Sociological theories Flashcards
Who is most likely to be affected by strain theory
Poverty, low education, abused, ethnic minority, juvenile delinquents
Blocked opportunities cause it.
Crimes accounted by Strain theory
Robbery, theft, drugs, prostitution, shoplifting.
Crimes not explained by strain theory
Murder/assault, white collar crimes, domestic violence.
What is Cohen’s Subcultural theory
Based on strain but thinks crime is committed by criminal subcultures.
How are subcultures made?
Built up status frustration,(low in school and work hierarchy). They commit crime to gain respect from violent groups.
Who commits crimes (subcultural theory)
Bottom of society who share experiences of blocked opportunity. Educated on their rights, and been in prison.
Strengths of subcultural
Explains non economic (violent) crime.
Improves Merton’s strain theory.
What working class crimes are explained by Marxism
Benefit fraud, stealing, domestic violence, fights, vandalism
What capitalist crimes are explained by Marxism
No health and safety, not pay well, tax evasion (white collar crime)
What is capitalism
A political system in which a country’s industry is controlled by private owners
What is communism
All property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives the same.
What is a revolution
A forcible overthrow of a government in a social order
What is means of production
Facilities and resources for producing goods
What is relation in production
Social structures that regulate the relationships between humans in production
What is false class consciousness
Working class don’t realise they are exploited by the ruling class and contribute to their own exploitation
How do marxist see society
Characterised by poverty caused by the structure of society
What is the bourgeoisie
Ruling class
What is the proletariat
Working class
How are laws biased in marxist view
They protect the interests of the wealthy and criminalise the poor
What is a selective law system
The working class is more likely to be arrested and punished
How does capitalism make people feel
Alienated and frustrated, engaging in crime to vent their age
Marxism focusing on social class
Ethnicity, age and gender aren’t considered. Working class males commit more crime than females
Marxism cannot explain certain crimes
White collar crimes by the middle class
Capitalist societies crime rates
Not all have high rates, Japan doesn’t but USA does so there must be other factors
What is the American dream
The idea that everyone has an equal opportunity for success and prosperity through hard work
What is blocked opportunities
Lack of access to legitimate means for achieving goals
What is strain
A situation where one role is a source of tension and distress
What is an anomie
A breakdown of social norms values and expectations
What is innovation
Using socially unapproved means to obtain culturally approved goals
Merton’s strain not explaining crime
Only explains economic crime, not violent crime
Mertons strain not all working class
Cannot account for middle class crimes who don’t have blocked opportunities
Merton overestimating working class crime
Not all working class individuals commit crime when they do have blocked opportunities.
What is interactionalism (labelling theory)
Crime is a social construction that labels people into being a criminal.
How does someone become a criminal according to labelling theory
Commits a low level crime, get labelled as criminal, deviancy amplification to fulfil label, self fulfilling prophecy , criminal becomes their master status.
Interactionalism not explaining the orignal crime
Individual commits a crime to be labelled. Cannot explain the root cause.
Interactionalism not everyone who is deviant gets labelled.
Some are more able to negotiate themselves and still be viewed in a positive light, but are still criminal.
What does right realism follow
Political ideologies of conservative and right wing views
Right realist views on crime
Individuals rationally choose to commit crime, which is caused by a growing underclass that depends on the welfare state for survival.
What is rational choice theory (right realism)
Weigh benefits and drawbacks before committing a crime, such as enjoying sexual gratification and being unlikely to be caught leads to rape.
Broken window theory (right realism)
General neglect of an area leads to further crime as it is more tolerated, causing more serious crime to develop.
According to right realism, where do the underclass come from
Single parent households with a lack of social bonds
Right realism oversimplifying motivations
Assumes all crime is for economic reward, doesnt explain vandalism, drunk and disorderly that have no monetary reward
Right realism stigmatising
Criminalises poverty and scapegoats the poor for all crime
Right realism ignoring corporate crime
Middle class commits white collar crime and the idea of wealthy people committing crime
Right realism downplaying societal factors
Blames poor people and the individual as a rational chooser
Right realism research support
Flood-page found children from a single parent background were more likely to offend
Right realism application
Policies such as zero tolerance and prison sentences shows its value
What is left realism based on
Political ideology of left wing views, fault of societal structures not individuals
What three left realism concepts cause crime
Relative deprivation
Marginalisation
Subcultures
What is relative deprivation
Feel deprived of education, housing and wealth compared to others, promoted in media by showing better lives
What is marginalisation
Groups lack representation and power and fee excluded, leading to frustration as they cannot achieve mainstream goals
What is subcultures
Joining marginalised individuals to make their own norms such as slang clothing poor manners and skipping work or school
Left realism not explaining those not in relative deprivation
Wealthy commit white collar crimes when they arent deprived
