Criminological theory test 2

What is sutherland’s differential association theory? (symbolic)

best known for formulating a general sociological theory of crime and delinquency

First proposition is that criminal behavior is learned through symbolic interaction with others

What is principle of differential association? (excess)

person commits criminal acts because he or she has learned attitudes favorable to violation in law in “excess” of the definitions unfavourable to violation of law

what is modalities of association? (exposed first)

persons are exposed first, more frequently for a longer time and greater intensity to law violating attitudes (more likely to deviate from law)

What is development of the theory?

operant behavior conditioned by rewards and punishment

Related to Akers social learning theory

what is classical or “respondent” conditioning?

the conditioning of involuntary reflex behavior

what is discriminative stimuli? (signals)

The environmental and internal stimuli that provide cues or signals for behavior

what is schedules of reinforcement? (rewards)

The rate and ratio in which rewards and punishments follow behavioral responses

What is symbolic interactionism?

theory that social interaction is mainly the exchange of meaning and symbols

what are the four dimensions of social structure that can be integrated with social learning? (differential)

differential social organization

Differential location in the social structure

Theoretically defined structural variables

Differential social location

how can an individual interact with others in two dimensions according Akers social learning theory?

interactional dimension (direct and indirect)

Normative dimension (patterns of norms and values)

What is a general definition?

religious, moral and other conventional values that confirm behavior and unfavourable behavior to committing any deviant or criminal acts

what is specific definitions? (intro)

introducing the person to particular acts or series of acts

what is negative beliefs?

conventional beliefs

what is positive definitions?

beliefs or attitudes that make the behaiovr morally desirable or wholly permissible

what is neutral definitions? (justify)

favor the commission of a crime by justifying or excusing it

What does negative behavior mean for Akers social learning theory?

He or she is less likely to commit the crime if it’s negative behavior

what is positive reinforcement?

Rewarding outcomes or reactions

what is negative reinforcement? (events)

avoir or escape unpleasent events

what is modalities of reinforcement?

the amount, frequency and probability that reinforcement will occur

what is non social reinforcement (punished)

how the individual thinks or knows he or she will be punished by society

what is self reinforcement?

individual exercising self control

what is imitation for Akers social learning theory?

individuals can imitate behaviors they have observed (depends how they identify in society)

what is the social learning process form Akers social learning theory? (imitation)

akers stresses that social learning is a process with reciprocal and feedback effects

Learning imitation and anticipated advantages are what produce the initial criminal act

what is social structure learning from Akers social learning theory?

proposed model where social structures are hypothesize to have an influence on an individual

what are 3 dimensions of social structure?

differential social organization

Differential location in the social structure theoretically defined structural variables

Differential social location in groups

what did the research find between criminal and delinquent behavior to social learning variables?

typically strong to moderate

Very little negative evidence reported in the literature

Well supported in U.S. and other countries

what was learned from the research on social learning in the family and delinquency?

children with involved parents are less likely to become criminals because they have positive interactions and reinforcement through their parents

Family and friends are important in understanding an individual’s support/reinforcement

What did research on peer and group contexts in crime and delinquency: differential peer association determine?

peer influence is most noticeable and strongest in adolescence (majority of crimes committed by adolescents are committed in the company of others)

Teens with who surround themselves with non delinquent friends are less likely to perform deviant acts, vice versa

what did we learn on delinquent gangs?

youth in gangs are more delinquent than those with no involvement

Youth who associate themselves in gangs but not in it are more likely to be delinquent

what is the selection model?

delinquent friendships are formed around similar behaivior

what is socialization model?

Delinquency is learned through peer association

what is perception and behavior in peer associations?

This form of research cannot be valid because it works with criminals’ perception of what they do and what their friends do

what did research on social structure and social learning determine? (crime area)

Deviant behavior reduces when social learning variables are considered

If an adolescent lives in a poor and crime area, they are more likely to learn deviant behavior from their surroundings?

What is highfields and Essex field?

guided group interaction (peer groups in which common problems could be discussed in a group atmosphere and encouraged non delinquent attitudes)

what is the pine hills experiment?

boys gained recognition and status in the group for conforming rather than antisocial behavior

what is the teaching family model?

Create a more family environment, maintaining good behavior

what is the Oregon social learning center?

targeting family management skills in parent focused and teen groups

What is GREAT (gang resistance education and training)?

prevention program for students with the goals of promoting anti gang attitudes

what is Reiss’s and Nye’s theories of internal and external controls? (pause)

belief that the pause of delinquency was due to the failure of “personal” and “social” controls

what are personal controls?

internal reasons why a person will not commit a crime

what are social controls? (not commit)

reason why a person will not commit a crime from a societal standpoint (family, church, school)

what are the three main categories of social control according to Nye? (control)

Direct control

indirect control

internal control

what is direct control in relation to social control? (imposed)

punishment is imposed or threatened for misconduct and compliance is rewarded by parents

what is indirect control in relation to social control?

youth refrains from delinquency because his or her acts might cause pain and disappointment for parents or others who they have close relationships with

what is internal control in relation to social control?

youth’s conscience or sense of guilt prevents him or her from engaging in delinquents acts

what is reckless’s 2 types of containment theory?

outer containment (church, family, school)

inner containment (strong conscience)

what is skyes and matzas techniques of neutralization? (delinquent, provide)

rationalizations for delinquent behaviour that provide an explanation for crime/deviance

what is drift according to skyes and matza?

offender can “drift” between law abiding and criminal behaviour because of social controls (weak controls = criminal)

what are the four components to hirschi’s social bonding theory?

attachment

belief

commitment

involvement

what is attachment in relation to hirschi’s social bonding theory?

an individual’s relationships with others will affect what he or she does

what is involvement in relation to hirschi’s social bonding theory?

the more involved an individual is to conventional activities, the less likely they are to commit crimes because they don’t have the time

what is commitment in relation to hirschi’s social bonding theory?

the more committed an individual is, they more they have to lose and the less likely they are to commit crimes that will jeopardize their previous commitments (stakes in conformity)

what is belief in relation to hirschi’s social bonding theory?

the less they believe in the law, the more likely they are to commit a crime

what is empirical validity of social bonding theory?

they have found weak to moderate support for the theory as a whole

what is gottfredson and hirschi’s self control theory?

conformity to the law comes from a high amount of self control, while deviance comes from low self control

what is the relationship between self control and social bonding theory?

bonding theory rejects the self control concept as unobservable and includes it under the concept of attachment

what is labeling as a process of symbolic social interaction?

looking glass self (we are or we become what others think we are)

negative labels act as an independent variable, encouraging criminal and deviant behaviour

self-fulfilling prophecy

what did the label as an independent variable in crime deviance tell us?

theory claims that labelling people as deviant and applying social sanctions to them in the form of punishment increases, rather than decreases, deviance

what is primary deviance?

deviant act that occurs prior to the labelling process

what is secondary deviance?

deviant act that occurs after the labelling process

is there empirical evidence on labelling theory?

little to no empirical evidence because it ignores the influence of other variables after the deviant has been apprehended and labeled

what is juvenile diversion movement?

efforts to divert individuals who are suspected or have been charged with minor offences from the adult justice system

what is deinstitutionalization?

form of diversion that removes juveniles from jails

what is decriminalization?

removing the status offenders from jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system

what is radical non-intervention?

the belief that it is better to simply tolerate minor offences than risk labeling the offender

what is net widening?

problem that occurs when offenders who had been released are placed in a program because a program exists

what is pre trial intervention or delayed adjudication?

programs for first time non violent adult offenders, those who agree to specific conditions may avoid trial or sentencing altogether

what is Braithwaite’s shaming?

social disapproval

what is Braithwaite’s disintegrative shaming?

no work done with the offender and society

what is Braithwaite’s reintegrative shaming?

positive work is completed with offender to cleanse him of his “deviance”

what is applications of restorative justice?

make offenders accept responsibility for their actions and restore them, and their victims back to normal (community service, compensation)

what is theory and philosophy and restorative justice: reintegration and rehabilitation?

braithewaite believed that for the criminal justice system to work, we shouldn't just punish the criminal and stop there, should reintegrate them as well

what is the effectiveness of restorative justice programs?

there is little evidence that well-run programs make things better

what does social disorganization theory look at?

looks at crime from a macro point of view

what does social disorganization theory examine?

crime as patterns within the community rather than just the individuals

what are the early statistical studies of crime for social disorganization theory? (rich)

data indicated that criminals more commonly resided in the wealthier districts with higher education levels

who is shaw and McKay from social disorganization?

first developed social disorganization theory in the urban crime setting at the university of Chicago in the 20s and 30s

who is park and burgess from social disorganization theory?

used the ecological example of a plant or animal community that is invaded by a new species causing rapid changes in the community

what is concentric zone theory?

zone 1 is in the centre (bulls eye) with zone 4 on the outside, more crimes occurs in the centre and less on the outskirts of town

what is zone in transition?

Shaw and Mckay said that this was zones for industry or commerce where poor housing, broken families, and unstable population were at its peak

what is concentrated disadvantage? (Sampson)

looks at factors such as families below the poverty level, families on welfare, blacks, unemployed

what is collective efficacy according to sampson? (activate)

perceived ability of neighbourhood residents to activate informal social control

what is social capital?

investment into the community like volunteer activities, general community engagement

what did Kornhauser think on social disorganization theory?

neighbourhoods foster crime through their diminished ability to not control their residents behaviour

what did Bursik think on social disorganization theory? (hinders)

hinders informal social controls within community, allowing high rates of crime to occur

what did Sampson and groves think on social disorganization theory?

proffered an empirical model of social disorganization

what did veysey and messner think on social disorganization theory? (external)

external factors sometimes had stronger effects on crime rates

what is the code of street? (Anderson)

“watch your back” “protect yourself” condones the use of violence

mostly used in African American hoods

what is Chicago area points? (shaw and McKay)

first large scale urban delinquency prevention program, try to overcome influence of delinquent peers by providing more opportunities (had mixed success)