Ch 10

Question 1

consensus perspective

Answer 1

most people share similar values, morality is universal, customs persist, law represents a codification of societal values

Question 2

conflict perspective

Answer 2

criminal law reflects the interests of powerful groups that create and enforce those laws

Question 3

strain theory

Answer 3

fits general orientation of consensus perspective

• social institutions contribute to the smooth running of society
• crime occurs when something unusual happens that affects these institutions, which results in strains, stresses, frustrations that affect behaviour

Question 4

Durkheim: functions of crime and anomie

Answer 4

• social solidarity (shared goals leading to set of shared norms) essential to most societies
• w/o norms as guides, societies function poorly
• popularized concept of anomie to explain crime in more advanced, differentiated urban societies

Question 5

anomie and normalness

Answer 5

• in times of rapid social change, social solidarity can break down (no clear societal norms/values)
• heterogeneity, increased division of labour weaken social norms, encourage individualism
• when social cohesion breaks down, loss of traditional social control mechanisms, suffer from high rate of crime

Question 6

merton: aspirations and means

Answer 6

-culturally prescribes aspirations defined by culture, transmitted to members of society
-in us, universal goals are material wealth, accumulation of money, status
-legitimate means of achieving these goals are socially structured (ex schooling, good jobs), which are hard to access for poor and minority children
-strain resulting from this gap may result in innovation, usually deviance
“society encourages ppl to want things but makes it difficult for certain to obtain, they are more likely to turn to deviance”

Question 7

micro-anomie

Answer 7

indv is in a state of anomie and places more emphasis on self-interest than collective values
-students who favoured self-enhancing values over self-transcending values more likely to report criminal, deviant acts

Question 8

strains are more likely to lead to delinquency if they have certain characteristics

Answer 8

• high in magnitude
• unjust
• linked to low social control
• may also lead to delinquency when the crime pays off/when strain is resolved through contact w ppl involved in crime

Question 9

merton and opportunity structures

Answer 9

• crime primarily lower class (less uniform than predicted by Durkheim’s anomie theory)
• anomie shifted from normalness to relative deprivation
• entire community was not anomic, just specific individuals committed to and barred from the means of achieving wealth

Question 10

illegitimate opportunity structures (richard cloward)

Answer 10

-simply being subjected to socially generated strain does not enable smn to deviate in any way the choose-ppl can only participate in a given adaptation if they have access to the means to do so
-ppl under strain cannot become any kind of criminal; they are limited by the opportunities available to them
-juveniles undergoing strain can be led to 3 diff types of gangs/subcultures:
criminal-profit oriented crimes
conflict-violence as a means of attaining status
retreatist-substance abuse
-race or city of residence may also influence opportunity structures

Question 11

code of the street (Anderson)

Answer 11

• young black males still face barriers to participate in mainstream society
• lack of opportunity for legitimate employment leads to strain which can in turn lead to crime, gangs, underground economy
• code of the street involves toughness and demand for respect; the drug trade is organized around this, and offers economic opportunity