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Fact
Observations of the world around us.
Theory
When we know something works and is supported by logically intercalated statements.
Law
Detailed description of consistent and observable phenomena.
What is a theory?
More than a hunch or personal idea; it is testable and applicable to classes of people.
San Bernardino School Shooting
An incident where a student made a verbal threat, leading to legal actions against the student’s father.
Charges against the father in the San Bernardino case
Possession of a destructive device, manufacture of an assault weapon, and manufacture of a short-barreled rifle.
Three main elements of a theory
Prediction, explanation, and foundation.
Critical Race Theory
Analyzes the relationship between race, racism, and power.
Tyre Nichols
Victim of brutal police beating, leading to calls for police reform.
Memphis police's SCORPION unit
Deactivated following the death of Tyre Nichols.
Update on Tyre Nichols case
Five officers charged; protests erupted demanding police reform.
Biology, Race, and Crime
The historical linking of biology, particularly phrenology, to criminal behavior.
Cesar Lombroso
Considered the father of criminology, linked race/ethnicity to crime.
Crime and Human Nature (1985)
Book that controversially linked genetics and criminal behavior.
Black Lives Matter Protests
Organized protests for racial justice following police violence incidents.
Capitol Riot (January 6)
Event perceived as violent, but with no fatalities directly reported.
What does IQ measure?
A number meant to measure cognitive abilities in relation to age.
Average IQ range
Between 90 and 110 is considered average; over 120 is superior.
Link between intelligence and crime
Early literature suggested lower intelligence correlates with criminal behavior.
Henry H. Goddard
One of the early theorists who explored the link between IQ and crime.
The Bell Curve (1994)
Book that proposed links between low IQ and various social issues, including crime.
W.E.B. Du Bois’ urban ethnography
The first urban ethnography, examining the relationship between crime and social conditions.
Social Disorganization Theory
Theory that crime results from social disorganization and breakdown of community structure.
Chicago School of Sociology
Studied social disorganization in inner-city neighborhoods.
Contemporary Social Disorganization Theory
Focuses on the concentration of disadvantage and lack of social buffers.
The Latino Paradox
Theory suggesting lower levels of social disorganization in Latino communities compared to others.
Culture Conflict Theory
Proposes that crime arises from conflicting norms across different cultural groups.
Strain/Anomie Theory
Theory linking societal pressure to achieve goals to criminal behavior.
Merton’s Strain Theory Typology
Includes conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.
General Strain Theory (GST)
Expands strain theory by addressing removal of positive stimuli and presence of negative stimuli.
Subculture of Violence Theory
Explains how certain groups normalize violence within their subculture.
The code of the streets
Theory focusing on respect as central to issues of violence in impoverished neighborhoods.
Conflict Theory
Focuses on power struggles and inequality as drivers of crime.
Economic discrimination and crime
Conflict theory posits that socioeconomic disparities contribute to crime rates.
Colonialism
Dominance over a political unit inhabited by people of a different race and culture.
Integrated and Nontraditional Theories of Race and Crime
Explore how intersectional identities influence behaviors and crime.
Black Compulsive Masculinity
Theory suggested by William Oliver on the tough guy image among Black males.
Capitol Riot Executive Order
Aimed at pardoning individuals involved in the January 6 riots.
Tyre Nichols' weight
Weighed 150 pounds, significantly less than the combined weight of the five officers involved.
Merton's Conformity
Following societal goals through legitimate means.
Merton's Innovation
Sharing cultural goals but using illegitimate means to achieve them.
Merton's Ritualism
Giving up on achieving societal goals but continuing to abide by societal means.
Merton's Retreatism
Rejecting societal goals and means, living outside conventional norms.
Merton's Rebellion
Aiming to replace societal goals with one's own and devising original means of achieving them.
Elijah Anderson
Urban ethnographer who formulated the code of the streets theory.
What is Social Disorganization?
Characterize areas with unstable populations and a lack of social cohesion.
William Oliver's theory significance
Explains behaviors adopted by some Black males to cope with societal pressures.
Critical perspectives on Intelligence and Crime
Critiques of the links suggest cultural biases in IQ testing.
Macro theories
Theories that look at large-scale social processes.
Micro theories
Theories that focus on individual or small-group interactions.
Bridging theories
Theories that connect macro and micro perspectives.
Racial bias in health care
Systemic racism that adversely affects the health outcomes of Black individuals.
Evidence from Tyre Nichols case
Lack of evidence supported claims of reckless driving prior to confrontation.
Role of social buffers in communities
Individuals who serve as role models to prevent criminal behavior.
What are systemic racism impacts?
Ensure ongoing disparities in health, education, and criminal justice for marginalized groups.
Impacts of mass incarceration
Exacerbates social disorganization in affected depressed communities.
Sampson and Wilson's research
Focused on the truly disadvantaged and their experiences with systemic barriers.
Concentration effects in neighborhoods
Differences between living situations of whites and blacks contributing to crime.
Danger of cultural disintegration in colonial systems
Loss of identity and cultural practices among colonized populations.
Impact of the code of the streets on youth
Shapes behaviors and responses to conflict based on respect.
Questions on the validity of IQ tests
Concerns over what IQ tests measure and potential biases present.
Grassroots movements like Black Lives Matter
Challenge systemic racism and aim for societal reforms.
Community-centered approaches to crime prevention
Emphasize environmental design and community involvement.
What is the significance of theory in sociology?
Provides frameworks to understand complex social issues and guide interventions.
Elijah Anderson's code of the streets focus
Central issue of respect and social norms in violence within communities.
Empirical validity of subcultural theories
Examines structural, situational, and institutional factors affecting crime.
Cloward and Ohlin's gang theories
Identified three orientations: criminal, conflict, and retreatist gangs.
Factors affecting interpersonal violence
Structural, situational, and individual circumstances play significant roles.
The significance of the Philadelphia Negro study
First urban ethnography that highlighted the relationship between crime and social conditions.
Role of socioeconomic factors in crime
Explore how class and economic conditions affect criminal behaviors.
Limitations of the Bell Curve thesis
Questions on the genetic basis of intelligence and its relation to crime.
