A 20-year-old man was shot twice in the stomach by a 34-year-old man in Salina, Ks. The victim survived and the suspect was booked for attempted murder. A criminologist using the conflict view may argue this was an act by an underclass man and harsh punishment is deserved. A consensus view criminologist would say that shooting someone is illegal and wrong according to societal beliefs. An interactionist criminologist could argue the suspect was justified in his perception due to opinions of others in his group, though it is illegal according to societal power structures.

1. Aubrey Tasset
Criminology
Worksheet 1
On August 18, around 12:30 police had responded to a call saying a man had been shot in Salina,
Ks. The victim is 20 years old and is in the hospital but his wounds are said to not be life threatening.
The suspect is a 34 year old man, who was said to be walking with a group of people, and then shot the
victim twice in the stomach. Based on our textbook there are three different views and ways a
criminologist would go about explaining the crime and society’s reaction to this crime. The three views
are, conflict, consensus, and interactionist.
A criminologist working the conflict view might say this crime was just another underclass man
breaking the law. If he were to of been in a higher class or a business owner or professional this would
not have happened. Since the man shot did not die and his injuries are not life threatening, the suspect
still deserves a harsh punishment for attempted murder. The police are still investigating what the
motive was behind this shooting, but one could argue that it could have dealt with race or even
violations of human dignity, which both fall under the category of “real crimes” in the conflict view.
Society’s response to this crime will be that changes need to be made from people in higher power to
ensure the safety of society.
A criminologist working with the consensus view would take a different route on explaining this
crime. Obviously everybody agrees that shooting another person is wrong and goes against the criminal
laws. The public would see this as wrong and deserving of a punishment. Every citizen should be
accounted for their actions especially when it comes to such a crime as attempted murder. All citizens
have the right to be protected from social harm and by making these crimes clear to be illegal and
wrong it reflects the society’s beliefs.
Now a criminologist working with the interactionist view would also take a different approach.
They might say that this was actually seen as a justified act to the suspect because of his interpretation
of reality and how others perceive the act. He was walking with a group of people, so their opinions and

2. Aubrey Tasset
Criminology
Worksheet 1
reactions to his thought process might have motivated him into carrying out the crime because it was, in
their opinions, ok to do so. If the people in the group reacted positively then he saw no reason to not
shoot the man. However this crime is illegal because society says it is. The victim was not of the upper
class or had any social power, but to shoot somebody is considered morally wrong by those in power of
the law.
"Salina Man Booked for Attempted Murder after Shooting." Kwch.com. KWCH, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 20
Aug. 2014. <http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/police-investigate-shooting-in-salina/
27588988>.