Exam 1

This exam will have ten multiple choice questions, worth 3 points each and 3 short essays worth (2 worth 30 points each, one worth 10) You should be able to: 1. Compare and contrast theories 2. Use the readings as examples of different theories (for example, the college drinking reading for impression management/social learning). Make sure you skim back over all the readings 3. Critique the theories 4. Know the larger schools theories belong to (for example, neutralization theory has elements of a learning theory and a control theory). Also know the major theorists’ names 5. Come up with real life examples of the theories 6. Be able to think about how to test the theories 7. Write about what public policies the theories might lead to

Sociological imagination

The story of your life is driven by social structures (bio and history cant be entangled) ~ the study between structure and biography

Troubles vs Issues

• trouble within an individual

• Issues when something structural is causing it

The idea of criminal is a…

social construct

• is it different based on time /culture

Micro

Individual choices based on what's happening based on circumstances/environmental

Macro

structural factors shape crime behavior

rational choice perspective (philosophy)

crime is a result of a rational calculation of pleasure and pain

• criminals are free, making choices, hedonistic (pleasure seeking)

• Crime is a way to get to the end goal

The Routine activity theory assumes…

everyone is an offender

Routine activity theory

Focusing on the opportunity for crime on the premise that even when an offender is present, crime is not allowed

Routine activity theory components

1)motivated offenders

2)suitable targets

3)the absence of capable guardians 

Bounded rationality

calculate based on the available information

rational choice critic

• Assumes you know everything; is limited to environment, people

•  mental illness doesn't work in this model

rational choice components

1)maximum profits

2) no rewards/ no perceived rewards, minimize cost

3) When short term profits are equal people will choose long term profits (vice versa)

Deterrence can be split into…

specific and general

Specific Deterrence

If we have strong laws/punishment people will not commit the crime(individual)

General Deterrence

specific person/punishment to scare the general population to not commit a crime

Recidivism

the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend

If punishment is swift and a lot of people get caught…

less people would commit that crime for 2 weeks

Retribution

punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act

The Routine activity theory…

dilutes the idea if they were to get caught

Total institutions

a place of residential and work; cut off from life (reframe who people are)

Social Disorganization Theories

disorganization causes crime in neighborhoods

• argued people no longer cared about each other and

  the community breaks down

• Only Focused on crimes in the street (violent Crime)

When land values are low…

they are not desirable

The further away from the city…

the more organized(less crime)

When you can’t pay taxes/mortgage causes…

displacement

Culture of poverty

Poor people/poor neighborhood “culture” leads to crime

”normal culture" within the Culture of poverty

hard working

"unnormal culture" within the Culture of poverty

not hard working

Half the people who are poor currently…

were poor last year

Broken window theory

disorganized property disorganized people

• If the buildings are not taken care of more people feel less obligated to uphold good conditions

• if you have a neighborhood with a broken window there should be more broken windows( like having prostitutes and  violent crimes)

• whole theory used to just lock people up

• theory says that crime is fun

Stop and Frisk

• police could stopped people and patted them down

• anyone could be pull aside if they look suspicious

• By keeping people off the streets they couldn’t commit a crime

• targeted black men

Code of the streets

The yearning for respect due to no support; need for safety and validity

• less rational theory

In Code of the streets decent means a…

regular person

Code switching

the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation(body/verbal)

Subculture

• groups within the "dominant" сulture

• different value systems for each

Differential association(DA)

People were born to a disposition to crime(different then the rest of us) that has to occur through interaction

• Edwand sutherland

Social learning theories believe…

Crime is learned

Social learning theories moved us away from the…

close minded thinking that they were born that way(criminals, mental illness)

(Theory:DA)People who learn these techniques of neutralization…

are able to commit the crime

(Theory:DA)Rationalization of commiting crime is…

learned

(Theory:DA)Who surrounds you can affect your view on law if they…

respect it you are more the likely to respect it but if you think a law is stupid you are more likely to ignore it

• Some people are more likely to be influenced 

(Theory:DA)People with more status in your life who you respect and often see them they are more likely to…

influence you

(Theory:DA)Drives(goals) are the same but you can do it in…

a noncriminal way

• Criminals and Non-criminals both has the same needs and values and achieve the same goal

Critic: Difference association’s

theory doesn’t account for structural factors

Structural factors drives your…

experience and what you witness and hear of other experiences carves your own

Meta Analysis

take data from a bunch of different studies and analyze them(measures and test have to be the same)

Structure drives…

social learning(macro/micro)

Sykes & Matza explored…

Techniques of neutralization

Techniques of neutralization

Before people commit crimes they have to justify it in their own head

• Has 5 categories

The 5 categories of Techniques of neutralization

1. Denial and responsibility

2. Denial of injury

3. Denial of the victim

4. Condemnation of the condemners

5. Appeal to higher loyalties

1. Denial and responsibility

• I’m not responsible

  • Blame structural factors

  • Ex: i grew up in a poor neighborhood

2. Denial of injury

• Commit this crime, no one gets hurt

3. Denial of the victim

• Well the victim deserves it

  • They are not really a victim

4. Condemnation of the condemners

• Shift the focus to others and condemn the people who would condemn you

  • Ex: police are hypocrites

5. Appeal to higher loyalties

I’m doing this for society

Symbolic Interactionism

• focuses on meanings attached to human interaction, both verbal and non-verbal, and to symbols(formation of self)

  • The self comes through interaction(not born with self)

  • Looking glass self

Looking glass self(Cooley)

• How we form our own self imagine

  • We imagine how we appear to those around us

  • We go out into the world and interpret others reactions

  • Develop a sense of self(based on our interpretations)

Impression management(Goffman)

• In the social encounters we try to convince others that we are a certain type of person

• Takes up a lot of our time(uses looking glass self)

Dramaturgy

• (type of analysis)looking at life as theater 

  • People are actors and everything we have is props

  • Front stage

  • Back stage

Front stage(Dramaturgy)

impression management->where we do our most conscious and careful

Back stage(Dramaturgy)

impression management->loosen up and practice, not as conscious or careful

Goffman thinks we don’t have a true self 

• The ones we put on the most is like our true selves

• That when you do it long enough you play it 

• The act convinces us and can be seen as a sincere act that is also carried out alone

• Self censorship 

• Learn the behavior with interaction and take that information you learned and use it even alone

• Environment shapes our selves

Cynical act

aware of the act

Sincere act

• Feels natural to you

• You believe it is part of who you are

Definition of the situation

What we believe is happening is more important than what's actually happening

Mismanaged impression

• Something goes wrong with your act

  • When minor we feel embarrassment

Aligning action 

any behavior that indicates to others the acceptance of a particular definition of the situation(used when embarrassed)

• Ex: laughing, correction,excuse.disclaimer

Stigma

Permanent very serious blemish of the self

• Ex:Visible disabilities,formerly incarcerated

You can deal with a stigma by…

passing/covering/embrace/rebell/Isolate

Passing

to convince people you are in the non stigmatized category

Covering

• Trying to convince someone you are in a less stigmatized category

  • Embrace: Ex-Black is beautiful

Some even Isolate with people who are…

also stigmatized in the way they are

Master status

• The status people see first and can't see anything else

• Usually linked to stigma but can be positive

Doing gender

Trying to convince other you are a specific gender

Doing Class

Signal social class

Control theories ask…

why don’t people commit crime

4 bonds that inhibit crime(social control)

• Attachments

• Commitment

• Involvement 

• Belief

If you develop these 4 social bonds you won’t…

commit crime

You might develop these social bonds and…

neutralize them through rationalization

Rational actor

a decision that selects an option based on calculated expected benefit( rationalization and neutralization of an act)

Strain Theory

(Merton)A disjunction between culturally defined goals and structurally available opportunities

• Give legitimate way  means to reach the goal What's held out is what we should be striving for

• Widely shared when we have anomie can lead to criminal behavior

• One primary goal in America

  • Money

Power control theory

(John Hagan)

• answers “Why males are more delinquent than females”

  • Girls and boys are supervised differently; more likely to correct girls behavior over boys

  • Boys are less likely to develop good self control

  • Looked at parenting style, education of parents

Masculinity theory

(messerschmidt)A cultural expectation of hegemonic masculinity

• Some people are blocked from achieving hegemonic masculinity

  • Masculinity model at a particular time and place; the ideal to strive for

    • Strong

    • No emotion

    • Protector

    • Breadwinner

    • Leader

    • Violence/Dominance over women

Theories that can explain why men are more delinquiet

• Power control theory

• Social disorganization

  • Culture of poverty

  • Code of the streets

• Social learning

  • Masculinity theory

  • Difference association

  • Impression management

  • Control

    • Social bond

    • self control

    • Power control

• Anomie/strain theory

Intersectionality

• Our different statuses overlap in different ways

  • When you have statuses that turn you into a minority can affect your opportunities

Crime is a way to achieve…

• masculinity when you don’t have other options

  • Poor kids are at higher risk of crime because they have no choice(among boys)

  • Kindness, caring are characteristics of girls(more feminine)

In Strain Theory a comformist

• Accepts the goals

• Accept the means 

In Strain Theory a Innovator

• Accept goals

• Reject means

In Strain Theory a Ritualist

• Can Reject goals

• People working to actually to destroy the structure

In Strain Theory a Retreatist

• Reject means 

• Reject goals

Is Strain Theory rational choice and is it a micro or macro theory?

• Rational choice

• mostly macro has micro if you don’t have access to opportunities

critic of Strain Theory

• Doesn’t cover rich people who commit crime

• Doesn’t cover crime with motivation other than money

The other author who covered strain theory considered strain to…

• causes people to commit crime(things we don't like)

  • See someone else's pain

  • Can be anticipated

• Some strains are more likely to affect you more

  • Can cause you to commit more crime the more strain

  • When we can’t fix it through normal channels we are more likely to commit crime

Self control theory

(One branch of control theory)

• Self control affects your propensity to commit crime 

• (A theory based on the idea that the cost of crime depend on the individual)

• Hirschi

How does self control manifest

• Versatility of bad behavior

• Overreaction to stimuli

• No Specialized

• Subcultures

• Repeat opportunities if they have the chance

• Lack of stability

• Broad

Elements of self control

• Immediate gratification

• Thrilling

• Few long term benefits

• Ability to withstand irritation

• Ability to delay gratification

• Results in pain for the victim

• Crime doesn’t take skill

• Impulsivity

• Sensitivity to suffering

• Regard for safety

• Lack of commitment

The causes of self control

• Community is important

• Caretakers have to be able to recognize bad behavior and self control

• Punish bad behavior(by training)

  • No beating

  • No humiliation

  • Repetition(consistency)

By increase Self control leads to…

increase bonds->crime(decrease)

Critics of Self control Theory

• behaviors are so broad

• Arrogance 

• “Crime doesn’t need skill”

• Social class plays a part in self control and outcomes