Sociological theories

Question 1

Sociological theories

Answer 1

The social influences that have an affect and effect upon individuals and groups in society

Question 2

Social structure theory

Answer 2

Economic Structure and Crime:
- Stratified society
Differences between people in a socioeconomic sense
- Social class

Question 3

Social disorganisation

Answer 3

No unity of purpose. Children not going to school, medical services not easy to gain access to, people aren’t led by the practice of others.
Poverty, break down of institutions

Question 4

Shaw and McKay

Answer 4

Transitional neighbourhoods

Area undergoing shift in population and structure

Question 5

Social Ecology School

Answer 5

Collective Efficacy

• High levels of social control
• Social integration
• Interpersonal ties
• Mutual trust
• Willingness to intervene
• Maintenance of public order

Question 6

Strain theories

Answer 6

• Poverty
• Maintenance of controversial rules and norms
• Strain
• Formation of gangs and groups
• Crime and delinquency
• Criminal careers

Question 7

Theory of Anomie

Answer 7

Society alienation.
• Social adaptations:
o Conformity: Buying in
o Innovation: Can’t succeed so adapt (maladaptive – most criminal response)
o Ritualism: Traditional ceremonies i.e. engage with churches, clubs etc
o Retreatism: Withdrawing (maybe hippies, certainly drugs and alcohol)
o Rebellion: Revolution

Question 8

General strain theory

Answer 8

Multiple sources of strain
o Failure to achieve positively valued goals
o Disjunction of expectations and achievements
o Removal of positively valued stimuli
o Presentation of negative stimuli

Question 9

Cultural deviance

Answer 9

• Poverty
• Socialisation
• Subculture
• Deviant values
• Crime and delinquency
• Criminal careers

Question 10

Delinquent subcultures

Answer 10

•	Status Frustration
•	Middle-Class Measuring Rods
•	Formation of Deviant Subcultures 
Theory of Differential Opportunity 
•	Criminal gangs
•	Conflict gangs 
•	Retreatist gangs

Question 11

Social structure public policy

Answer 11

• Public Assistance or Welfare
• Improving Community-Structure in High-Crime Areas
• Head Start
• Legal Services
• Community Action Programs

Question 12

Institutions of socialisation

Answer 12

•	Family Relations 
o	Parental efficacy 
•	Educational Experience 
o	Dropping out
o	Getting bullied
•	Peer Relations 
•	Religion and Belief 
Key indicators for a criminal path

Question 13

Social learning theory

Answer 13

People learn the techniques and attitudes of crime from close relationships with criminal peers and interactions.

Question 14

Social control theory

Answer 14

Everyone has the potential to become a criminal but most people are controlled by their bonds to society. Crime occurs when the forces that bind people to society are weakened or broken.

Question 15

Social reaction (labelling) theory

Answer 15

People become criminals when significant members of society label them as such and they accept those labels as a personal identity

Question 16

Differential association

Answer 16

A person becomes a criminal when he or she perceives more favorable than unfavorable consequences to violating the law through social learning

Question 17

Neutralisation theory

Answer 17

Denial of responsibility (not their fault/beyond their control or accidents)
Denial of injury (stealing is “borrowing”; vandalism “mischief” or “balancing up power differentials” ”; Close friends or relatives may dismiss the activity as “trivial”&raquo_space; crime as socially acceptable)
Denial of the victim (victims “had it coming”)

Question 18

Social process theories

Answer 18

Condemnation of the condemners (the world is corrupt and the perpetrators is just getting his or her share. People and institutions are corrupt – Politicians in particular)
Appeal to higher loyalties.

Question 19

Hirschi’s self control theory

Answer 19

•	Attachment 
o	Sensitivity to and interest in others
•	Commitment 
o	Time, energy, and effort spent in conventional activities 
•	Belief
o	Morals, values, belief in the law
•	Involvement 
o	Participation in conventional activities

Question 20

Social reaction (labelling)

Answer 20

•	Consequences of labelling 
o	Self labelling
o	Joining deviant cliques
o	Retrospective reading
•	Primary and secondary deviance

Question 21

Social conflict and critical criminology

Answer 21

-Those in power shape the context of the law
White-collar crimes causing large quantities of damage punished leniently (banks)
Petty crimes causing small amounts of damage punished severely (pornography vs illegal downloads)
-Always going to be a struggle for power – wealth = power (ability to resist forces of law)

Question 22

Critical criminology

Answer 22

-Crime is a political concept designed to protect the power and position of the upper classes at the expense of the poor

Question 23

Instrument theory

Answer 23

Criminal law and the criminal justice system are capitalist instruments for controlling the lower class

Question 24

Structural theory

Answer 24

Criminal law and the criminal justice system are means of defending and preserving the capitalist system

Question 25

Critical feminist theory

Answer 25

Explains both victimization and criminality among women in terms of gender inequality, patriarchy, and the exploitation of women under capitalism
-Gender inequality is a result of the exploitation of women in a male-dominated society

Question 26

Left realism

Answer 26

Crime is a function of relative deprivation under capitalism and favors pragmatic, community-based crime prevention and control.

Question 27

Peacemaking

Answer 27

Purpose of criminology is to promote a peaceful, just society
Advocating for people, creating awareness

Question 28

Critical criminology and public policy

Answer 28

Purpose of criminology is to promote a peaceful, just society
Advocating for people, creating awareness
Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ)
Accountability
Competency development
Community safety