Module 9: Deviance, Crime, and Violence Flashcards
deviance
behaviors that violate social norms
folkways
the least serious norms. They mainly refer to customs, traditions, and etiquette. Social sanctions for violating them are also the least severe
Mores
more seriously protected norms. They reflect a deeper sense of morals and values, and sanctions for violating them are often much stronger
laws
represent the most highly codified level of norm; they are usually written down, and there are serious consequences if you don’t follow them
social control
the ways societies try to influence members’ behavior to maintain social order
moral panics
over- heated, short-lived periods of intense social concern over an issue
moral entrepreneurs
push for increased awareness of and concern over an issue
Stigma
occurs when some characteristic of an individual or group is seen as inferior or undesirable and leads to social rejection
Labeling theory
argues that deviance isn’t really about the act itself, but is negotiated socially through reactions to the act (smoking marijuana may not change someone much, but being labeled a pothead may shift how a person is treated and how she sees herself)
functionalist theories of deviance
begin with the idea that deviance serves a social purpose, a function
affirming our social agreements about right and wrong
strengthens social cohesion
social cohesion
the degree to which we identify with and maintain social rules and connections
normative
accepted and expected
anomie
social lack of morals and expectations for behavior that can lead to
deviance
strain theory.
ive adaptations to strain, based on the possible mismatch between goals and the means a person has available
Conformity (yes goal, yes means) innovation (yes, no) ritualism (no, yes) retreatism (no, no) rebellion (either, either)
opportunity theory
states that some people (those living in poverty in highly- populated cities, for example) may be more likely than others to be exposed to deviant subcultures
illegitimate opportunity
created by deviant subculture’s proximity and norms of delinquency
conflict theories of deviance
ask how rules and norms are shaped by power relations in a society
worldview
set of shared values, beliefs, and understandings about how the world should be
ideology
set of beliefs, values, and assumptions we use to view and understand the world, about what constitutes deviance and what doesn’t
hegemony
particular type of domination in which the powerful get the consent (and sometimes outright support) of everyone else
Edwin Sutherland’s theory of differential association
suggests that deviance is a learned behavior, just like any other
control theory
focuses on how ties to mainstream social groups and societal institutions make us less likely to become deviant
criminology
study of crime and criminal behavior
crime
an act that violates the penal code
penal code
the written laws that govern behavior in a particular jurisdiction
violent crime
category that also includes crimes like robbery (a theft that takes place in person through use of force), assault, and sexual assault or rape
Property crime
involves theft that isn’t carried out through force, including acts like motor vehicle theft or the burglary of a home
street crime
violent and property crime
white-collar crime
fraud, embezzlement, and other unethical acts or business practices
criminal
a person who has violated a criminal law. Deviant behavior, as we learned, is a violation of common norms
social network
group of people (or organizations, nations, etc.) that are linked to each other in a specific way
crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)
Urban planners and architects have identified how the design of city streets and housing can reduce crime by limiting the number of dark, isolated, or unsupervised spaces where potential criminals might seek out victims
broken windows theory
suggests that if the police respond to very small violations of public order, they will make major crimes less likel
homicide rate
most common measure of violence in a society; it measures the number of murders for every 100,000 residents.
culture of violence
the idea that the United States has a unique heritage in which settlers had to resort to violence to protect their property and themselves, creating a longstanding norm of violent behavior
merton’s theory of relative deprivation
Robert Merton’s strain theory, which we discussed earlier in the chapter, argues that it’s not just poverty that makes people more likely to commit crime; it’s a feeling that they are losing out while others achieve vast riches, that they’re falling behind while others live the good life
mass incarceration
the expansion of imprisonment to a level that isn’t matched elsewhere in the world or at any previous point in U.S. history
The New Jim Crow
book written by Michelle Alexander arguing that mass incarceration represents the latest in a series of institutions and policies designed to reinforce a racialized caste system in the United States
Defund the police
the slogan of a movement to shift resources from police budgets to other agencies that provide services, like jobs programs or mental health treatment, to residents of a city
Black Lives Matter
Movement devoted to, among other things, reducing police violence against African Americans
Differential Association theory
crime is a learned behavior
Functionalist Theories - Durkheim
deviance serves a social function, tells us right from wrong and creates social cohesion, creates social cohesion/boundaries, promotes social change
