Ac2.3 Sociological Theory

Question 1

Marxism: capitalist ideology

Answer 1

Conflict of interest between wealthy (bourgeoisie) and the poor (proletariat) The workers are exploited for little pay by owners. Blame exploitation on capitalist society

Question 2

Marxist: capitalist social structure

Answer 2

Capitalism encourages greed competition and exploitation
Law made by by capitalist elite serves there interest
Criminal justice system focuses on policing working class not the wealthy
Desire luxury goods
Value place on financial gain leads the people breaking the law for goals
Emphasis on private property benefits wealthy not poor

Question 3

Do marxists believe that capitalism is criminogeneic

Answer 3

Yes they believe a causes crime at all levels of society

Question 4

Blue colour crime and examples

Answer 4

Time of the powerless eg theft more risk of getting caught more dangerous

Question 5

White collar crime and examples

Answer 5

Crime of wealthy and Powerful like broad dangerous not in field

Question 6

Chambliss: Marxism

Answer 6

Ruling class part of the crime syndicate use their wealth and influence to bribe officials to avoid punishments. He did a longitudinal study on organised crime in 60s wealthy and Powerful were main instigators police and businessman profit from illegal activities businessman control illegal dealings covered up by legitimate profession 70% of arrests were for drunk disorder courts filled with the poor and powerless

Question 7

Marxists ideas on punishment

Answer 7

Judges (rulling class) give harsher punishments to poor media focus on crimes of poor ignores crimes of wealthy adds to the illusion ruling class deserve their powerful position

Question 8

Marxists theory effective because

Answer 8

. Show’s how poverty and other social factors can cause blue collar crime shows our capitalism and greed can cause white collar crime
.show biases against the working class by the law makers and those who enforce the law
.sugests policy changes which could lead to substancial improvement

Question 9

Marxists is ineffective theory because

Answer 9

.strong focus on working class crime doesn’t explain why people commit it
.only focused on class ignores other social factors
.crime still happens in communist countries therefore capitalism isn’t the cause some capitalist societies have low crime rates

Question 10

Surveillance theory: Foucault the panopticon

Answer 10

Crime control has changed from sovereign power (physical punishment) to disaplinary (mind control) like a watch tower guards have potential to watch prisoners all times inmates believe they are being constantly watched so behave even when not directly under cctv

Question 11

Surveillance theory: synoptic surveillance

Answer 11

We now live in a society where we watch eachother cause people to consider behaviour even further
e.g. ring doorbell dash cam snap maps

Question 12

Surveillance theory: actuarial justice and profiling

Answer 12

We use knowledge to weigh risk of crime and likelihood of who/where the crime will be committed use this to help prevent further crime e.g. where to install cameras

Question 13

Effectiveness of surveillance theory

Answer 13

.Foucault’s work has led to more research into disciplinary power
. researchers identified other forms of surveillance
.footage=evidence
.reduces criminality

Question 14

Ineffective surveillance theory

Answer 14

.some inmate’s resist control
. doesn’t always change people’s behaviour crime still occurs with surveillance
. doesn’t take into account impulsive actions
. displacement-crime moves elsewhere

Question 15

right realism key ideas

Answer 15

Believe individuals make rational choices to commit crime and emphasis tough control measures like zero tolerance policing Javier punishment will determinals as as a greater chance of detection effective socialization can reduce chances of becoming criminal as it teaches self-control

Question 16

Right realism inadequate socialization Charles murray

Answer 16

Moral breakdown in society as parents aren’t socializing their children effectively and aren’t living in nuclear families theres a growing underclass of non-workers who depend on benefits and government more opportunity for criminal behaviour as young boys like a male role model communities are breaking down which allows crime to happen

Question 17

Wright realism rational choice and routine activity theory

Answer 17

RCT-people have free will committing crime is a rational choice based on consequence if rewards are greater than costs individual will continue criminal behavior
ART-need motivated offender suitable target absence of a capable guardian to deter them like a police officer or neighbor

Question 18

Right realism strengths

Answer 18

retting studied his students the punishment determined if they did or not
Feildman agrees rational choices are made after people weigh risks
Bennetts & Wright interviewed convicted burglars and found risks was the most important factor when deciding to commit crime

Question 19

Right realism criticisms

Answer 19

Retting and fieldmen concluded experiments may not apply to real offenders
Bennett and Wright studied burglars that were caught
Not all crime is rational violent crimes are impulse drugs and alcohol can affect behavior

Question 20

Left realism key ideas

Answer 20

Rise and working class crime most offenders come from saying background main cause of crime social exclusion relative deprivation marginalization and development of criminal subculture

Question 21

Left realism relative deprivation as of cause

Answer 21

Social exclusion individuals cut off from that involvement with wider society increasing crime because of relative deprivation and individualism people focus on themselves in selfish pursuit can lead to bulumic society where they feel excluded

Question 22

Left realism subculture as a cause of crime

Answer 22

People who experience marginalisation form these react to the perception society doesn’t value them then become involved in Street crime gang violence and drug dealing

Question 23

Left realism marginalization as a cause of crime

Answer 23

People feel as if they have no power to change the situation they are in excluded from opportunities negative treatment from police may increase the problem and might lead to confrontation

Question 24

Left realism strengths

Answer 24

Draws attention to poverty inequality and relative deprivation as underlying causes of crime
Gives insight into Street crime and real solutions on helping victims

Question 25

Left realism criticisms

Answer 25

Overpredicts working class crime not everyone who experiences these causes or commits crime Focuses on inner city areas gives unrepresentative view makes crime seem bigger It accepts authority definitions of crime as being Street crimes of the poor they also explain White collar crime and harms done to the poor by the crimes of the powerful

Question 26

Cohen Stratus frustration

Answer 26

He believes things like education and employment gain you status and helps you get toward the American dream which everyone wants and some people can't do this through legitimate ways The idea that crime is the results of the working class not being able to achieve the goals by adjustment means because of their feelings unable to gain status they use illegitimate means crime to reach the same goal Some people can't access education or employment and so join gangs or other subcultures to get status within them illegitimately

Question 27

Three subcultures cloward and ohlin

Answer 27

Criminal subcultures organised crime like Mafia where Korea criminals can socialize youths into their own criminal career that might result in material success commit more serious crimes Conflicts of culture gangs organised by young people themselves based on claiming territory have turf wars Retreatist subculture those unable to access either legitimate or illegitimate opportunity structures might drop out all together but might do so as a group rather than individually

Question 28

Effective Cohen and three subcultures

Answer 28

Shows how subcultures perform a function for their members by giving them opportunity for success Explain group dynamics how criminal behaviour can arise from shared norms and values

Question 29

Ineffected Cohen and three subcultures

Answer 29

Actual subcultures are not as simple as they suggest some show characteristics of all three types Ignores crimes committed by the wealthy The assume everyone begins with the same goals and only turn to subcultures when they fail to achieve them

Question 30

Labeling theory differential enforcement

Answer 30

Social control agencies use hyperfocations to label some groups as criminal more than others young people the unemployed poor education prosecutors have stereotypes labels for criminals

Question 31

Labeling theory primary secondary deviants and self-fulfilling prophecies

Answer 31

Initial minor acts of deviants can escalate into more serious deviants after being labeled and stigmatized by society essentially the societal reaction to a person's behaviour plays a crucial role in shaping their self-perception is devian this becomes that master status and leads to the self affiliate prophecy by the label sticks to you and you live up to it

Question 32

Labeling theory deviance amplification spiral and crime statistics

Answer 32

An attempt to control deviance through a crackdown leads to it increasing rather than decreasing this leads the greater attempts to control and even more deviants media sensationalized reporting creates moral panic exaggerating scale of conflict causing more deviants crime statistics reject witch crimes have been placed and punished rather than which crimes have been committed dark figure of crime

Question 33

Labeling theory strengths

Answer 33

Explains crime statistics by focusing not only on crime committed but also the behavior of law enforcement that may influence the data too It shows how punishment can sometimes lead to more crime by triggering a deviant response

Question 34

Labeling theory weaknesses

Answer 34

Doesn't explain why some groups are labelled more than others Deterministic suggest those who are labored will live up to the label this isn't always the case Does an explain the initial defian act only the further deviant's committed after the labels applied Give spectrum status to the offenders and overlooks the actual victims of crime

Question 35

Dirkham key ideas

Answer 35

Not everyone will conform to society's values and norms so crime is unavoidable and inevitable too much grammys to anome lawlessness and confusion crime is natural

Question 36

Durkheim four functions

Answer 36

Boundary maintenance criminal justice system punishes people who break the law which reinforces the boundaries of acceptable behaviour Social change society needs to adapt to these changes in law as society doesn't believe it should be criminal anymore like homosexuality Safety valve some deviant behavior can be beneficials to society prostitution can provide a safe way for mental release tension without resulting to sex crimes Warning light grab and deviance can indicate social problems that need to be addressed

Question 37

Dirkheim effective

Answer 37

First person to recognise crime as positive for society Office social explanations for crime Helps explain social change how deviants leads to it

Question 38

Durkheim ineffective

Answer 38

Crime not functional for victims Doesn't say how much crime is healthy Doesn't explain why people commit crime Doesn't explain all types of crime and power

Question 39

Merton strain theory key idea

Answer 39

Society puts pressure on individuals to achieve culturally valued goals power money and status they like me to do so so creating estrain cart achieve socially accepted goals through legitimate means turn to crime American dream

Question 40

Merton strain theory five adaptations

Answer 40

Conformity accepts social goals has legitimate means to achieve them work hard to gain success Innovation accepts goals resorts to illegitimate means drug dealings again money Ritualism rejects goals has legitimate means dead end job Retreatism for exercise or goals and means withdraws from society homeless Rebellion attempts to replace existing goals and means with new ones riots

Question 41

Merton effective

Answer 41

Explains crime patterns shown in official stats most crime is poverty crime Shows how normal and deviant behaviour arise from the same goals and different means Identifies different models of adaptation how different individuals react to strain

Question 42

Merton ineffective

Answer 42

Ignores crime of wealthy over predicts working-class crime Merton seize crime is individual response ignores group crime and deviants Ignores crime with no economic motive