Criminology Lecture 6 PDF

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Criminology Lecture 6 Group, Social, and Structural Factors 4 assumptions on consensus theory - Society is stable and persistent - Society is well-integrated - Every element in society contributes to the maintenance of the system (functionalism) - Society is based on shared values Control/Containment Theory - Turns question of crime causation on its head: o why don’t we all commit crime? o how can society prevent us from breaking the law? - Assumptions rooted & capable of committing crime - We obey law only because of power and conformity Walter reckless & containment - Individual differences in our ‘immunity to crime - 2 main kinds of control: o Outer control  Works, school, and things that prevent us from committing crimes o Inner control  Good self-concept  Goal directedness  Realistic objectives  Tolerance of frustration  Identification with lawfulness Travis Hirschi & the ‘Social Bond’ - Our closeness to society prevents us from entering into the criminality - 4 components of the “Social Bond” o Attachment o Commitment o Involvement o Belief Drift/Neutralization Theory - Belief that some of us will drift into the criminal society - More sophisticated control theory - Most learn norms and rules, but criminals rationalize/justify their violations - Gresham Skyes and Davis Matza’s consciousness of delinquents - People who justify their behaviour tend to ‘drift’ into crime o Ex: a drunk driver assumes that he will be ok to drive, and thinks no one will get hurt - There’s no sharp distinction between criminals and non-criminals Techniques of neutralization

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“good reasons” to be criminal in public culture Rationalizations can become legitimate excuses 7 techniques of neutralization 1. Denial of responsibility 2. Denial of injury 3. Denial of victim (“he deserved it”) 4. Condemnation of the condemners 5. Appear to higher loyalty 6. Self-fulfillment (crime=personal growth) 7. Biological drives (“boys will be boys”) Subculture Theory - Raises criminological theory to “the social” - Some groups in society fail to absorb, or actively resist, the dominant value systems Albert Cohen’s Delinquent Boys - Dominant value system in middle class o Ambition, personal responsibility, skills, control of aggression, ability to postpone gratification Differential Association: Edwin H. Sutherland - Developed notion of “differential association” - “any person can be trained to adapt to any behaviour which they are able to execute … the conflict of culture is … the fundamental principle ……. - 4 main principles: o Criminal behaviour is learned in interactions w other persons in a process of communication o Learning includes:  Defining certain situations as appropriate for deviance  Techniques of committing crime (organized crime)  Motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes o A person becomes delinquent because of excess of definitions favourable to violations of law o Differential association may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity...