Social Problems - Chapter 7

Norms

Rules and expectations by which society guides the behavior of its members.

Law

A norm formally created through a society's political system.

Crime

The violation of a law enacted by the local, state, or federal government.

Misdemeanor

A less serious crime punishable by less than one year in prison.

Felony

A more serious crime punishable by at least one year in prison.

Crime against property

Crime that involves a theft of property belonging to others.

Crime against persons

Crime that involves violence or the threat of violence against others.

Stalking

Repeated efforts by someone to establish a relationship against the will of a victim.

Juvenile delinquency

Violation of the law by young people.

Hate Crime

A criminal offence motivated by the offender's bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or ethnicity.

White-Collar Crimes

Illegal activities conducted by people of high social position during the course of their employment or regular business activities.

Corporate Crime

An illegal act committed by a corporation or a person acting on its behalf.

Organized crime

A business operation that supplies illegal goods and services.

Victimless crimes

Offences that only directly harm the person who commits them.

Violence

A behavior that causes injury to people or damage to property.

Institutional violence

Violence carried out by government representatives under the law.

Anti-institutional violence

Violence directed at the government in violation of the law.

Mass murder

The intentional, unlawful killing of three or more people at one time and place.

Serial murder

The killing of several people by one offender over a period of time.

Youth gangs

Groups of young people who identify with one another and with a particular territory.

Criminal Justice System

Society's use of due process, involving police, courts, and punishment to enforce the law.

Plea bargaining

A negotiation in which the state reduces the defendant's charge in exchange for a guilty plea.

Retribution

Moral vengeance by which a society inflicts on the offender suffering comparable to that caused by the offense.

Deterrence

Using punishment to discourage further crime.

Rehabilitation

Reforming an offender to prevent further offenses.

Societal protection

Protecting the public by using incarceration or execution to prevent an offender from committing further offenses.

Criminal recidivism

Later offenses by people who were previously convicted of crimes.

Restorative justice

A response to crime, seeking to restore the well-being of a victim, offender, and larger communities lost due to crime.

Community-based corrections

Correctional programs that take place in local communities rather than behind prison walls.

Henry Kempe

 discovered child abuse in 1958, created the first “Child Protection Team”

Gov. George Ryan of Illinois

made announcement in 2000, banning death penalty

Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois

outlawed death penalty

1990

California established the nation's first anti-stalking law

2005

 U.S. Supreme court ruled against death sentence for juveniles

1980’s

Hate crimes deemed a social problem

2009

Matther Sheperd and James Bryd Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act

1990

Hate Crime Statistics Act passed by Congress

1970

Congress passed RICO, allowing for the seizing of property involved in illegal activity

1966

Child Abuse is a crime

2018

First Step Act passed by Congress, allowed prisoners to serve less time for good behavior + provided job training