Sociology Unit 7 Deviance, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System

Deviance: traits or behaviors that violate expected rules or norms Usually has a negative connotation in everyday society

Deviance can be a trait, belief, or behavior Accompanied by social stigma: a negative label that devalues a person and changes her or his self-concept and social identity Varies across and within societies

Varies across situations Can be formal or informal—against the law or merely inappropriate Perceptions change over time—What was deviant in the past is not longer, while other actions are now considered deviant. Situations: What is deviant in church may not be at a ballgame.

Premarital sex, unmarried single mothers, divorce, gay, lesbian, etc., women wearing pants, women working

...

overconforms.

falls below social expectations.

It can be a condition, belief, or behavior. It is accompanied by social stigmas. It varies across and within societies. It can be formal or informal. Perceptions change over time.

Crime is a violation of societal norms and rules written into public laws that is subject to punishment.

Official Data—Uniform Crime Reports Victim Surveys—National Crime Victimization Survey

All crime statistics are estimates. There are more arrests for property crimes and drug abuse violations than for violent crimes. Victimless crimes are least likely to be reported.

Most crime victims are men, African Americans, people under age 25, poor, and live in urban areas. Offenders are likely to be under age 30, male, white, and live in poor, inner-city areas.

Social control—techniques and strategies that regulate behavior Social control can be informal or formal. It includes positive (rewards) and negative (punishments) sanctions.

Capital punishment: formal A smile: positive Employee of the month designation: informal Mother spanking a child: negative

Crime and deviance can be both functional and dysfunctional.

Dysfunctions of crime and deviance: Create tension and insecurity Erode trust in relationships Damage confidence in institutions Are costly

Functions of crime and deviance: Affirm cultural norms and values Provide temporary safety values Create social unity Improve the economy Trigger social change

Anomie theory suggests that people become deviant when they are unsure of how to behave because of absent, conflicting, or confusing social norms. Periods of rapid social change produce anomie.

Strain theory suggests that people engage in deviance when there is a conflict between goals and means.

Accept: conformity and innovation Reject: Ritualism and retreatism New goals, new means: rebellion

Conformity—accept goals and means Innovation—accept goals but reject means Ritualism—reject goals but accept means Retreatism—reject goals and means Rebellion—replace goals and means

A man uses employer's equipment and supplies when starting his own business. - rebellion - replace goals and means? A woman becomes an alcoholic trying to forget an abusive childhood. - retreatism (reject goals and means) A student continues to go class after giving up on career plans. ritualism (reject goals but accept means)

Why are some acts defined as criminal while others are not? Powerful groups control the law and its application. Behaviors that injure the economic interests or challenge the political power of the dominant class are punished.

White collar crime—illegal activities committed by high-status people in the course of their occupation Occupational crimes—illegal activities committed by individuals in the course of their work Corporate crimes—illegal acts committed by executives to benefit themselves and their companies Cybercrime—illegal activities conducted online Organized crime—activities of individuals and groups that supply illegal goods and services for profit

Amanda overcharges customers and keeps the extra money: occupational crime Ken obtains and uses others' credit card numbers.: cybercrime A manufacturing firm knowingly installs dangerous equipment in order to save money.: corporate crimes

Women and girls are commonly the victims of sexual assault, rape, intimate partner violence, and other crimes that degrade women.

Explanations for women's victimization: Men have historically dominated the government, judiciary, and the law. Women have been socialized to be weaker.

Men are still more likely to be offenders, but female arrest rates are rising.

Differential association theory suggests that people learn deviance through interaction. People are most likely to engage in crime if they are exposed to deviant values early in life, frequently, over a long period of time, and from important people.

Labeling theory holds that deviance depends on how others react. Primary deviance is the initial violation of a norm or law. Secondary deviance occurs when individuals have been labeled deviant.

The criminal justice system refers to government agencies that are charged with enforcing laws, passing judgment, and correcting behavior. It includes police, courts, and prisons.

The crime control model emphasizes protecting society and a get tough attitude. Approximately 70 percent of Americans support the death penalty. There is no evidence that executions deter crime.

Rehabilitation is a view that appropriate treatment can change offenders into productive, law-abiding citizens. Rehabilitation programs are particularly successful when they provide employment after release.

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is a federally funded resource "offering justice and substance abuse information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide." They have an ambitious mission and their sponsors include the Office on Violence Against Women, the National Institute of Corrections, and the Office of Community Oriented Policy Services. The NCJRS homepage is chock-full of helpful resources, including the Community Policing Newsletter, reports on improving responses in mental health court, and special thematic reports from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Comparative criminology is a branch of sociology in which cross-national analysis has increasingly become a major focus. At the Global Criminology Website, Crime and Society: A Comparative Criminology Tour of the World, sociology professors and students can research subjects in global criminology by accessing Interpol and United Nations datasets, as well as text information for all countries of the world. Published papers, works-in-progress, and articles pertaining to global criminology are all available on the site.

Crime: a violation of societal norms and rules written into public laws that is subject to punishment

Criminologists: researchers who use scientific methods to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior

Crime Statistics Official Data—Uniform Crime Report Includes crimes reported to the police and arrests Does not include federal offenses or unreported crimes

Victim Surveys—National Crime Victimization Surveys Based on interviewing people about their experiences Does include some unreported crimes

All crime statistics are estimates. 88% of crimes are property crimes. Victimless crimes: illicit drug use, prostitution, drunkenness, illegal gambling Victimless crimes are the least likely to be reported.

Violent crimes, 1.3m, 404 per 100,000 inhabitants Murder: 14,748, 5 per 100,000 Rape: 84,767, 28 per 100,000 Robbery: 367,832 per 119 Aggravated assault: 778,901 per 252 Property crime: 10.3m per 3,514 Burglary: 2.1m per 730 Larceny, theft: 6.9m per 2,362 Motor vehicle theft: 1.2 million per 422

Most victims are men, African American, people under age 25, and poor. Offenders are likely to be aged 15-29, male, white, with low levels of education.

Social control: techniques and strategies that regulate behavior Can be formal or informal Includes positive (rewards) and negative (punishments) sanctions.

A suspension from school: formal, negative Serving time in jail: formal, negative A smile: positive Employee of the month designation: postive A slap in the face : negative

Deviance and crime are normal parts of the social structure. Crime and deviance can be both functional and dysfunctional.

Dysfunctions of Crime and Deviance Create tension and insecurity Erode trust in relationships Damage confidence in institutions Are costly

Functions of Crime and Deviance Affirm cultural norms and values Provide temporary safety valves Create social unity Improve the economy Trigger social change

Anomie: the condition in which people are unsure of how to behave because of absent, conflicting, or confusing social norms

American society has culturally approved goals and institutionalized means Strain theory suggests that people engage in deviance when there is a strain or conflict between goals and means.

Modes of Adaptation to Strain: Conformity (not deviant)—accept goals and means Innovation—accept goals but reject means Ritualism—reject goals but accept means Retreatism—reject goals and means Rebellion—replace goals and means

Conflict theorists focus on why some acts are defined as deviant while others are not. Powerful groups control the law and its application. Behaviors that injure the economic interests or challenge the political power of the dominant class are punished.

White collar crime: illegal activities committed by high-status people in the course of their occupation Corporate crime: illegal acts committed by executives to benefit themselves and their companies

Cybercrime: illegal activities conducted online Organized crime: activities of individuals and groups that supply illegal goods and services for profit

Patriarchy: hierarchical system in a society in which cultural, political, and economic structures are controlled by men.

Women and girls are commonly the victims of sexual assault, rape, intimate partner violence, and other crimes that degrade women. Men historically dominated the government, judiciary, and the law. Women have been socialized to be weaker.

Men are still more likely to be offenders but female arrest rates are rising. Female arrest rates have risen for robbery, burglary, larceny, and drunk driving. Explanations vary from mistreatment in childhood to limited economic opportunities.

Differential associations theory suggests that people learn deviance through interaction. People are most likely to engage in crime if they are exposed to deviant values early in life, frequently, over a long period of time, and from important people.

Labeling theory holds that deviance depends on how others react. Primary deviance is the initial violation of a norm or law. Secondary deviance occurs when individuals have been labeled deviant.

The criminal justice system refers to government agencies that are charged with enforcing laws, passing judgment, and correcting behavior. Includes police, courts, and prisons Relies on prevention and intervention, punishment, and rehabilitation

Social service agencies and community outreach programs try to prevent crime. Treatment for drug and alcohol abuse seems to have a positive effect. Surveillance by police or technology reduces crime rates.

The crime control model emphasizes protecting society and a get tough attitude. The U.S. leads the world in inmates per capita. In 2008, one in every 100 Americans was in prison.

Approximately 61% of Americans support the death penalty. There is little evidence that executions or harsh penalties deter crime.

Rehabilitation is a view that appropriate treatment can change offenders into productive, law-abiding citizens. Rehabilitation programs are particularly successful when they provide employment after release.

d. Crimes violates written laws.

d. United States

c. conflict

False

c. behavior that violates expected rules or norms. Deviance is defined by sociologists as behavior that violates expected rules or norms.

b. Definitions of deviance do not change over time in any society.

stigma

crime

b. Crimes violates written laws.

Crime is difficult to measure primarily because underreporting is likely for a variety of reasons. b. Some types of crime are more likely to be reported than others.

e. public order crimes

d. Across all types of crime, women are more likely to be victimized than men.

d. ages 12-15

d. whites

Most people conform because of the informal social controls they internalize during childhood socialization. b. informal social controls

a. informal positive sanction

d. Functionalists

e. Anomie

a. Merton

e. strain theory

c.conformity

a. conflict

a. Law enforcement has limited resources for fighting white collar crime.

a. differential association theory

a. secondary deviance

d. tolerance

e. American support of capital punishment has been stable over the last 50 years.

d. reduce crime only temporarily.

True

False

true

true

false

false

true

true

false

true

false

true

false

false

true

the condition in which people are unsure of how to behave because of absent, conflicting, or confusing social norms.

illegal acts committed by executives to benefit themselves and their companies.

a violation of societal norms and rules for which punishment is specified by law.

an approach that believes that crime rates increase when offenders don't fear apprehension or punishment.

government agencies—including the police, courts, and prisons—that are charged with enforcing laws, passing judgment on offenders, and changing criminal behavior.

researchers who use scientific methods to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior.

(also called computer crime) illegal activities that are conducted online.

traits or behavior or trait that violates expected rules or norms.

a perspective that asserts that people learn deviance through interaction, especially with significant others.

a perspective that holds that society's reaction to behavior is a major factor in defining oneself or others as deviant.

activities of individuals and groups that supply illegal goods and services for profit.

a hierarchical system in a society in which cultural, political, and economic structures are controlled by men

the initial act of breaking a rule.

a social control approach that holds that appropriate treatment can change offenders into productive, law-abiding citizens.

rewards or punishments for obeying or violating a norm.

rule-breaking behavior that people adopt in response to the reactions of others.

the techniques and strategies that regulate people's behavior in society.

a negative label that devalues a person and changes her or his self-concept and social identity.

the idea that people may engage in deviant behavior when they experience a conflict between goals and the means available to obtain the goals.

interviewing people about their experiences as crime victims.

acts that violate laws but involve individuals who don't consider themselves victims.

illegal activities committed by high-status individuals in the course of their occupation.

Functionalist

conflict

symbolic interactionalist

feminist

functionalist

conflict

symbolic interactionalist

feminist