crime and deviance definitions

Question 1

inevitability of crime

Answer 1

refers to the idea that crime is an unavoidable and natural part of society, arising from the diversity of values and norms among individuals = social cohesion and change

Question 2

laten function

Answer 2

an unintended and unrecognized consequence of a social structure

Question 3

boundary maintenance

Answer 3

the process by which society reinforces its norms and values through the response to deviance such as social disapproval, legal punishment, or moral condemnation

Question 4

safety valve

Answer 4

a concept suggesting that certain types of crime can relieve social tension and prevent more serious deviance

Question 5

strain theories

Answer 5

theories that suggest crime occurs when individuals experience a disconnect between societal goals and the means available to achieve them

Question 6

structural factors

Answer 6

social and economic conditions that influence crime rates and behaviours

Question 7

cultural factors

Answer 7

social norms and values that influence behaviour and perceptions of crime, e.g. a strong emphasis on success

Question 8

the american dream

Answer 8

the cultural belief that american society is a meritocratic one where anyone who makes the effort can get ahead

Question 9

strain to anomie

Answer 9

the theory that societal pressure to achieve culturally approved goals can lead individuals to engage in deviant behaviour when they lack the means to achieve them

Question 10

innovation

Answer 10

those who accept the cultural goals but reject the conventional means of achieving them, instead resorting to alternative, often deviant or illegal, methods to reach those goals

Question 11

ritualism

Answer 11

a response to strain where individuals abandon societal goals but continue to adhere to accepted means

Question 12

retreatism

Answer 12

a response to strain where individuals reject both societal goals and means, leading to withdrawal from society

Question 13

rebellion

Answer 13

a form of deviance where individuals reject societal norms and values, seeking to create new ones

Question 14

institutional anomie theory

Answer 14

theory suggesting that the pursuit of monetary success can undermine social norms and lead to higher crime rates

Question 15

utilitarian crime

Answer 15

criminal activities that are committed primarily for material gain e.g. theft

Question 16

non-utilitarian crime

Answer 16

crime motivated by emotional, psychological or social reasons e.g. assault

Question 17

status frustration

Answer 17

a concept in sociology that explains how individuals may experience frustration due to their social status, leading to deviant behavior

Question 18

alternative status hierarchy

Answer 18

a social structure where individuals can achieve status through means other than conventional success, often seen in subcultures

Question 19

value inversion

Answer 19

when the values of a subculture are reverse to those in the dominant culture

Question 20

conflict subcultures

Answer 20

groups that form in opposition to mainstream values, often as a response to social inequality

Question 21

retreatist subcultures

Answer 21

subcultures that reject both societal goals and means, often leading to drug use or withdrawal from society

Question 21

criminal subcultures

Answer 21

groups that develop their own norms and values around criminal behavior, often as a response to societal strain

Question 22

reactive theories

Answer 22

deviance is a social construct that arises through interactions e.g. labelling

Question 23

delinquency and drift

Answer 23

engaging in deviant behavior while still maintaining a sense of conventional morality

Question 24

criminogenic capitalism

Answer 24

the idea that capitalism inherently produces crime due to its focus on profit and inequality

Question 25

selective law enforcement

Answer 25

the practice where law enforcement targets specific groups or individuals, often reflecting social inequalities

Question 26

ideological function

Answer 26

laws are passed to portray they are enforced for the benefit of the working class members to give capitalism a caring face

Question 27

deterministic

Answer 27

describes the belief that behavior is shaped by external factors, assuming humans have no free will

Question 28

voluntaristic view

Answer 28

a perspective that emphasizes individual choice and agency in committing crime

Question 28

fully social theory of deviance

Answer 28

a perspective that views deviance as a result of social inequalities and power dynamics, emphasizing the role of societal structures in defining and responding to deviance

Question 29

moral entrepreneurs

Answer 29

individuals or groups that seek to create or enforce rules and norms in society by leading a moral crusade

Question 29

dark figure of crime

Answer 29

the amount of unreported or undiscovered crime

Question 29

social construction of crime

Answer 29

the idea that crime is defined by societal norms and values, rather than being an inherent quality of an act - deviance is in the eye of the beholder

Question 30

outsiders

Answer 30

individuals or groups who are marginalized or stigmatized by society as a result of breaking rules

Question 30

typifications

Answer 30

stereotypes or generalizations about a group that influence how individuals are perceived and treated by the police

Question 30

negotiable justice

Answer 30

concept where the application of justice can vary based on social context and individual circumstances

Question 31

social construction of crime statistics

Answer 31

the idea that crime statistics are shaped by societal reactions and labels rather than objective measures of crime

Question 31

alternative statistics

Answer 31

data that reflects crime rates from sources other than official government statistics, such as victim surveys or self-report studies

Question 32

primary deviance

Answer 32

initial act of rule-breaking which may not be labelled so does not affect the individual’s self concept

Question 33

master status

Answer 33

a social status that dominates others and shapes a person’s identity, often influencing how they are perceived by society

Question 34

secondary deviance

Answer 34

deviant behavior that occurs after an individual has been labeled as deviant

Question 35

self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 35

a prediction that causes itself to become true due to the behavior it generates

Question 36

deviant career

Answer 36

a process where individuals internalize labels of deviance and engage in a lifestyle centered around deviant behavior

Question 37

deviant subculture

Answer 37

a group that develops its own norms and values that differ from mainstream society, often in response to labeling

Question 38

folk devils

Answer 38

individuals or groups who are portrayed as a threat to societal values and norms, often as a result of labeling

Question 38

deviance amplification spiral

Answer 38

process where societal reaction to deviance leads to increased deviance

Question 39

moral panic

Answer 39

intense public concern or fear over an issue perceived as a threat to societal norms and values

Question 40

reintegrative shaming

Answer 40

a process that encourages offenders to reintegrate into society while holding them accountable for their actions by labelling the action as bad, rather than the individual

Question 41

disintegrative shaming