Crime And Deviance

Question 1

Deviance is non-conformist behaviours

Answer 1

Continuous variable fluid.
Not a fixed concept
Based on time place and person

Becker: relative concept. Meaning influenced by situation. Subjective. Based on interpretation

Question 2

Categories of deviance

Answer 2

Act can be deviant but not criminal
Act can be criminal but not deviant
Act can be both criminal and deviant

Question 3

Crime (formal deviance)

Answer 3

Formal deviance describes an act committed by a person or group of persons that goes against the established laws of society. A formal deviant is therefore a criminal. Their actions are illegal and they are subject to punishment by formal agencies of social control

Question 4

Informal social control

Answer 4

This form of control is therefore based on the approval or disapproval of those around us whose review of us we regard as important

Question 5

Formal social control

Answer 5

Organisations or systems that exercise rigid rules we are compelled to obey.

Question 6

Conflict policing

Answer 6

Scraton 1985 police seen as occupying force imposed on WC and ethnic minorities.
1984 Miners strike South Wales Valleys an us vs them mentality
Young 1984 military style policing large number of police patrol designated areas use technology for intelligence gathering

Question 7

Consensus policing

Answer 7

Close relationship with local area. Police representing the interests of community as seen in TVs heartbeat
Approach felt among majority of law abiding people

Question 8

Four types of sanctions exercised which ensure we conform to the expectations of society

Answer 8

Formal positive sanctions
Formal negative sanctions
Informal positive sanctions
Informal negative sanctions

Question 9

Formal positive sanctions

Answer 9

Reward for good behaviour achieving something desirable

Question 10

Formal negative sanctions

Answer 10

Punishment for bad behaviour

Question 11

Informal positive sanctions

Answer 11

Pat on the back

Question 12

Informal negative sanctions

Answer 12

Friend telling you off

Question 13

Three functionalist theories on crime and deviance

Answer 13

Traditional functionalist theory- Durkheim
Strain theory- Merton
Subculture theories- Cohen. Cloward and Ohlin. Miller

Question 14

Functions of crime and deviance

Boundary maintenance
Adaptation and change

Answer 14

Reinforces the collective conscience
Promotes social cohesion

Promotes societal change and progress
Identifies dysfunctions in the social system

Question 15

Davis 1961

Answer 15

Prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the monogamous nuclear family

Question 16

Polsky 1967

Answer 16

Porn channels variety of sexual desires away from alternatives such as adultery

Question 17

Erickson 1966

Answer 17

Deviance performs positive functions then perhaps society promotes it. Police act to sustain and manage crime at her than eradicate it. Demonstrations carnivals and rag weeks all license misbehaviour

Question 18

Messner and Rosenfeld 2001

Answer 18

Support the view that obsession with money and success and a winner takes all mentality. Exerts pressure towards crime by encouraging an anomic cultural environment where people are encouraged to adopt an anything goes mentality in pursuit of wealth

Question 19

Downed and Hansen 2006

Answer 19

Back up Messner and Rosenfeld claim and argue that societies that protect the poor from the worst excesses of the free market by spending more on welfare have less crime and lower rates of in-prisoning