4003 Final Exam Review 2026 Study Notes

4003 Final Exam Review 2026 - Study Notes

Short Answer/Essay Questions

Concentric Zone Model
- Area with highest crime rate: Transitional zones, or zone two.
- Location: Outside the business district and inside the working-class homes district.
Labeling Theory
- Definition: Theory concerned with how an individual’s personal identity is influenced by societal categorizations as offenders.
- Theoretical Level: Individual (micro-level) theories.
- Interaction: Shows interaction between micro and macro.
Hirschi’s Bonding Theory Elements
- Definition: Strong bonds are what stop individuals from committing crime.
- Four Elements Explained:
  - Attachment: Connections and bonds with conventional others, such as family.
  - Commitment: Connection to institutions such as school and work.
  - Involvement: Wider than commitment, includes engagement in activities like sports.
  - Belief: Acceptance of socially conventional values, often associated with religion or community.
Learning Theories vs. Control Theories
- Learning Theories:
  - Focuses on how and why people learn to behave criminally.
  - Concept of humans as a 'blank slate' or tabula rasa.
- Control Theories:
  - Argues crime results from natural human tendencies.
  - Based on Hobbes's view of classical philosophy characterizing humanity as nasty, brutish, and awful.
  - Conveys that human nature is inherently bad and requires external controls to maintain order.
Differences Between Liberal Feminism and Radical Feminism
- Liberal Feminism:
  - Advocates for change within the existing societal framework.
- Radical Feminism:
  - Advocates for a complete overhaul of the system, aiming to replace the patriarchy.

Sociological Theories and Concepts

Marx’s Division of Society
- Main Divisions:
  - Class:
  - Bourgeoisie: The wealthy or capitalist class.
  - Proletariat: The working class that labors for the bourgeoisie.
Anomie According to Durkheim
- Definition: A state of normlessness.
- Causes: Rapid social changes lead to a breakdown in social norms, values, and standards that guide behavior.
- Effects: Causes instability in societal order and individual behavior.
Characteristics of Socially Disorganized Neighborhoods
- High Mobility of Residents: Frequent turnover of population.
- Poverty: Presence of social and economic disadvantages.
- Heterogeneity: Cultural mix, often leading to communication barriers.
- Physical Dilapidation: Poor physical conditions of housing and facilities.
- Low Community Cohesion: Weak community relationships and support.
- High Level of Fear: Residents feel unsafe and apprehensive.
- Weak Community Controls: Lack of community regulation and shared values.
- Lack of Altruism: Absence of community spirit or willingness to help others.
- Siege Mentality: Perception that outsiders are a threat.
Techniques of Neutralization by Sykes and Matza
- Denying Harm: "Doesn’t matter."
- Denial of Responsibility: "I didn’t do it."
- Denial of the Victim: Justifying actions by claiming the victim deserved it.
- Dispersion of Blame: "Everyone else is doing it."
- Condemnation of the Condemners: Shifting focus onto those who judge others.
- Appeal to Higher Loyalties: Justifying actions as serving a greater good.
Master Status
- Definition: A social status that becomes the defining characteristic of an individual.
- Associated Theory: Labeling theory.
- Application: A master status can become identified with an individual’s personal identity, fully accepted through processes like degradation ceremonies or stigma in settings such as courts or psychiatric hospitals.
Chivalry, Paternalism, and Patriarchy
- Chivalry:
  - Appears kind but is often rooted in power dynamics - Example involves males acting protectively toward females while maintaining control.
- Paternalism:
  - The belief women need protection as they cannot protect themselves, leading to infantilization.
  - Example is laws that excessively regulate women's behavior under the guise of protection.
- Patriarchy:
  - A system that systematically excludes women from power, relegating them to subordinate roles - E.g., male-dominated corporate or governmental structures.
Cohen’s Middle-Class Measuring Rod
- Explanation of Gang Formation: The concept posits that lower-class boys form gangs as a response to status frustration from failing to meet the standards set by middle-class educational systems.
Critical Race Theory
- Definition: The perspective that asserts racism is systemic rather than merely individual prejudice, highlighting how social systems and institutions uphold racial inequalities.
Anthropocentrism
- Definition: A viewpoint that prioritizes human interests, rights, and well-being, often regarding environmental damage and animal suffering primarily in terms of their impact on humans.
Greenwashing
- Definition: The act of corporations branding themselves as "eco-friendly" without substantial commitment to environmental practices.
- Example: A company advertising its products as sustainable while continuing harmful practices.

Additional Theoretical Concepts

Social Structural Theories:
- Predominantly utilize macro analysis.
- Also incorporate micro-level analysis, including individual differences in psychological perspectives.
- Contains both components (b. and d.).
Differential Association Principle:
- Asserts that learning criminal behavior involves integrating techniques acquired from others.
Labeling and Primary Deviance:
- Involves nonviolent offending as part of primary deviance within the process of being labeled.
Green Criminology:
- Focuses on issues regarding human and non-human life, ecosystems, and the planet.
Feminist Critique of Early Criminological Theories:
- Highlights how these theories have often been misogynistic and sexist, thus ignoring women's experiences and perspectives in crime and punishment.
Radical Feminism's Perspective:
- Sees women as dominated by men due to economic disparities reflecting on their social positions.