg Positivism & NRR & NLR
Should influence: interactionism, feminism
Doesn’t influence: Marxism
Shouldn’t influence: postmodernism
20. The relationships between epistemology and methodology
Positivist / structuralism = quantitative (empiricism)
Interactionism = qualitative
Feminist Standpoint Epistemology = IDI’s
Phenomenology / relativism = IDI’s
Realism = qualitative, analysed scientifically
Postmodernism = personal documents = truths
21. Consensus theories
Functionalism - GAIL needs met by subsystem institutions + criticisms
Liberal Feminism
Criticisms (reification, tautology, ignores conflict, malestream, trusts official statistics)
22. Conflict theories
Orthodox
Structural– Althusser
Humanistic - Gramsci
Radical, Marxist, Dual Systems, Black Feminisms
6. 23. Feminists theories
Consensus theory
Liberal
Conflict theories
Radical
Marxist
Dual Systems (Feminist-Marxist)
Black
Postmodernist feminism
Structuration theory – Poststructuralist
feminism
24. Interactionist / interpretivist / Social Actiontheories
Social order and social change based on
meanings & social context
I versus me (similar to functionalism) – Mead
Action not reactive determinism
Society based on categorisation / stereotyping
Criticisms (individual, micro, trivial, no real choice, ignores
power, relativism, can’t explain change
25.
Structuration theory (Giddens)
Duality of structure
Action reproduces structure
Action causes change
Giddens + New Labour policy
Criticisms
26. Modernist theories
Enlightenment
Scientific rationality (CUDOs) & Positivism
Social engineering
Values shouldn’t / should influence research
Positive relationship with social policy
27. Postmodernist theory (Foucault, Baudrillard, Lytard)
Paradigm shift:
Globalisation causes need for a new theory
Science as a failed metanarrative
Positivism / malestream sociology as a language game
Need for subjective truth claims (validities)
Hypereality and construction of self (action over structure)
Criticisms
7. 28. Late Modernity (Beck, Habermas)
Paradigm shift:
Risk society
Individualism
Post Fordism
Commodification of identify
Fragmentation of
proletariat?
Criticisms
29. Modernism versus Post & Late modernism
30. Methodology
Practical (Time, Resources, Access, Money, Personal characteristics of researcher)
Ethics (deception, informed consent, choice of topic – underdog, harm/illegal, omelette-eggs)
Reliability (piloting, change in operationalizing concepts/definitions, systematic = training)
Validity (biased operationalizing concepts, loaded/leading questions, going native, Hawthorne effect, double
fitting data to theory?)
Enough (methodological pluralism/cosmopolitanism between methods and within a method, more than
researcher) = aim is triangulation (Hammersley)
Representativeness (availability of sampling frame dictates random – simple, systematic, stratified,
cluster/quota = positivism ; non-random – opportunity, volunteer, snowball case studies = interactionism, FSE)
Theoretical bias (Positivism, Interactionism, FSE, Structuration, Postmodernism)
31. Methods
Experiments: Laboratory: Bobo doll – unreliable, small sample, Hawthorne Effect, harm, meanings
Experiments: Field: Rosenthal & Jacobson (spurter study), Rosenhan (Schizophrenia), Elliott (blue eyes /
brown eyes) – unreliable, small sample, deception, meanings, omelette-egg praxis
Surveys – BCS, victimisation surveys, poverty (Townsend), National child Development Study = sample
attrition
Questionnaires – Farrington & West on SRS, Jackson & Sunshine – attitudes to police = pilot study,
operationalizing concepts, lg sample, less time consuming, face to face lacks reliability, postal low response
rate, cannot include all criminal acts, unrep- distributed to young people & lower response rate from those who
had a criminal record (Junger-Tas)
Interviews – Venkatesh (gang leader for a day), Patrick (Glasgow gang), Laurie Taylor (John McVicar),
Dobash’s (domestic violence), Barker (unificiation church –PIA questions), Douglas (suicide), Baechler
(suicide), Steve Taylor (parasuicide), Adams (interviewing police)
Observation (PO/NPO, covert/overt)- Venkatesh (gang leader for a day), Patrick (Glasgow gang),Bourgois –
crack dealers, Dobash’s (domestic violence), Barker (Unificiation church), Goffman (asylums), S Cohen (mods
& rockers), Cicoural (police bias), Smith & Grey (institutional racism by police), Humphries (homosexual
encounters in public toiliets)
Official Statistics – Durkheim (suicide), Shaw & McKay (social disorganisation), Murray (welfare dependency &
crime)
Mass media texts- content analysis (Fawbert – hoodies); thematic /discourse analysis (S Cohen – mods and
rockers)
8. Personal documents – Jacobs (suicide notes), S Taylor (medical docs – suicide) = authenticity / credibility/
unrepresentativeness