Crime and Delinquency Final

social process theory

focuses on social interactions and how they shape human behavior. key focus is on the institutions and agents of socialization and the effect they have on people over the course of life

Social learning theory

people learn the techniques and attitudes of crime from close relationships with criminal peers. crime is a learned behavior.

social control theory

everyone has the potential to become a criminal, but most people are controlled by their bonds to society. crime occurs when the force that bind people to society are weakened or broken

institutions of socialization: family

• high levels of family social capital

  • love and care

  • morals and values

  • accountability

  • guidance

• main socialization agent in society.

• low levels of capital

  • family stress

  • divore

  • family deivance

  • violence and abuse

  • physical and emotional abuse

institution of socialization: education

• educational experience

• low capital when

  • dropping out

  • getting bullied

  • school to prison pipeline

differential association theory

• criminal behavior is learned

• criminal behavior is a by-product of interacting with others

• learning criminal behavior occurs within personal groups

• a person becomes a criminal when they perceive more favorable than unfavorable consequences to violating the law

• may vary in frequency, duration, priority (age), and intensity

social control theory

• Forms of social control prevents crime

• self control

• commitment to conformity

• social bonds:

  • attachment

  • commitment

  • belief

  • involvement

instrumental vs. expressive violence

• 1: used in an attempt to improve the financial or social position of the criminal

• 2: designed not for profit or gain by to vent rage, anger or frustration.

public order crimes

behavior that is outlawed because it threatens the general wellbeing of society and challenges its accepted moral principles

ex. drug use and sex work

social harm

immoral acts that can be distinguished from crimes on the basis of the injury they cause. Acts that case harm or injury that are outlawed and punished as crimes. Acts that are vulgar offensive, and depraved are not outlawed or punished if they harm no one

moral entrepreneurs

those who develop laws and policies based on their ideologies

moral crusaders

carry out the polices and laws developed by entrepreneurs

critical 8

top 4:

• antisocial personality

• antisocial attitude

• antisocial behavior

• antisocial peers

others

• trauma

• substance abuse

• school/ work problems

• recreation participation

social conflict theory

struggle for power creates conflict. believe that the cause of crime can be linked to economic, social, and political disparity. rooted in marxist theory.

• crime is a political concept designed to protect the power and position of the upper classes at the expense of those in the lowest income brackets

social conflict theory causes of crime

• surplus value: profits produced by laboring classes that are accured by business owners but are not given to the workers

• crime and social institutions

• marginlaization

• class bias and racial oppression from cradle to grave

• education disparities

• race and racism

state-orgranized crime

• criminal acts committed by government officals

• human rights violations

• corporate crime

• state violence

structural theory

criminal law and the criminal justice systems are means of defending and preserving the capitalism system. law is designed to keep the system in place, anyone who rocks the boat is targeted. system.

restorative justice

• focus on the needs of victims, community and offenders

• focus on nonpunititive strategies to heal wounds caused by crime

  • community service

  • estoration programs such as family group conference, sentencing circle, etc.

transformative justice

if original conditions are unjust, then restoring to original condtions means justice is not served. Looking at the root of the problem and what caused the crime. “Rresponding to violence and harm without creating more violence and harm”

School to prison pipeline

when students are met with no tolerance policies in schools, they experience punishments that push them from school to juvenile justice systems.

social process theory policy

• residential programs

• targeting adolescents for reform

  diversion programs

• strengthen relationship between inmate and society

surplus value and crime

surplus leads to crime because instead of given to the workers it’s absorbed by the corporation.

instrumental theory

view the criminal justice as a way to control low-income and have not members of society. individuals

critical theory policy

• restorative and transformative justice

• shame as a way to encourage morality rather than victim-mindset

  • reintegrative shame: shame the act but still accept the individual into society

• restitution

causes of crime

• surplus value

• marginalization

• crime and social institutions

• class bias and racial oppression from cradle to grave

• education disparities

• race and racism

theory of social harm

immoral acts can be distinguished from crimes based on the level of injury they cause

Social structure theories (specifically strain)

• have a goal (what we are socialized to want) but not the means (rules we are expected to follow while striving to achieve those goals). leads to adaptation which tends to be crime

• Policy: programs to assist lower classes (ex. Welfare), Communities that care model and other programs to strengthen and stabilize community structure, educational programs

• strengths: explains link between socioeconomic class and crime, empirical support, explains group crime rate

• Limitations: overlooks individual agency and does not apply to all crime.