Formal and Informal Social Control

These flashcards cover key concepts related to formal and informal social control as discussed in the lecture.

What is social control?

Social control refers to the methods employed to ensure that people comply with society’s rules and regulations.

What is formal social control?

Formal social control is where institutions directly and explicitly control the population, including police, legal systems, courts, government, and military.

What are examples of less traditional agents of formal social control?

Examples include education, workplaces, and religion.

What did the Macpherson Report (1999) find?

The report found that the police were institutionally racist and that Black men are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched than white men.

What do Marxists argue about the police and courts?

Marxists argue that the law benefits the ruling class and that working-class people are prosecuted more often.

What are total institutions?

Total institutions are places where all aspects of life are controlled, such as prisons and psychiatric hospitals.

What did Erving Goffman (1968) find about total institutions?

Goffman found that life in total institutions is highly regimented, leading to loss of self and mortification.

What is the right realist view of the legal system?

Right realists argue that punishments should be stricter to deter crime and support severe penalties.

What is the Zero Tolerance policy?

A policy that punishes even minor crimes to promote a culture of lawfulness.

What issues do ex-prisoners face?

Ex-prisoners often face stigma and difficulties reintegrating into society, resulting in a high recidivism rate.

What is informal social control?

Informal social control happens subtly through interactions with others and involves positive and negative sanctions.

How powerful is informal social control?

Informal social control can be just as powerful as formal social control in shaping behavior.

What do Murray and Herrnstein argue about social control?

They argue that some individuals are born with predispositions toward deviance, suggesting a genetic factor in social control.