Crime
and Deviance
1)
Define
the following terms and write a sentence about each sociologist.
2)
Add
more terms as they appear in your revision
Informal
Social Control
Moral Panic
White
Collar Crime
Anomie
Egoistic
Suicide
Deviancy Amplification
Status
Frustration
New Criminology
Subterranean
Values
Primary Deviance
Drift
Strain
Societal
Reaction
Moral Regulation
Social
Integration
Left Realist
Dark
figure
Marginalisation
Victim
Survey
Subculture
Folk
devils
Selective law enforcement
Institutional
Racism
Chivalry
Focal
Concerns
Patriarchy
Neutralisation
Zero Tolerance
Relative
deprivation
Master status
Merton
Becker
Underclass
Hall
Matza
Cohen
Miller
Cloward and Ohlin
Chicago
School
Heidensohn
Lea
and Young
Cicourel
Crime
and Deviance: Concluding Ideas
Masculinities
and Crime
Basic
idea:
different groups of males turn to different types of crime in an attempt
to be masculine. Most men have a common understanding of what a ‘real
man’ is – yet, response to different situations causes masculinity
to take different forms.
E.g.
1)
To
achieve success middle class boys conform in class. Outside of school
they may be involved in pranks, vandalism and thefts. This is a form of accommodating
masculinity.
2)
Working
class lads have less chance of academic success. These groups construct
their identity around ideas of physical aggression. They develop oppositional
masculinity.
3)
Some
ethnic minorities for Messerschmidt develop violent masculinity
as a response to racism and rejection in society.
Marketization
and Gloablisation
Basic
Idea:
growth of global markets and capitalist society widens opportunity for
crime.
E.g.
1)
Insider
trading where financers use privileged knowledge to make money
2)
Insurance
fraud
3)
Exploitation
of third world
Growth
in markets creates winners and losers. Therefore, the growth of
unemployment and decline in traditional manufacturing jobs may lead to
decline in certain areas and cause individuals to turn to crime.
New
Criminology, Left Realism and Right Realism
New Criminology: This is sometimes
referred to as critical criminology. Drew upon Marxist and Labelling
theory. This is an abstract and general theory of crime. Deviance is
seen as a chosen and political act as a response to the inequalities of
capitalist society. You can see this as a Robin Hood theory of crime
(taking from the rich). Deviance is not, therefore, determined by
external causes. Taylor, Walton and Young put forward seven areas that a
fully social theory of deviance must explore. S. Hall attempts to apply
this to mugging. Criticisms of this theory have suggested it
romanticises the deviant and also fails to explain patriarchy. It has
made a clear contribution, however, in that it is broad in its approach
as it considers social justice, power and the inequalities of
capitalism.
Check the 7 steps in your notes
Realist
criminology divides into left realism and right realism. Both are
significantly different, but both suggest the importance of community
rebuilding.
Left
Realism:
This was a reaction to criticisms levelled at New Criminology. This
approach acknowledged real experiences of crime and real fears of crime.
It is a less abstract and more practical (Realistic) approach to crime
and deviance. It uses victim surveys. It suggests realistic approaches
to policy making – for example, a close collaboration between police
and community representatives. Rates of crime and victimization were
concentrated in areas characterised by:
·
Marginalisation: refers to people living on the margins of society,
lacking any say over decision making
·
Relative Deprivation: refers to perceived discontent in relation to
others around them. You may consider yourself disadvantaged in relation
to others who seem affluent.
·
Subcultures
Some
critics have argued that this approach ignores the real causes of crime
in capitalist society (it does not try to change the system). Further,
it ignores the crimes of the powerful and focuses on street crime.
Finally, does it place too much emphasis on the victim?
Right Realism: Associated with the work of
Wilson
. He argued that crime flourishes in
areas where social control breaks down. Most of us commit
‘incivilities’ (dropping litter), but are prevented by comments of
others in local community. Others should act to prevent us from breaking
the law. If incivilities go unchecked the crime rate will increase.
Individuals are rational and therefore will not commit crime if they
know that it does not pay. As a result, eliminating poverty or removing
marginalisation will not prevent crime. What is needed is the building
of communities and a zero tolerance policing. There is a synoptic link
here as
Wilson
suggests that traditional family values would eliminate incivilities.
This approach has been criticised as it ignores crimes of the powerful
and fails to explain structural causes of crime.
Moral
Panics and Deviancy Amplification
Moral
Panic:
Stan Cohen, in the 1960s, examined police attempts to control youth
subcultures (Mods and Rockers). The media reaction drew attention to the
group. This action sensationalised the group and created a moral panic.
As a result, this attracted youths and created two distinct groups with
clear identities. Any further reaction, further highlighted differences
and amplified deviance
Deviancy
Amplification:
Refers to ‘unintended consequences that can result when, by labelling
a behaviour as deviant, an agency of control actually produces more of
that same behaviour’. In short, labelling plus over-reaction creates
further deviance. J. Young studied marijuana users in Notting Hill. He
argued that police over-reaction clearly acted to generate a clear
deviant group. This developed into a deviant subculture, more drug use
and offending.
Come
up with some contemporary examples of moral panics and deviancy
amplification.
Control
Theory
Hirschi
introduced the idea of control and social bonds to criminology. His work
offers us a useful synoptic link to the family. He asked the question
‘why don’t people commit crime’? People don’t commit crime if
they are attached to others, commitment in our lives and involved in
various activities. Studies have suggested that parenting is crucial in
socialisation and the creation of formal social bonds.
Does the rise in cohabitation, family diversity and changing role
of women in the family prevent the family creating social bonds?
Suicide
The
sociology of suicide is useful as synoptic links can be made to methods,
theory and units. Ensure you have read the article from Sociology Review
in class.
1)
Durkheim
(positivism)
- Believed
suicide is caused by society
- He
carried out comparative research using official statistics.
- He
analysed the rates and found that rates varied between groups within
society and between societies. Yet, the rate is constant overtime.
- He
put forward two key concepts to explain this: social integration and
moral regulation
- Certain
groups lack the above (unmarried, Protestants, City dwellers) and
are more likely to commit suicide.
- He
put forward four types of suicide: anomic (too little regulation -
normless), fatalistic (too much regulation), altruistic (too much
integration) and egoistic (too little integration).
- Try
and think of examples
- Two
criticisms from positivism and interpretivism led to two branches
2)
Positivist
branch (internal critique)
- Argue
that we should search for causal relationships but Durkheim failed
to provide an adequate methodology
- Halbwachs:
need to focus on urban/rural divided to find the cause
- Gibbs
and Martin: social integration is too difficult to measure therefore
use status integration. More status less likely to commit suicide
3)
Interpretivist
brand (external critique)
·
Critical
of general approach, you must consider the socially constructed nature
of suicide and meanings and motives involved.
·
Douglas
:
based his methodology on coroner’s reports. He argues that you need to
consider how a death becomes defined as suicide and consider the
meanings behind suicide. Was it escape, guilt or other meanings of
revenge?
·
Atkinson
argues that official statistics are socially constructed. Coroners have
common sense assumptions. If suicidal clues fit the assumptions then it
is defined as suicide.
4)
Finally,
the work of
Taylor
in a study of the London Underground suggests that suicide is caused by
a combination of structure and action
·
Suicides
are not social fact waiting to be measured, but are socially constructed
·
Suicide
is therefore complex. It is a gamble between life and death. It involves
risk taking.
Re-read
and revise your notes from last year.
Be
aware that there are different types of crime:
1)
White
collar crime: Sutherland defined this a crime committed by a person of
respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation.
2)
Corporate
Crime: crime committed by companies against employees or the public
3)
Occupational
Crime: crime committed against a company by an employee
4)
Organized
Crime
5)
Cyber
crime
Be
aware that you can use the different approaches to explain these crimes
e.g. Marxist, subcultural and strain theory.
How
to connect theories
Key
Approaches
1)
Biological/Psychological:
Contribution:
early explanations of crime with some recent developments. Looks for
causes of crime (positivist) within the criminal. This approach has been
largely criticised by sociological theories that turn to the environment
as a cause.
2)
Functionalism
(Durkheim and Merton)
Contribution:
Durkheim offered earlier explanation in terms of crime as a boundary
marker and means of change. Merton developed this theory into
strain/anomie theory and five types of adaptation to a gap between the
goals and means. This approach links crime to the social structure as
crime is a product of economic inequalities and lack of equal
opportunities.
3)
Subcultural
theory (Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin, Miller)
Contribution:
Subcultural theory offers an alternative to structural theories as it
suggests that deviance is tied to the norms and values of particular
groups. These norms may encourage deviant behaviour.
4)
Delinquency
and Drift (Matza)
Contribution:
Matza attacked both subcultural and structural theories of crime and
argued that there is no such thing as distinctive subcultural values.
Individual may drift into delinquency and live out subterranean
values using techniques of neutralisation. For him, individuals have
choice.
5)
Labelling
(Becker, Lemert, Goffman)
Contribution:
Radical conception of deviance in terms of there being no such as
deviant act. They place firm emphasis on reaction. They put forward
useful concepts such as labelling, self-fulfilling prophecy,
mortification and primary/secondary deviance.
6)
Ecological
(offenders and offences)
Contribution:
Early explanation stems from the
Chicago
School
.
Recent contribution in Situational Crime Prevention. These approaches
either explain location of offences or offenders. It places firm
emphasis on environment.
7)
Traditional
Marxism
Contribution:
this approach suggests that capitalism is crucial in the generation of
crime. Laws are generated to serve the interest of powerful groups and
law enforcement is biased. They suggest that powerful groups are
involved in white collar and corporate crime. The working classes are
motivated to commit crimes due to the exploitation of capitalist
society.
8)
New
Criminology (Taylor, Walton and Young)
Contribution:
Attempt to produce a fully social theory of crime combing the key ideas
of Marxism and Labelling. It out forward a Robin Hood theory of crime.
Hall applied Taylor, Walton and Young’s theory to Mugging. See above.
9)
Left
Realism (Young)
Contribution:
Developed ideas of New Criminology by creating a moral
practical/realistic theory. The working class are more likely to be
victims and experience crime. They suggest the need for better relations
between the police and community. They put forward three important
concepts: marginalisation, relative deprivation and subculture.
10)
Right
Realism (
Wilson
)
Contribution:
They argue that the failure of communities to punish incivilities and
failure of police creates areas of ‘broken windows’. Crime,
therefore, flourishes. Only ‘zero tolerance’ will prevent crime. See
above
11)
Feminism
Contribution:
Aim to bring female offending or lack of offending onto the agenda. Put
forward approaches that examine control experienced by women.
12)
Post-modernism
Contribution:
reject positivists search for external causes of deviancy and
policies based on these approaches that attempt to cure social problems.
Crime and deviance is a reflection of choice and diversity.
Add
two criticisms for each approach
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