terms for test #2 Flashcards
(153 cards)
what is agency?
you have free will, you can do as you want
what is social structure?
certain social forces that control you to some degree, you are born into it
what is social structure theory?
in society being economically disadvantaged is the primary cause of crime, the social structure that operates pushes people towards crime
what are some characteristics that make people predisposed to crime?
their certain values, the neighbourhood that one is living in, and their class
what is the social disorganization theory?
the physical and social environment that people live in, how does that affect your life opportunities?
what is the strain theory?
the conflict of goals and the means that they have to achieve their goals, this unequal distribution of wealth and power
what is cultural deviance theory?
places this huge emphasizes on looking at subcultures
what was the explain that prof provided for social disorganization theory?
regent park, area in Toronto for subsidized housing
the main problem- rundown housing, the social fabric of the community feels tor
what was redevelopment within the social disorganization theory, and why can it be problematic?
gentrification- tearing down lower class areas, to put in new buildings to attractive middle/upper class
the problem- you are displacing lower class individuals and pushing them further away as they can’t afford the new structure.
T/F: Crime rates are linked to ecological charactertistics?
yes, where there is social disorganization, people don’t build that sense of community. Usually in places that have a high- level of mix-use building residential and commercial buildings
what does transient mean?
you are there temporary to get your footing and then move to a new area, usually immigrants or students
what is the disadvantage with being transient?
you are likely uninterested in the community, there is this sense of challenge to informal social control and people don’t look after other families
who coined the term concentric zones?
Shaw and McKay
what does the term concentric zones mean?
it is a measure to see where crime often happens, within the zones 1 and 2 (there is a lot of poverty) as you move further out the zones the less crime that happens
what are the transitional zones within the concentric zones?
well zones 1 and 2 is where you typically see the highest crime rates, a number of foreign born citizens, many cultures and value systems
what is an interesting finding about the concentric transitional zone?
different groups move in and out, but the zones 1 and two always have the highest crime rate and don’t follow those people.
Suggesting that crime is a fixture of poverty not based on their ethnicity
what are transitional neighbourhoods?
people coming in and leaving, you see a lot of poverty, excessive changes within the neighbourhoods
what is collective efficacy?
a high level of connectedness and mutual trust, the willingness of residents to intervene and enforce norms - particularly preventing crime
what is an example of strain theories?
if you have a strain happening you will likely have a frustration or resentment towards your society, to reduce the amount of strain one will turn to deviant means to acheive their goals
what is the most enduring theory in criminality?
Anomie theory coined by merton
what does Emile Durkhiem mean when he says anomie?
people feel this state of normlessness, loss of direction, they feel disconnected from societal standards and values
social problems are because people can’t adjust to the change
what does Merton mean when he says anomie?
in a society that does not provide sufficient means to acheive the goals within society, are going to create problems such as crime
what are the anomic conditions according to merton?
a situation where people feel a sense of loss in direction, and meet that strain by adjusting in different ways (criminally)
what is the American dream?
you go to school, you work hard and get a job to have a sense of wealth