Crime and Violence Flashcards
What is a popular homicide myth in Canada?
Homicide is a random act with no social determinants at play.
What is the reality of those who are murdered in Canada?
83% knew their attackers.
What are the statistics surrounding victims of murder, and who they are killed by?
- Less than 33% family.
- 33% acquaintance.
- 12% killed by someone known to them through criminal activities.
Deviance
- Behaviour that strays from the norm.
- Ranges from folkways to serious infringement of laws.
Crime
The violation of norms that are written into law.
Laws
Formal rules that define what society’s members can and cannot do.
Sociological theories of crime and violence emphasizes the role of ___ factors in criminal behaviour and…
Criminal, societal responses.
Which is positive and which is negative? Crime and deviance.
Both can be positive and negative.
What does the conflict perspective say about crime and deviance?
Deviance is inevitable whenever two groups have differing degrees of power.
The conflict perspective says that there is a correlation between crime rates and ___.
Inequality.
Alienation in the conflict perspective says that people feel like…
They aren’t a productive member of society, and leads to powerlessness and frustration.
According to the conflict perspective, crime is defined by ___ ___ ___, and they reflect their interests.
The ruling class.
According to the conflict perspective, law enforcement and sanctions are applied differentially. Give an example.
Female sex workers vs. male johns.
What does the structural-functionalist theory say about crime?
Crime can be functional for society.
How can crime be functional for society?
- Strengthen group cohesion and lead to social change.
- Broken Windows Theory.
3 main SF theories of crime and violence examine…
Dysfunction.
3 main SF theories of crime and violence.
- Strain Theory.
- Sub-Cultural Theory.
- Control Theory.
Who thought of Strain Theory
Robert Merton.
Strain Theory is based on…
Durkheim’s Anomie.
Anomie
State of formlessness - norms and values are weak or unclear.
Strain Theory
Social structure can limit legitimate means of acquiring cultural goals.
According to strain theory, individuals adapt to the inconsistency between ___ and ___.
Means, goals.
Which of Merton’s 5 types of adaptations leads to crime?
Innovation.
Innovation accepts/rejects what?
Accepts cultural goals, but rejects institutional means.
