Sociology Unit 3: Crime and Deviance

Unifying the group

Social function of deviance that argues deviance reinforces sense of community and belief in shared values, draws line between conformers and non-conformers

Deviance

Behavior, belief, or condition that violates social norms

Stigma

Social disgrace that sets the deviant apart

Social construction of reality

Process of creating a shared reality through actions and interactions

Social functions of deviance

Unifying the group, diffusing tension, promoting social change, providing jobs

Context

Group of conditions in which something happens

Merton's strain theory (functionalist)

When individuals can't meet societal expectations, they act out

Differential association (symbolic interactionist)

People follow norms of their environment

Labeling theory (symbolic interactionist)

Society identifies individuals as deviant, reinforcing their deviant role

Control theory (symbolic interactionist)

Attachments to family and peers, involvement in activities, beliefs in morality prevent deviance

Conflict theory

Powerful define deviance to suit their needs

Postmodern perspectives on deviance

Powerful control the powerless, taking away their free will

Feminist approaches to deviance

Liberal, radical, Marxist/socialist

Social control

Practices to encourage conformity and discourage deviance

Institutional discrimination

Discrimination in the normal function of an institution

National Crime Victimization Survey

Surveys households about nonfatal crimes

Crime classifications

Violent, property, victimless, occupational, corporate, organized, political, internet, terrorism

Discretionary powers in law enforcement

Areas where bias can enter: police, prosecutors, judges

Function of incarceration

Retribution, incapacitation, rehabilitation, deterrence

Social inequality

Different amounts of power, wealth, and prestige

System

Ranking nations or people based on wealth, power, or prestige

Income

Salaries, wages, earned interest, rental income

Wealth

Total assets of a person

Life chances

Access to important resources impacted by stratification

Global stratification

Richest 1% have more wealth than the rest of the world combined

Social mobility

Movement from one level of stratification to another

Open system

Position influenced by achieved status

Closed system

Little or no possibility of moving up

Types of social mobility

Horizontal, vertical, intergenerational, intragenerational

Theories of stratification

Marx - class determined by person's relationship to production

Weber - property, prestige, power dictate class standing

Social classes

Upper, middle, working, lower

Functionalist perspective on social stratification

Social stratification is necessary, rewards for sacrifice

Conflict perspective on social stratification

Social stratification facilitates exploitation, excessive and growing inequality

Symbolic interactionist perspective on social stratification

Social stratification influences lifestyles and intergroup relations

Diffusing tension

Social function of deviance that argues deviance allows for people to strike out against society to relieve tension without disrupting fabric of society

Promoting social change

Social function of deviance that argues deviance can help prompt social change by identifying problem areas

What are the 5 types of behavior deemed as deviant according to Merton's strain theory?

Conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion

Conformity (strain theory)

Supporting and following the rules

Innovation (strain theory)

Cheating, supports goals, uses deviant ways to achieve them

Ritualism (strain theory)

Gives up goals, just goes through motions, still works

Retreatism (strain theory)

Rejects both legitimate means and approved goals

Rebellion (strain theory)

Revolutionary movements/political - seeks to replace system

Differential justice (conflict theory)

Differences in way social control is exercised over different groups

Liberal feminist approach

Women's deviance and crime are rational response to gender discrimination

Radical feminist approach

Women's crime originates in partriarchy

Marxist/socialist feminist approach

Women are exploited by patriarchy and capitalism

Intersectional approach (conflict theory)

Simultaneous effects of race, class, and gender on deviant behavior

Felony

Serious crime for which punishment typically ranges for more than a year's imprisonment to death

Misdemeanor

Minor crime typically punished by less than a year in jail

Violent crime

Actions that involve force or threat of force

Property crime

Burglary, motor vehicle theft

Victimless crime (public order crime)

Crimes involving willing exchange of illegal goods or services among adults

Occupational crime

Illegal activities committed by people in the course of their employment or financial affairs

Corporate crime

Illegal acts committed by corporate employees on behalf of the corporation

Organized crime

Business operation that supplies illegal goods and services for profit

Political crime

Illegal or unethical acts involving usurpation of power by government officials

Internet crime

FBI-related scams, identity theft, advance fee fraud, nonauction/nondelivery of merchandise, and overpayment fraud

Terrorism

Calculated, unlawful use of physical force or threats of violence against persons or property in order to intimidate or coerce a government, organization, or individual for purpose of gaining some objective

Retribution

Punishment should fit the crime

Incapacitation

Restrict offenders so they can't commit further crimes

Rehabilitation

Returning offenders to community as law-abiding citizens

Deterrence

Reduce criminal activity through fear of punishment

Caste sytem

Closed system, people are born into system

Horizontal mobility

Movement within same range of prestige

Vertical mobility

Movement from one position to another of a different rank

Intergenerational mobility

Changes in children's position relative to parents

Intragenerational mobility

Social position changes within person's adult life

Prestige

High social status, entitled to deferential and respectful treatment

Meritocracy (Davis and Moore)

People have earned their positions, some more important than others, inequality should be left to evolve on its own

Meritocracy myth

Belief that hard work leads to mobility

Relative poverty

People may be able to afford basic necessities but are unable to maintain average standard of living

Absolute poverty

When a person cannot meet basic needs