Groups, Deviance, Criminal Justice system - Week 5

Question 1

What is a social group ?

Answer 1

groups that consist of two or more people who interact with one another and share a common identity. Everyone belongs to social groups both voluntary groups and groups one does not choose such as one’s family.

Question 2

What is the difference b/t primary and secondary groups? What are bonded relationships ?

Answer 2

Primary groups are small, intimate and long lasting. Ex one’s family and close friends

Secondary groups - are formal, superficial, and last for a short or fixed time ex civic groups

Bonded relationships- relationships that exist only under specific conditions. Bounded relationships exist in secondary groups often that are of relatively short duration

Question 3

What is the difference b/t dyad and triad

Answer 3

Dyad- group of only 2 persons. very close relationship

Triad- group of three, According to George Simmel, this is the weakest group size

Question 4

What is an in-group? out-group? reference groups

Answer 4

in-group- where one feels an affinity or closeness. In-group bias is the feeling that a person’s in-group is superior to others’

Out-group is a group from which we are disconnected. We often hold negative biases toward out-groups.

Reference groups- that you use to evaluate yourself. We use reference groups to compare ourselves to another person or group. Reference groups are key, especially as we shift into a conversation about conformity.

In-group and Out-group happen in daily life but are particularly powerful in conjunction with nationalism, especially during war or conflict.

In-groups and out-groups are defined by those in the respective group.

Question 5

what is a Social Network? What are Émile Durkheim and Robert Putnam worried about in regards to it.

Answer 5

A social network is the web of direct and indirect ties connecting an individual to other people.
A social network is a structure made up of individuals and groups tied together by different types of relationships (friendship, family, work, etc.).

Since groups provide values, norms, and rules that guide people’s lives, is it possible that the modern world makes people disconnected from their groups and creates feelings of anomie, or normlessness?

Émile Durkheim and Robert Putnam have worried that the modern world creates a lack of connection, while others argue that these worries are overstated and that new technologies like the internet allow us to connect with others in new ways.

Question 6

What is conformity and group cohesion?

Answer 6

Conformity is the degree to which we will alter our behavior, attitudes, and points of view to fit into our perceived expectation of what is appropriate. When people are in a group they often want to conform to the majority rather than opposing members of the group.

Group cohesion “social glue” is the sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong.

Question 7

What are the types of conformity? Compliance? identification? internalization?

Answer 7

Compliance: the mildest form of conformity; actions to gain reward or avoid punishment

ex.You’re in the car with friends, and they turn on the radio. The band that’s playing is awful, but all of your friends sing along. They ask if you like the song and you reply, “Yeah, this is great.” Even though you don’t like it, you show compliance to fit in.

Identification- : conformity to establish or maintain a relationship with a person or group
ex-Later, you and your friends go to the mall and you buy a t-shirt from the band that you heard in car. While you didn’t really like the music, the fact that you have the shirt means that you’re exhibiting identification to fit in and be even closer to your group of friends.

internalization- the strongest type of conformity; an individual adopts the beliefs or actions of a group and makes them his or her own

ex.After several weeks, one day you turn on the radio and, much to your surprise, you find yourself singing along to that band that you didn’t like. You’ve used internalization to make the group norms your own.

Question 8

what is groupthink? some examples? what are the shortcomings?

Answer 8

Groupthink is the term for group decisions that are made without objective thought. People conform to what they believe is the consensus of the rest of the group. Groupthink is more likely if the following conditions exist
Group cohesiveness
External threat
Strong leadership

ex. pearl harbor attack of 1942
bay of pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961

shortcomings -Illusion of invulnerability
Collective rationalization
Belief in inherent morality
Stereotyped views of out-groups
Direct pressure on dissenters
Self-censorship
Illusion of unanimity
Self-appointed mind guards

Question 9

What is the connection between Conformity, Group Think, and Deviance??

Answer 9

Group think and reference groups are all key ‘players’ in encouraging conformity and discouraging deviance. Societies benefit from conformity as this helps avoid chaos and reinforces social cohesion.

Question 10

What is deviance ? what is conformity in relation to it?

Answer 10

deviance -: any behavior or physical appearance that is socially challenged and/or condemned because it departs from the norms & expectations of a group.

Conformity: behavior and appearances that follow and maintain the standards of a group.

Question 11

What is social control?

Answer 11

Social Control: the methods used to teach, persuade or force their members, and even non-members, to comply and not to deviate from norms and expectations.

ex. parents, peers, coaches, elected officials

Question 12

What are sanctions? what are the combinations of them?

Answer 12

Sanctions -reactions of approval or disapproval used to convey and enforce norms & expectations.

Sanctions can be positive or negative, an approval or disapproval.

Positive (formal) -A systematic and definite expression of approval
Positive (informal)-A spontaneous expression of approval

Negative (formal)- A systematic and definite punishment or expression of disapproval
Negative (informal)-A spontaneous punishment or expression of disapproval

Question 13

What is the difference between deviance and crime?

Answer 13

All crime is deviant but not all deviance is crime.

Deviance -is the violation of norms that a society agrees upon

Crime is the violation of norms that have been written into law

Question 14

What is street crime?

Answer 14

Street crime refers to criminal acts such as burglary, rape, and assault.

Question 15

What is criminology?

Answer 15

Criminology is the scientific study of crime, deviance and social policies that the criminal justice system applies

Question 16

What are the crime trends?

Answer 16

Crime rates change over time. The vast majority of crime in the U.S. is property crime. Some groups are over represented in crime, for example gender, race, socioeconomic class, and age.

international comparisons- U.S has the highest murder rates
However, one must use caution in interpreting crime rates:

Crime rates may or not be accurate
Legal definitions differ among different countries
There are different means of collecting data
Cultures vary, as do programs to prevent, punish and curb crime

Question 17

What is a consensus model? What is a conflict model?

Answer 17

consensus model of law suggests that laws arise because people see a behavior they do not like, and they agree to make it illegal

conflict model of law proposes that powerful people write laws to protect their own interests while punishing the actions of those they wish to control.

Question 18

What are some varieties of punishments? shaming? stigmatized shame? reintegrative shaming? deterrence?

Answer 18

Shaming is a deliberate effort to attach a negative meaning to a behavior

Stigmatized shame is a permanent label given to an offender, which could increase the chances of reoffending because the guilty person is forever labeled

Reintegrative shaming is an effort to bring an offender back into the community after punishment

Deterrence is a measure that prevents a person from doing something because of fear of the consequences – this is the punishment used in the U.S.

Question 19

What are the 3 parts of the U.S crime control system ?

Answer 19

Police – have discretion or the ability to make decisions in law enforcement
Courts – are able to plea bargain or make out of court agreements between the prosecutor and defense attorney, judicial decision is influence by mandatory minimums (fixed sentences for specific crime
Death Penalty – reserved for individuals who commit the most serious crimes

Question 20

Structural-Functionalist Theory & the Defining of Deviance

Answer 20

Functionalists argue that deviance serves a positive social function by clarifying moral boundaries and promoting social cohesion. Durkheim defines as those acts that offend collective norms & expectations. Durkheim argued that, although deviance doesn’t take the same form everywhere, it is present in all societies. Durkheim noted that crime and deviance are functional for society because

Crime marks the boundaries of what is permissible in society

Crime promotes social solidarity

Deviance can bring about needed social change

Durkheim argued that deviance is normal as long as it is not excessive. And noted that no society can be completely free of deviance.

Question 21

What is structural strain theory or anomie?

Answer 21

Robert K Merton’s argues that the tension or strain between socially approved goals and an individual’s ability to meet those goals through socially approved means will lead to deviance as individuals reject either the goals (achieving success), the means (hard work, education), or both.

valued goals (unclear limits)
People are unsure whether the legitimate means that society provides will lead to the valued goals
Legitimate opportunities for meeting goals are closed to a significant portion of the population

Question 22

What are the 5 ways Merton believed those with blocked access to goals would adapt into?

Answer 22

Conformists accept society’s goals and use socially acceptable means to try and achieve them

Innovators accept common goals but not the means of getting them

Ritualists accept the traditional means of achieving the goals but are not interested in material goals

Retreatists reject both the means and the goals of society and often live in isolation

Rebels use their own means to create new goals often seeking major societal changes

Question 23

What is symbolic interactionist ? What are social interactionists?

Answer 23

Symbolic Interactionist theories of deviance focus on how interpersonal relations and everyday interactions shape definitions of deviance and influence those who engage in deviant behavior.

Social Interactionists believe that individuals are influenced by the actions of others

Social process theories review how criminal behaviors develop
Social reaction theories examine how societal reactions affect criminal behavior

Question 24

What is Differential Association Theory? Who proposed the theory?

Answer 24

controversial theory that states ,we learn to be deviant through our associations with deviant peers. It is a theory of socialization that explains how delinquent behavior is learned. Refers to the idea that people become criminal because of contact with criminal

Edwin Sutherland & Donald Cressey proposed the differential association theory which emphasizes that criminal and deviant behavior is learned. According to their theory

Criminal behavior is learned, not inherited

Criminal behavior is learned through communication

Learning occurs through intimate personal groups

Learning includes criminal behavior

The specific direction of motives and drives is learned as favorable or unfavorable

person become delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to the violation of the law

Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority and intensity

The process of learning criminal behavior by association is the same as any other learning

Although criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those general needs and values.

Question 25

What is labeling theory? Who is the key theorist?

Answer 25

Labeling theory claims that deviance is a consequence of external judgments, or labels, which both modify the individual’s self-concept and change the way others respond to the labeled person. Also related to the self-fulling prophecy, a prediction that causes itself to come true.

Howard Becker is the key theorists behind Labeling Theory. Key Assumptions of this theory include the idea that:

Rules are socially constructed
Rules are not enforced uniformly or consistently
Deviants are those whose behavior people have noticed, labeled, and applied sanctions

Question 26

What are the deviant subcategories? Conformists? Pure Deviants? Secret Deviants? Falsely accused?

Answer 26

Conformists-people who have not violated the rules of a group and are treated accordingly.

Pure Deviants-people who have broken the rules and are caught, punished, and labeled as outsiders.
Master Status of Deviance-overshadows any other status an individual may have whether deviant or not. ex sex offender.

Secret Deviants- people who have broken the rules but whose violation goes unnoticed or, if it is noticed, prompts no one to enforce the law.

Falsely accused-people who have not broken the rules but who are treated as if they have done so.

Question 27

What is a stereotype threat? What is a stereotype promise?

Answer 27

Stereotype Threat: self-fulfilling prophecy in which the fear of performing poorly, and thereby confirming stereotypes about one’s social group, causes students to perform poorly

Stereotype Promise: self-fulfilling prophecy in which positive stereotypes lead to positive performance outcomes.

Question 28

What is social conflict theory?

Answer 28

Social Conflict theory states that those on top (the rich) are able to get away with criminal acts to a greater extent than the ‘have nots.’ Social conflict theories focus on social class, power, capitalism and their relation to crime. According to Conflict theory, power and wealth inequality lead to crime.

Question 29

What are hate crimes?

Answer 29

Occurs when criminals specifically target victims based on demographic characteristics

Charges typically increase the punishment associated with another crime such as assault

Official statistics likely underreport the true number of hate crimes

Demographic characteristics include race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

Question 30

What are the types of punishment set in place by within the criminal justice system? Deterrence ? Retribution? Incapacitation? Rehabilitation?

Answer 30

Deterrence- prevent crime by threatening harsh penalties

Retribution-retaliate or take revenge for a crime that’s been committed

Incapacitation-remove criminals from society by imprisoning them

Rehabilitation- reform criminals so that they may reenter society

Question 31

In what ways might we reconsider deviance and punishment??

Answer 31

Positive deviance is defined as an act that is outside of the norm, but may actually be heroic rather than negative. Examples could be Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus when asked; or even a student in class being the one to raise his or her hand and say that a test seemed unfair. If no one else in the class spoke up, this student’s action might be deviant, but it could also shed light on an issue that needed to be addressed.

Restorative Justice Movement

Question 32

What are organizations? Utilitarian? Normative? Coercive?

Answer 32

are formal groups that exist to achieve a desired goal. For example, different types of organizations include:

Utilitarian organizations are an organization in which people receive wages in exchange for work
Normative organizations are organizations that exist to achieve a worthwhile goal
Coercive organizations are organizations that people are forced to join

Question 33

What are the qualities that keep formal organizations running smoothly?

Answer 33

Division of labor – tasks are clearly defined
Concentration of power – power is in the hand of a few
Methods of succession – replacement of members

Question 34

What are formal and informal structures?

Answer 34

Formal - are the explicit rules, goals, and guidelines of an organization

Informal- are friendships, allegiances, and loyalties among members of an organization

Question 35

What are Bureaucracies? What is formal rationality? what is the iron cage concept?

Answer 35

Bureaucracies are formal organizations that are organized into a hierarchy of smaller departments. Max Weber first discussed it, as a logical extension of formal rational thought

Formal rationality refers to the reasonable actions organizations and bureaucracies take to achieve goals. Weber believed that any organization that grows large enough will inevitably strive toward formal rationality and bureaucracy.

Iron Cage - introduced by Weber, refers to the way in which bureaucracies make workers feel trapped and turn them into little more than robots accomplishing tasks.

Question 36

What did Karl Marx (Conflict theory) believe about bureaucracy

Answer 36

Karl Marx (Conflict Theory) believed that ‘bureaucracy was a circle from which one could not escape.’ He believed bureaucracy was the way the bourgeoisie exploited workers and more efficiently gained more wealth and control for themselves.

Question 37

What did Rothschild suggests that traditional bureaucracies create?

Answer 37

Symbolic interactionists wonder how workers’ attitudes toward their jobs impact creativity and job satisfaction. Rothschild suggests that traditional bureaucracies create ineffective work environments because workers are disconnected. In contrast team approaches in management encourage democracy in the workplace.

Question 38

What is McDonaldization

Answer 38

refers to the global impact of bureaucracies and the exportation of Capitalism coined by George Ritzer, modern-day sociologist