Ch 6: Deviance & Crime

Question 1

deviance

Answer 1

behaviors/traits that are contrary to the dominant social expectations

Question 2

informal deviance

Answer 2

minor transgressions of norms (ex: wearing pajamas to class)

Question 3

formal deviance

Answer 3

crime, involves violation of laws (relative across cultures with differing social expectations; violates norms of a particular group at a particular time)

Question 4

crime

Answer 4

behavior that violates criminal law; formal deviance (labeled as a crime by authority/government)

Question 5

social control

Answer 5

mechanisms that create normative compliance in individuals (social sanctions involve criminal charges (formal) or shame (informal))

Question 6

functionalism’s view on deviance

Answer 6

• society is based on value consensus, which deviance threatens
• but a certain amount of deviance/crime can be helpful (clarify boundaries and promote social reform)

Question 7

Robert Merton - strain theory

Answer 7

deviance occurs when people cannot achieve society’s goals by legitimate means (a result of society not giving all members equal means; frustration = strain)

Question 8

Robert Merton strain theory categories

Answer 8

• conformity (accept institution x accept goals)
• innovation (reject institution x accept goals)
• ritualism (accept institution x reject goals)
• retreatism (reject institution x reject goals)
• rebellion (new means x new goals)

Question 9

symbolic interactionism: labeling theory

Answer 9

deviance results from being labeled a deviant; not deviant until others have judged it and labeled it (results in self-fulfilling prophecy)

Question 10

symbolic interactionism: stigma

Answer 10

a negative label that changes your behavior toward a person and also changes that person’s self-concept and social identity (results in serious consequences in that person’s opportunity)

Question 11

symbolic interactionism: broken window theory

Answer 11

neighborhood disorder creates fear and gives out crime-promoting signals
- appears to be more accepted
- can lead to things getting more out of control

Question 12

street crime

Answer 12

committed in public and is often associated with violence, gangs, and poverty (ex: homicide, robbery, assault)

Question 13

corporate/white-collar crime

Answer 13

committed by corporate employees or owners in the pursuit of profit or other organization goals (nonviolent but not victimless; harder to detect; more costly)

Question 14

who gets punished and for what?

Answer 14

depends on social class of the perpetrator and the victim; pattern:
- black > white
- poor > rich
- male > female

Question 15

retribution/punitive

Answer 15

moral vengeance, make the defender suffer as the victim suffers

Question 16

rehabilitation

Answer 16

views punishment as an opportunity to reform offenders and return them to society as productive citizens

Question 17

recidivism

Answer 17

commission of crimes by people who have been released from prison (those who have been have higher chances of returning)