Sociology

about social control, deviance and crime, mainly definitions and descriptions

What defines deviance?

Behaviour that breaks social norms/expectations

is deviance always illegal?

No, deviance is not always illegal. It includes behaviors that violate social norms but are not necessarily against the law. it can be. can even be painted in a good light(eg heroism)

give egs of deviance

mental illness, suicide

key features of deviance include?

must be relative to time, situation, place, culture

depends on the context of the situation

isn’t always negative (can lead to social change)

what defines crime?

behaviour that always breaks the law

is always punishable by formal sanctions

examples of crime?

theft, assault, murder

how can crime overlap with deviance?

Committing a crime violates social laws, while deviant behavior violates social norms and rules

crime…

social order is?

societies patters in stable, predictable behaviour in organized life

what defines social control?

ways society regulates behaviour

it ensures conformity to social norms

name 4 agencies of formal social control and describe them

Police: enforce laws, investigate, arrest ppl

Courts: prosecute and judge ppl, apply legal sanctions

Armed forces: keep national security, prevent large scale chaos (needed this in sonic x fr)

Government: makes laws, polices and regulations

Penal system: punish and rehabilitate offenders (prison, probation)

how social formal control controls individuals? name three things

using punishments

deter of crime from fear of sanctions

keeps order/protects society

name 4 agecies of informal social control and describe them

Family: teaches norms, discipline, sanctions

Education: hidden curriculum (obedience, punctuality, respect)

Workplace: rules, codes of conduct, peer pressure

Peer group: influence behaviour by accepting/excluding

Media: shapes values, stereotypes, moral panics

Religion: moral codes, teachings, community expectations

how social informal control controls individuals? name three things

Uses socialization, peer pressure, gossip, approval, shame

Encourages conformity without formal or legal punishment

Reinforces cultural norms/values

how effective is formal agencies of social control? list a pro and a con

pro- effective for serious crimes

con- is corrupt, unequal and can lack resources

how effective is informal agencies of social control? list a pro and a con

pro- good for shaping everyday behavour

con- informal control is weaker in diverse societies with conflicting backgrounds

what is needed to ensure conformity?

combination of informal and formal control

(c) Explain how informal agencies of social control can prevent crime. [6]

• Parents use punishment and praise during primary socialisation

• Peer groups exclude or judge those who commit crime

• Religion uses heaven and hell to teach crime is wrong

(d) Explain why official measurements of crime may not always be accurate. [8]

• Police targeting/discrimination + example

• Dark figure of crime (unreported + unrecorded)

• Fear/shame stopping victims reporting + example

• White-collar crime is hard to detect (victims don't know they've been scammed until too late) OR Police discretion/cuffing (police don't record minor crimes to make stats look better)

gender is one of the most important factors in determining whether an individual commits a crime bcs… (name 3 points)

• Masculinity/male socialisation encourages aggression and crime (Messerschmidt)

• Statistics show men commit most violent crime

• Feminist control theory – women controlled at home, less opportunity (Heidensohn)

• Chivalry thesis – women treated leniently (lower stats don't mean less crime)

heindenson…

says women are more controlled at home

which sociologist says crime is due to males trying to prove their masculinity?

Messerschmidt

two reasons why crime ates are higher for some ethnic groups

1. Police discrimination – more stops → more arrests → higher recorded crime

2. Negative stereotypes – police target certain groups → self-fulfilling prophecy → more arrests

pollak

made the chivalry thesis