LECTURE 11: CRIME AND SOCIAL CONTROL

Question 1

informal social control

Answer 1

• includes any non-official type of control exercised for violating norms, laws, folkways or anything someone else deems inappropriate
• Ex: when people laugh/joke/tease about something you are wearing

Question 2

formal social control

Answer 2

• is an official type of control exercised for violating the policy, rules, laws or regulation of a formal body (criminal justice system)
• ex: when someone is fired from their job for sexual harassment

Question 3

criminal justice system is comprised of

Answer 3

1. law enforcement officials
2. criminal courts
3. prisons

Question 4

4 crime facts

Answer 4

1. every place has formal rules or laws and people who break those rules but there is great variation between countries
2. most countries have the same components in their criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts and prisons)
3. adult males are disproportionately crime suspects and perpetrators in all countries
4. in all countries theft is the most common type of crime and violent crime is relatively rare

Question 5

Merton’s Strain Theory

Answer 5

• structural functionalist explanation
• developed by Robert Merton in 1939
• society socialized everyone into wanting the same things, but does not provide the same opportunities for everyone

Question 6

Conformity

Answer 6

• individuals accept the culturally defined goals AND the legitimate means to obtain them
• most individuals fall into this category, society and our social controls are designed to keep everyone in this category

Question 7

Innovation

Answer 7

• accept culturally defined goals but not the legitimate means of achieving them
• this is the adaptation that is most associated with criminal behaviour
• explains why crime is committed at higher rates by those who come from very impoverished background that lack the means to achieve society’s goals legitimately

Question 8

Ritualism

Answer 8

• accept the legitimate means of achieveing goals but do not accept the traditional goals
• ritualists may do things like follow the rules get a good education and work hard but are not committed to the traditional goals of wealth and pwoer
• many of those who become religious officials fit this adaptation as do ppl. who spend their time and money giving to charity while living a modest and humble life

Question 9

Retreatism

Answer 9

• rejects both the culturally accepted goals and the means of achieving them
• ex: hippy movement or people who spend their lives backpacking around the world while never getting married, having kids, or having a career

Question 10

Rebellion

Answer 10

• rejects both the culturally accepted goals and the means of achieving them, difference from retreatists is that they replace them, with new goals and new means
• ex: those who protest against capitalism, those who promote communism or other forms of gov. and or those who promote facism, blatant racism, or a more pure society without those deem unworthy

Question 11

Crime from Conflict Perspective

Answer 11

1. conflict theory looks at how inequality causes crime in society
   - this includes crimes of necessity like burglary and joining gangs to provide for oneself or one’s family economically
2. according to conflict theory crime is also tied to higher amounts of business interests allowed into government
   - Ex: in the US there are weak regulations and rules on political donations given to politicians, which allows for corporate interest/ profit to affect government and government concern for Public safety
3. also looks at the penalties for crime and how law enforcement pursues cases
   - Ex: white collar crime is rampant in society but is not often punished because it is very hard to catch
4. also looks at inequality in the courts and punishments
   - Ex: the legal system is set up in a way that benefits the rich. Private lawyers make significantly more than public defenders.