Possible class questions 2

Question 1

Sum up Beccaria’s theory as discussed in classed

Answer 1

Beccaria’s Classical Theory: Had a set of 8 beliefs, a couple are true, many are outdated!

a) People are rational: Not necessarily!
b) People calculate their consequences: Sometimes?
c) People will calculate whether the benefits of their actions outweigh the costs: NOPE!
d) We need to have stable laws, so that people know what is expected of them in society. This is true!
e) We need to make laws that the people can understand. This is kind of true, and we still believe it
f) If people understand our stable laws, there will be no more crime! They will be deterred!: This is a big fat nope
g) We need to restrict the powers of the judges: We still believe this, but judges would argue that they need more leeway in order to properly apply it to the situation
h) Punishment needs to fit the crime: We still believe this, but this is not the best we can do

Question 2

Discuss the graphs Chris drew in class You don’t actually need to know this…..

Answer 2

The two graphs were property crime and violent crime, with age on the x axis. On both graphs, crime was at an all time high in young adulthood, and there was a blip in the 60-70s area. Violent crime had a middle-plateau in the 30-40s. The plateau of violence is due to domestic violence, and the blip is due to things like Alzheimers and dementia.

Question 3

Is conflict theory something we can prove? Why or why not?

Answer 3

Technically, no. All we can do is notice patterns, but if we were to ask the government if they gave preferential treatment to the rich, they’d obviously say no. But we do have some examples of COME ON!!!

1. Silco company: For abuse of employees and MURDER, they got off with no charges and a 6000 dollar fine that they paid off with their insurance
2. Paul Maniford: Should have gotten 27 years for his crimes, and would have if he’d been any other guy. Instead, he got 2.2 years, and got a year taken off of that for pre-trial credit
3. Vic Taves was the Federal Minister of Justice who got his 14 year old babysitter pregnant. Trudeau put a gag order on the media, didn’t lose his job, and didn’t get a trial. Became a judge
4. Rahim Jaffer: Hurt someone while driving 93 km/h in a 50 zone, going the wrong way down a one way street, didn’t get any consequences. He got a 600 dollar driving ticket…..
5. Freaking provincial government, who are cutting workers and programs like crazy, but are getting paid 130,000 dollars a year

Question 4

Summarize the different conflict theories discussed in class

Answer 4

1. Group conflict theory: There are many different interest groups in an area, all vying for the law to reflect their interests. The high segments encourage this conflict so they don’t get any attention. Some groups may team up, but it doesn’t matter, unless some of your team members have a say in the making of the law
2. Instrumental Marxism: They see power as involvement in the creation, interpretation, and enforcement of law. The law is ultimate there to protect capitalists, and satisfy their immediate interests
3. Structural Marxism: Serves long-term capitalism, not immediate interests of individual capitalists
4. Left Realism: Attempted to scientifically prove class conflict through victimization surveys, and looked for realistic solutions to crime.

Question 5

What does Christ say about Merton’s strain theory?

Answer 5

Merton directly copied Durkheim’s concept of anomie, but focuses mainly on the gap between societal goals and legitimate means. There are five ways that people will attempt to close that gap:
1. Conformity: They have the goals, and they have the means
2. Ritualism: They have no goals, but they have access to the means e.g. are at MacEwan to be a paralegal, but are just going through the motions
3. Innovation: This is full on crime! They have goals, but no legitimate means, so they commit crime to fulfill those needs!
4. Retreatism: No goals, no means, numb everything with drugs
Rebellion: No goals, no means, so they create their own groans means and actively go against society

Question 6

What the Heck is Cohen’s Middle class Measuring rod?

Answer 6

Cohen claims that gangs and whatnot, start at age FIVE!!!! Everyone is indoctrinated with the same middle class goals ever since they were TINY, and as soon as you enter school, there is a problem. The middle class teacher can relate to middle and upper class students, but not to lower class students. The lower class students know this, find each other, and unite (mutual conversion)! They have a different value system, with parents who have taught them to stand up for themselves, will create a “reaction formation”, where they intentionally behave in the way you don’t want them to, as a way of “standing up for themselves”