Sociology 3-15-18 - Interactionist Perspective: • Cultural Transmission – schools of criminology PDF

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Interactionist Perspective:

• Cultural Transmission – schools of criminology argues that humans learn criminal behavior by interacting with others
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Olivia Goldfarb Sociology 3-15-18

Interactionist Perspective:

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Cultural Transmission – schools of criminology argues that humans learn criminal behavior by interacting with others o People learn how to behave, either properly or improperly in social situations o Differential Association – process through which exposure of criminal behavior leads to the violation of rules, bad seeds influence others

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Social Disorganization Theory: o Crime & deviance caused by absence or break down of communal relationships & social institutions 

Ex. Family, school, church, local government

o Some critics say that this theory has a blame the victim mentality 

Labeling Perspective: o Labeling theory – attempts to explain why some people are viewed as deviants while others are not 

Also, called Societal-Reaction approach 

Reminds us that the response to an act, not the behavior determines the deviance

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Ex. Trouble maker

o Agents of social control: function of crime & deviance 

Labeling theory focuses on police, probation officers, psychiatrists, judges, employers, school officials, & other regulators of social control

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Conflict Perspective o Ppl with power protect their own interests & deviance to suit their needs 

Lawmaking an attempt by the powerful to force others into their morality

o Contends that criminal justice system in US treats suspects differently based on race, ethnicity, gender, etc. 

Feminist Perspective: o Adler & Chesney-Lind suggest existing approaches to deviance & crime developed only by the male mind 

Great effort undertaken by Feminist organizations to change legal definitions of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, etc.

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Crime: Violation of criminal law for which some government penalties will be in place

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Victimless crimes o Willing exchange among adults widely desired but illegal goods or services 

Ex. Prostitution

o Some activists working to decriminalize many of these illegal practices 

Professional Crime o Committed by a professional criminal: Person who pursues crime as a day-to-day occupation

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Organized Crime: o Work of a group that regulates relations between various criminal enterprises involved in illegal activities 

Ex. Gangs

o Dominates world of illegal business 

White-Collar & Technology-Based Crime: illegal acts committed in a course of business, often by affluent, “respectable” people o Cybercrime: illegal activity conducted through computer hardware or software 

Ex. Identity theft, credit card theft, etc.

o Corporate Crime: any act by a corporation that’s punishment but the government  

When convicted of a White-Collar crime, reputations & career is ruined

Hate Crimes: (Bias Crimes) offender is motivated by victims’ race, religion, ethnic group, national origin, sexual orientation & proper evidence

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Transnational Crime:

o EX. Drugs trafficking, human trade, money transfers, illegal smugglings, firearm trade, terrorism 

Index Crimes: 8 types of crime tabulated by the FBI o Violence crimes: o Property crimes: burglary, theft, etc.

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Crime Trends: o Public regards crime as a major social problem, yet rate of crimes being reported in 2014 was much higher than previous years because more people feel comfortable reporting their crimes

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International Crime:

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The Death Penalty in the U.S. & Worldwide o Looking @ issue: we apply our moral position in society based on community standards o Functionalists: fear of death penalty o Conflict:

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Conformity & deviance are 2 ways that people respond to real or imagined pressure from others

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Systems of Stratification o Social inequality: situation in which members of society have diff. amounts of wealth, prestige or power o Stratification: rankings of entire groups of people that perpetuates unequal economic rewards & power in society

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Income: salaries & wages, earned interest, stock, dividends, rental income

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Wealth: inclusive term for all a person’s material assets, inherited

4 general systems of stratification as ideal types – slavery, castes, estates, social classes – useful for analysis purposes o Ascribed status VS. Achieved status

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Slavery: individuals owned by other people, who treat them as property o 2000 Congress passed Trafficking Victims Protection Act

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Castes: Hereditary ranks that are usually religiously dictated & tends to be fixed & immobile

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Estate System: feudalism, peasants worked land leased to them in exchange for military protection

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Class system: social ranking based on economic position, achieved characteristics, etc....