Socy 102 Exam 3

Part I offenses: Murder, manslaughter, rape, assault, theft

Part II offenses: Forgery, fraud, vandalism, gambling, disorderly conduct

Offenses committed by people in positions of respect and responsibility during the ordinary course of their business: antitrust violations, embezzlement, fraud

Where "victims" are willing participants in the crime: gambling, prostitution

Criminal operations in which several criminal groups coordinate their illegal activities (drug trade, gambling, prostitution, etc)

Crime committed with the aid of networked communications devices such as computers

Youthful offenders are young people between 7-17 who commit offenses for which, if they were adults, they could be tried in criminal court. Status offenders are young people who commit specific acts prohibited by the juvenile code (running away from home, truancy, etc)

Males and blacks are considerably more likely to be victims

Influenced by seriousness and solvability of the crime, but also influenced by subtle social factors. More likely to make an arrest in domestic disputes in poor neighborhoods versus more likely to find solutions short of arrest in middle-class neighborhoods.

Repeat of an offense after having been convicted of a crime.

* Two-thirds to three-quarters of inmates in state and federal prisons are recidivists.

* Two-thirds of people released from prison are rearrested for a felony within three years.

1. Anomie theory (Durkheim)

2. Strain theory (Merton)

Crime develops in part to the weakened impact of bonds to family, church, and community.

Powerful groups in society decide which crimes will be considered serious problems and who will be arrested and sent to jail for committing crimes. Conflict theorists also blame contradictions in capitalism as a source of crime.

1. Differential association theory

2. Labeling theory

Whether other people define or label a person as deviant is a critical determinant in the development of a pattern of deviant behavior.

Crime and delinquency are learned in interaction with other people, for the most part within intimate primary groups such as families and peer groups.

Functionalist view of crime as a consequence of the inconsistency or confusion between the goals people are taught to strive for and the culturally approved means they have available to achieve these goals.

1. Men more likely to become alcoholics; due in part to social acceptability of alcohol for men

2. Rates of alcoholism higher among people with lower levels of income and education

3. Strong associations b/w religion and alcohol consumption

4. Alcohol abuse is a more serious problem among young people b/w ages 18-34

Higher usage rates among young people

Merton's strain theory

1. Retreatism

2. Innovation

Rejection of culturally approved goals and the importance of achieving them through the culturally approved means

Acceptance of cultural goal of success but the user of socially disapproved, possibly illegal, means to achieve it

What is considered a dangerous drug whose use is sanctioned by society depends on which groups have most control over the political and legal apparatus (War on Drugs, legalization of alcohol versus other drugs)

Cultural transmission theory

Is ineffective

Preventing drug problems before they begin:

1. Education

2. Interdict drug traffic flowing across borders

3. Reduce production of drug crops by other nations

More effective and less expensive in controlling drug use than drug interdiction or law enforcement efforts to arrest and convict drug users.

Group involvement, social support, and group pressure are used to help addicts quit taking drugs (alcoholics anonymous)

Aversion therapy that helps addicts associate displeasure or pain with taking a particular drug in order to help wean them off of it

People become addicted because drugs provide them with personal pleasure or rewards

1. For functionalists, environmental "system" consists of land, air, water, people, and other resources

2. Cultural beliefs and values and the resulting social behaviors play a role in this system

3. High technology and environmental problems are at odds with one another

***Environmental issues become social problems when they produce social disorganization, make it difficult for societies to survive or achieve desired goals.

Conflict theorists concerned with distribution of limited resources, not their amount; who gets a share of what's available? Environmental issues become social problems when groups with some power feel that their interests are not being served by current environmental policies and practices.

Environmental issues become social problems when identified and defined by people as such.

Global warming/climate change, air pollution, declining biodiversity, land degradation, radioactive waste

Cultural values and beliefs affect environmental problems. Current values moving towards sustainability: a sustainable society is one that satisfies its needs without jeopardizing the prospects of future generations.

1. All life on earth, human and non-human, has equal value; humans have right to destroy life forms only to meet vital needs

2. Humans have become destructively intrusive in the earth's ecosystem and substantial population reduction is necessary

3. Human economic, political, and social structures need to change to come into harmony with the environment

I = P * A * T

Impact = Population * Affluence * Technology

An upper-size limit that is imposed on a population by its environmental resources and that cannot be permanently exceeded

The changing patterns of birth and death rates brought about by industrialization:

1. Pre-industrial stage: high birth and death rates

2. Transitional (early industrial) stage: high birth rates, declining death rates

3. Industrial stage: declining birth rate and decline in death rate

4. Postindustrial stage: Low birth and death rates

The gap b/w high birth rates and death rates

Human population growth not always desirable

The growth of a population if reproduction were immediately reduced to replacement-level fertility. This population growth is due to the current number of organisms in the childbearing age-range. In other words, the growth of the population based on how big it already is, rather than because of how it increases.

Overall growth rate has decreased, but population continues to grow due to population momentum

The idea that environmental hazards should be shared equally by various groups in society or at least that no group or community should bear the burden of environmental hazards at a level disproportionate to their numbers in the pop. or their contributions to creating the hazard.