Views of Crime Flashcards
What is the Consensus View of Crime?
Crime is behavior that violates criminal law, uniformly applied and enforced by the state.
It reflects majority agreement on what behaviors are criminal.
Criticism: Laws may not always be applied uniformly.
What is the Conflict View of Crime?
Society consists of diverse groups in conflict.
Laws protect the interests of the wealthy and powerful (e.g., unsafe working conditions, police brutality).
Crime is politically defined and often excludes systemic harm caused by the powerful.
What is the Interactionist View of Crime?
Based on symbolic interactionism, emphasizing individual interpretations of reality.
Moral entrepreneurs define and impose values, making crimes context-dependent.
Key Idea: Crime has no inherent meaning until people react to it.
Example: Marijuana use was considered a crime in many countries but is now legal in some due to changing societal views.
