Crime, Fear, Risk Pt.2 - The Social Reaction Approach Flashcards
Labelling Theory
Look at how crime is defined
- Social reaction to the behaviour
- ex. Walking in a house with shoes on
Crime and deviance are ________ _______
Crime and deviance are social constructs
What is social deviance
- ranges from the most serious to the least serious acts in any society.
- not all deviant behaviour is criminal.
Crime
It’s objective, function, and how it can vary
-not an objective condition ( no one is suppose to benefit over the other)
-a function of the claims made by people who are looking to turn a set of conditions into a social problem.
-can vary across social and cultural contexts.
What is “Hard” Labelling Theory
-No act, even murder or rape is inherently criminal
-If a person isn’t labelled as a criminal, there is no criminal act.
Conflict criminologists / Critical criminologists
Their focus, argument, and examination
-Focus on the law-making process.
-Argue that laws come into being within the context of social conflict.
-Examine the power imbalances between different groups in society.
Give an example of power imbalance between different products in society
(Hint : stimulants)
Caffeine, Alcohol VS weed
What is Moral Regulation
-Social process that defines what is right/wrong in society
-Encourages some behaviours while discouraging others
-“Whose morals are being regulated, and by whom?” (Michel Foucault)
What is a Moral Entrepreneur
seeks to influence a group of people to get them to adopt or maintain a norm/law
Why might a moral entrepreneur manipulate the public to be concerned
To further their agenda
ex. If Mackenzie King had an agenda against Chinese people she might use the Chinese trying to push opium on white people as a way to turn people against both
What is a political imperative and its impact
Looks at who’s interests are being served and in turn, impacts on other forms of prejudice of discrimination
Media accounts of crime tend to depict:
1. personal fear and risk
2. violence as commonplace
3. sympathetic portrayal of victims
4.victims let down by a judicial justice system which is too soft on criminals.
How does this effect us
- Generates personal fear and risk
- Crime is everywhere, we’re just lucky idea
- Lack of nuance or complexity
- Leads us to take matters into our own hands
Most impactful media
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Most influencial mediaa
New articles
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Friends/family
Name two well-accepted research findings for media portrayals of Crime in Canada:
- Public knowledge about crime and justice is derived largely from the mass media.
- The way crime is portrayed in the media differs from how crime is measured and defined officially.
What is the outcome of media portrayals of Crime in Canada
By focusing on violent, sexual, and drug-related crime, the public feels more threatened.
What is Moral Panic
A condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as threat to the societal values and interests.
How did politicians use Crack Cocaine to forward their agenda
Politicians used media-generated public anxiety for their own political agendas.
Momentum on the war on drugs garnered financial resources for police enforcement.
Large numbers of people (mainly Black males) incarcerated for drug offences.
Watch: Flawed Science: Crack Baby Propaganda of the 1980s
What is the Criticisms of the Moral Panic Perspective
Audiences today:
-more sophisticated
-less likely to be manipulated by the media
-Mass media ≠ a homogenous entity.
-“Rational information and aggregate data don’t necessarily counteract moral panics,” (Moore & Valverde).
define moral panic perspective
useful way to think about how and why we fear crime and react the way that we do.
