SOCI LECTURE 9

Question 1

What is the social reality of crime?

Answer 1

The social reality of crime looks at crime and how it is affected by the social, political and economic structure

Question 2

What did Quinney argue on this conflict theory of crime?

Answer 2

Society is in a constant state of conflict
Conflict is structural

The dominant groups create and define what is deviant

The interests that conflict with the dominant’s group’s interests are what become deviant

The criminal code is not based upon the infliction of harm or justice but rather reflects the interests of the dominant group

Question 3

What does Quinney mean by Socially Constructed crime?

Answer 3

Crime is only a crime because the powerful and dominant group decides certain acts go against their interest
The application of the law does not apply to the dominant group the same way it applies to subordinates

Crime is related to power and it is brought into existence by powerful figures

Crime is not independent of society

Question 4

What is Box’s argument?

Answer 4

Box (1981) argues that the focus on the typical offender, young, male ethnic minority is an illusion to deflect our attention away from other far more serious crimes

Question 5

Who commits the greatest crimes?

Answer 5

• Hazardous work conditions
• Dangerous products
• Environment damage
• Corporate Harm

Question 6

Six processes of crime in the social reality of crime

Answer 6

1. the official definition of crime is created by a powerful group in a politically organized way
2. formulating the definition of crime is composed of the conflict of interest of the dominant group
3. applying definitions of crime: applied by the dominant group
4. behavioural patterns of relations with a crime: self-fulfilling prophecy
5. Constructing the ideology of crime: constructed and diffused by the dominant group to maintain their dominance
6. constructing the social reality of crime