SOCIAL EXPLANATIONS FOR CRIME

Question 1

Crime as a social construct means…

Answer 1

crimes is a product of the interaction of people living together tied to social control mechanisms.

Question 2

What are the main takeaways of Durkheim’s work? (3)

Answer 2

Crime as a violation of moral codes, conscious collective of society that requires punishment. A certain amount of crime is normal.

Question 3

What is the main social effect of crime?

Answer 3

Prohibiting a behaviour indicates that the behaviour is unacceptable.

Question 4

What does “anomie” mean?

Answer 4

Normlessness, moral constraints are insufficient to limit individual desires. Specifically during times of great societal changes.

Question 5

General Strain Theory gives two types of strain:

Answer 5

1. Withholding of something people value

2. Actual/anticipation of negative stimuli

Question 6

Chronic/repeated strain leads to…

Answer 6

a predisposition to crime

Question 7

What are some strains conducive to crime? (6)

Answer 7

parental rejection, neglect, unemployment, deprevision, abuse, failure to achieve goals

Question 8

The Chicago School of Sociology examined… (3)

Answer 8

crime as a social problem, ethnography, social ecology (people and their environment)

Question 9

Social disorganisation is:

Answer 9

the inability of a community structure to realise the values of its residents and maintain social control.

Question 10

In Differential Association what influences criminality?

Answer 10

Contextual social/cultural influence effects behaviour which influences criminality

Question 11

Social Opportunity is a fusion of place-based work and what?

Answer 11

Strain Theory

Question 12

According to social opportunity theory, criminal sub-cultures emerge when…

Answer 12

there are many illegitimate social opportunities.

Question 13

Interactionism explains crime as a…

Answer 13

social process

Question 14

In Interactionism, deviancy is created when…

Answer 14

society overreacts to minor rule-breaking

Question 15

Social groups create deviance when they… (2)

Answer 15

make rules and creates punishment

Question 16

Labelling occurs when…

Answer 16

rules are applied to certain people

Question 17

What is the great irony of labelling?

Answer 17

It creates deviance due to conditioning and entity into adopting its label and associated traits

Question 18

What are the three main control theories?

Answer 18

Containment theory, Social Bond Theory, General Theory of crime

Question 19

What is containment theory?

Answer 19

based on conformity due to lack of motive and overwhelming support to be lawful.

Question 20

What is social bond theory?

Answer 20

based on attachment to others/opinions, commitments, involvement in law-abiding habits and belief in societal value systems

Question 21

What is the General Theory of Crime in relation to control?

Answer 21

focus on self-control as the basis for understanding deviancy. Concerns for longterm consequences of actions.

Question 22

Durkheim gave two important functions of crime:

Answer 22

• Adaptive function (introduce new ideas and practices into society, preventing stagnation)
• Boundary maintenance function (reinforcing social values and norms)

Question 23

Agnew suggested that strain emerges for people when:

Answer 23

they don’t have the capacity to achieve their goals.

Question 24

Containment theory gives two protective factors:

Answer 24

• Outer protection (social groups etc)

- Inner protection (individual reason)