SOC212 - 4. Nonviolent Crime

Question 1

Nonviolent Criminals differ on

Answer 1

How they identify with crime + other criminals.
strength of commitment to crime as behavior
extent to which they develop + acquire more sophisticated criminal norms + techniques

Question 2

Occasional Property Offenders

Answer 2

don’t see themselves as criminals, and try to rationalize their offenses to convince themselves that they have not committed criminal acts.
may consist of committing
property offenses such as: auto theft, cheque forgery, shoplifting, employee
theft, vandalism, identity theft, online scams

Question 3

Occasional Property Offenders

Answer 3

criminal behavior is typically infrequent + occurs when situations are favorable
anyone can do this
no previous criminal records

Question 4

Occasional Property Offenders

Answer 4

shoplifting: can’t afford
respectable shoplifters: middle class, have enough money to pay
vandalism: youth, public property

Question 5

Conventional Offenders

Answer 5

Serious criminals who have progressed from violence + theft as juveniles into more serious adult criminal behavior

Question 6

Conventional Offenders

Answer 6

Frequent interactions with police, courts, juvenile authorities, youth detention centers, probation, and prison.

Question 7

Conventional Offenders

Answer 7

developing skills learned from someone else
pattern, circular + ongoing
Juvenile camps before, now it’s more just punishment

Question 8

Self-Conception of Conventional Offenders

Answer 8

develop self-conceptions through their interaction with others of similar criminal backgrounds
Offenders who are employed find it easier to maintain noncriminal self-concepts.

Question 9

Self-Conception of Conventional Offenders

Answer 9

depends on who you hang with
LSI: survey + interview in prison
risk level: determines supervision needed, type of punishment, needs, looks at parole
still taken into consideration

Question 10

Society’s Reaction to Conventional Offenders

Answer 10

Society’s response to conventional criminality has resulted in an increase in penalties + alternative forms of punishment.
Mandatory minimum sentence: more severe punishment, deter crime
used to look at context - factors into sentence

Question 11

Society’s Reaction to Conventional Offenders

Answer 11

• Prison over-population: harsher punishments

* Young Offenders: less serious crimes, movement away from imprisoning them, to scaring them and bootcamps

Question 12

Society’s Reaction to Conventional Offenders

Answer 12

focused on rehab - what did we as a society do wrong
70s: partially, increase in crime - became more about warehousing criminals (permanently dangerous)
now there’s a bit of pushback

Question 13

Society’s Reaction to Conventional Offenders

Answer 13

Prison Industrial Complex: economic incentive, keeps going
prison can be built + city can be built around it
political influence: lobby groups
services provided to industry

Question 14

Political Criminal Offenders

Answer 14

• Crimes against the government

* Crimes by the government

Question 15

Crimes against the government

Answer 15

crimes against the state such as protests, expressions of

beliefs contrary to accepted standards, or attempts to alter current social + political structures.

Question 16

Crimes by governments

Answer 16

corruption, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, perjury, and bribery

Question 17

Political Criminal Offenders

Answer 17

Political crimes by local and provincial/state governments:
Police officers commit acts of misconduct such as brutality,
illegal use of force, illegal searches an seizures, + violating citizens’ civil rights.

Question 18

Political Criminal Offenders

Answer 18

Robocalls: sabotage election
all layers of gov
Ferguson: Black lives matter
not being swept under the rug anymore

Question 19

Political Criminal Offenders

Answer 19

-

Question 20

Society’s Reaction to Political Offenders

Answer 20

Society’s response varies depending on # of people who accept the government’s authority.

Question 21

Organized Crime and Criminals

Answer 21

series of illegal transactions between multiple offenders, some of whom employ specialized skills, over a
continuous period of time, for purposes of economic advantage, and political power when necessary to gain
economic advantage (Rhodes, 1984:4)

Question 22

Organized Crime and Criminals

Answer 22

Seven areas of illicit enterprise activities for crime organizations:

(1) illegal gambling
(2) racketeering - extortion

Question 23

Organized Crime and Criminals

Answer 23

4) high interest rate
(3) distributing illegal drugs
(4) usury or loan sharking

Question 24

Organized Crime and Criminals

Answer 24

(5) illicit sex – controlling prostitution, pornography
(6) reselling stolen or hijacked goods
(7) controlling legitimate businesses.

Question 25

Society’s Reaction to Organized Crime

Answer 25

Although society reacts strongly to organized crime, they also depend on it as a means to satisfying their needs – gambling, illicit sex, drugs…

Question 26

Society’s Reaction to Organized Crime

Answer 26

Investigators struggle to obtain proof of criminal organizations’ activities and also lack the resources for nationwide operations.
Cultural fascination

Question 27

Professional Offenders

Answer 27

Professional offenders develop the most extensive criminal

careers and are revered as the highest social status within criminal community.

Question 28

Professional Offenders

Answer 28

doesn’t mean they do it a lot or make a living off of it
Skills: high level of skills
Status: rarity - high status

Question 29

Professional Offenders

Answer 29

Criminal Associations
Organization

trained, apprentice, loosely organized groups

Question 30

Society’s Reaction to Professional Crime

Answer 30

not as highly publicized as organized crime or conventional criminality.

Question 31

Society’s Reaction to Professional Crime

Answer 31

receive preferential treatment by police because they are viewed as craftsmen in the same profession.
special treatment: respected by police