Crime and Deviance – Sociology Lecture

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture on crime and deviance.

Conflict theory

Examines social and economic factors as the causes of criminal deviance.

Control theory

States social control is directly affected by the strength of social bonds; deviance results from a feeling of disconnection from society.

Corporate crime

Crime committed by white-collar workers in a business environment.

Corrections system

The system tasked with supervising individuals who have been arrested for, convicted of, or sentenced for criminal offenses.

Court

A system that has the authority to make decisions based on law.

Crime

Behavior that violates official law and is punishable through formal sanctions.

Criminal justice system

An organization that exists to enforce a legal code.

Deviance

A violation of contextual, cultural, or social norms.

Differential association theory

Holds that individuals learn deviant behavior from those close to them who provide models of and opportunities for deviance.

Formal sanctions

Sanctions that are officially recognized and enforced.

Hate crimes

Attacks based on a person’s race, religion, or other characteristics.

Informal sanctions

Sanctions that occur in face-to-face interactions.

Labeling theory

The ascribing of a deviant behavior to another person by members of society.

Legal codes

Codes that maintain formal social control through laws.

Master status

A label that describes the chief characteristic of an individual.

Negative sanctions

Punishments for violating norms.

Nonviolent crimes

Crimes that involve the destruction or theft of property but do not use force or the threat of force.

Police

A civil force in charge of regulating laws and public order at a federal, state, or community level.

Positive sanctions

Rewards given for conforming to norms.

Power elite

A small group of wealthy and influential people at the top of society who hold the power and resources.

Primary deviance

A violation of norms that does not result in any long-term effects on the individual’s self-image or interactions with others.

Sanctions

The means of enforcing rules.

Secondary deviance

Deviance that occurs when a person’s self-concept and behavior begin to change after actions are labeled as deviant by society.

Self-report study

A collection of data acquired using voluntary response methods such as questionnaires or telephone interviews.

Social control

The regulation and enforcement of norms.

Social disorganization theory

Asserts crime occurs in communities with weak social ties and the absence of social control.

Social order

An arrangement of practices and behaviors on which society’s members base their daily lives.

Strain theory

Addresses the relationship between having socially acceptable goals and having socially acceptable means to reach those goals.

Street crime

Crime committed by average people against other people or organizations, usually in public spaces.

Victimless crime

Activities against the law that do not result in injury to any individual other than the person engaging in them.

Violent crimes

Crimes based on the use of force or the threat of force.