unit 2 sociological theories of criminality - surveillance theories

Question 1

foucault: the panopticon

Answer 1

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Question 2

what is their key idea?

Answer 2

in today’s society people engage in self-surveillance. we are also under electronic surveillance. surveillance has become an increasingly important form of crime control

Question 3

what is the panopticon?

Answer 3

a prison designed so that guards could see all prisoners, but prisoners did not know if they were being watched or not

Question 4

self-surveillance

Answer 4

prisoners had to assume they were being watched and behave properly just in case

Question 5

disciplinary power

Answer 5

foucalt agrues this design is now everywhere in society and disciplinary power and self-surveillance now reaches every individual

Question 6

mathieson: synoptic surveillance

Answer 6

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Question 7

key idea: the synopticon

Answer 7

as well as surveillance from above, we are now surveilled from below as well - everybody watches everybody

Question 8

what is an example?

Answer 8

motorists cyclistd can monitor the behaviour of others with dashcams or helmet cameras. this may change the behaviour of others - they exercise self discipline

Question 9

actuarial justice and profiling

Answer 9

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Question 10

what is actuarial?

Answer 10

comes from the insurance industry - an actuary is someone who calculates the risk of certain events happening e.g how likely it is for your house to be burgled

Question 11

feeley and simon

Answer 11

actuarial justice is a new form of surveillance. it aims to predict and prevent future offending. it uses statistical information to reduce crime by compiling profiles of likely offenders

Question 12

what are two strengths of surveillance theories?

Answer 12

foucalt’s work has led to more research into surveillance and disciplinary power - especially the idea of an electronic panopticon, researchers have identified other forms of surveillance such as actuarial justice and profiling

Question 13

what are two limitations?

Answer 13

foulcalt exaggerates the extent of control e.g goffman shows how some inmates of prisons and mental hospitals resist control, surveillance may not change people’s behaviour as foulcalt claims e.g studies show that CCTV may fail to prevent crime because offenders often take no notice of it

Question 14

general criticisms of sociological theories

Answer 14

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Question 15

the underlying causes

Answer 15

sociologists disagree with eachother about the causes of crime

Question 16

overprediction

Answer 16

don’t explain why not every disadvantaged person turns to crime

Question 17

biological and psychological factors

Answer 17

negkect factors that might explain why one person might turn to crime but another person in the same social position might not