...Functionalists view on crime & deviance With the functionalist emphasis on the importance of shared norms and values as the basis of social order, it would appear that deviance is a threat to order and should therefore be seen as a threat to society. Yet a functionalist analysis of deviance begins with society as a whole. It looks for the source of deviance in the nature of society rather than in the individual. They argue that social control mechanisms such as the police and the courts are necessary to keep deviance in check and to protect social order, as well as deviance being a necessary part of all societies and that it performs positive functions for social systems that even contribute to the maintenance and well being of society. They believe crime and deviance should be limited in order it to benefit all. Functionalists believe crime and deviance have positive functions such as crime and deviance acting like a warning device, some acts warn of problems that exist in the system. As a result, action can be taken to address the problem for example a child may skip school due to problems at home. As a result of the truancy the larger problems of abuse or cultural and material deprivation may be addressed and greater problems avoided. Crime and deviance could help society progress: today’s deviants are tomorrow’s innovators as people who challenge existing norms and values help to create better ways of living. For example Emily Pankhurst and the suffragettes helped...
Words: 1434 - Pages: 6
... Telephone: 215-746-3620 Office Hours: Professor Adler: Wednesday, 10am-1pm For all other times, please make an appointment Teaching Assistants will have weekly office hours TBA Overview: This course examines the multi-disciplinary social science of law-making, law-breaking, and law-enforcing. It reviews theories and data that predict when, where and against whom crimes happen. In addition, it addresses questions surrounding crime prevention and punishment of offenders. The role and importance of police, courts, and prisons are critically examined. The relationship between criminology and policy-making will be highlighted. Text: Adler, F., Mueller, G.O.W., Laufer, W.S, CRIMINOLOGY, 8th edition, New York: McGraw Hill, 2013 E-mail version: TBA Additional class materials will be posted on Blackboard periodically. Please check the course web site. Grading: Examinations: The final grade for this course is made up of grades from three non-cumulative examinations. These exams are taken in class. The first two are given during the semester (each one is worth 30% of the final grade). The last one is given during the final period (40% of the final grade). They are...
Words: 970 - Pages: 4
...Assess the usefullness of statistical data in the study of crime and deviance Extracts from this document... Introduction Assess the usefulness of statistical data in the study of crime and deviance. Official statistics seem to indicate that crime levels are rapidly on the increase, from being a few hundred thousand in the 50's and 60's to more than 6 million in today's world. However the debate in the usefulness of statistics in relation to the study of crime has provoked many different arguments. Durkheim and Conte are the Positivists who believe that they are useful. They believe this because using statistics is the closest sociology can get to a scientific experiment. As statistics provoke quantitave data it is open to be testable and comparable with previous results. Against this belief are the Anti-Positivists who say that statistical data is not reliable, as it doesn't establish a cause and effect for the reasons behind committing crime. It may depend upon the context of the situation an individual is placed in; therefore it does not look at the meaning behind committing crimes. They are also hard to compare over time and lack validity due to problems with obtaining statistics. The reliability of official statistics can be questioned, as although positivists claim that they are used for correlation analysis, the anti-positivists dismiss this as they say other factors that have occurred over time and culture change have caused crime figures to be irrelative to each other...
Words: 729 - Pages: 3
...Merton’s strain theory (Merton 1968) affects mainstream society’s perceived deviance of the Goth youth sub-culture and how much of this contributes to this youth sub-culture’s actual deviance. Moreover, a specific area of concern is whether the Goth youth sub-cultures of the past and present, is a site of deviance or a site of creative resistance to norms in mainstream society. Researching the contribution that labelling and stigmatisation of the Goth youth sub-culture have on criminogenic effects, is exceedingly important and valuable as it seeks to identify various gaps in previous research, such as the limited knowledge on the extent to which these factors contribute to deviance. Moreover, there is a lack of theoretical concepts that could possibly account for Goth youth sub-culture’s perceived behaviour. 2. Research question, significance and aims of the research i) Does negative labelling and the over-representation and stigmatisation of the Goth youth sub-culture, cause successive results of emerging and higher levels of deviance? Also, do the effects of stigmatisation cause youth to join the Goth sub-cultures in order to overcome their marginalisation in society, and, if so, does this consequently become a self-fulfilling prophecy which indirectly causes deviance? More specifically, is the Goth youth sub-culture of the past and present, a site of deviance or a site of creative resistance to social norms in mainstream society (Williams 2007). ii) The significance...
Words: 2598 - Pages: 11
...Course: CJ 233: Introduction of Forensic Psychology Instructor: Doctor Findley Assignment: Unit 9 Final Assignment Total Points: 150 Due Date: November 24, 2015 Name: Donna Marie Brown (Donnabrown119) Unit 9: Final Project: You Are a Forensic Psychologist Kaplan University Donna Brown119 Monday, November 23, 2015 Deviant behavior is any behavior that is contrary to the dominant norms of society. There are many different theories on what causes a person to perform deviant behavior, including biological explanations, psychological explanations, and sociological explanations. Numerous theories have been established to explain criminal behavior. While some theories are not as common, others have evolved and are used in many criminal studies today. Up-to-date criminologists combine the most relevant characteristics of sociology, psychology, biological, and social-psychological to advance their understanding of criminal behavior. Professionals in this field study factors that contribute to criminal activities, make relevant policy recommendations and draw conclusions based on those assessments. (Varying Theories on Crime, 2015) Several theories attempt to explain criminal behavior. Most theories assume: * Crime is part of human nature. * Crime is based on biological, psychological, and/or economic aspects. One of the earliest approaches to explaining the causes of crime was the classical theory, which is defined as a product of the Enlightenment,...
Words: 2646 - Pages: 11
...Chapter Seven: Deviance Deviance is recognized as the violation of cultural norms. Norms help guide us thought life activity. Crime is an act of violation of society formally enacted criminal law. Criminal deviance is divided into a wide range of offenses, from minor traffic violation to sexual assault to murder. In general that we would normally view nonconformity as breaking the rules, or regulation, like driving while under the influence of alcohol, stealing which is viewed as someone is negative or an bad person. On the other side we view someone that is good as a nerd that doesn’t do anything but think about computer software and programs, and someone that does a lot of volunteer work. Deviance doesn’t have to involve our actions or even choose. Some deviances action can be detached on how we all think about others and if we don’t like a certain people because of the person’s disability race, and other difference. This means that racial hate groups are performing a deviance act against other unlike racial groups. Social control is subjected to everyone in a society. Social control is an attempt to control people’s thoughts and behavior to standards of the society. Unfortunately social control has been able to control all of those murders and other people that constantly break the rules and regulation. In cases of serious deviance, however may bring action by the criminal justice system, which is a formal response by police, courts, and prison official to alleged...
Words: 2769 - Pages: 12
...important part in what makes us fail and all consist in the United States today. The structural functionalism approach is a framework for all parts of society to work and function together. This theory points to social structure, which gives our lives shape in families, workplace, classroom, community, etc., and is the pattern of our social behavior. As one pioneer of this approach, Herbert Spencer, began to explain in more detail how social structure works was by using an example of the human body. He argued his point by stating muscles, bones, and organs in our body work interdependently to help the entire body to survive. He compared this to social structure by exclaiming that just like the functions of our organs, bones and muscles help the body to survive, social structures work together to preserve society. How one can say how this theory is beneficial today is by the way we control our actions with our decision making. If we do work together as a whole in governmental, environmental, community, and individual decisions, we could form a somewhat less chaotic society, instead of just focusing what is important to just us as individuals. One thing that is a disadvantage on having a structural functional society is by social dysfunction which is any type of social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society. So in addition what is helpful for one category...
Words: 1005 - Pages: 5
...Department of History HIST*2800 Winter 2014 “The Trouble with Normal” Part One: Sample Outline (15%) Date Due: Drop Box Feb 24th Historically, social problems about youth and youth subcultures have been used as a wedge to pry open private family life and intimate relations, for public gaze or scrutiny. The purpose of this essay for you to play the role of an ANTHROPOLOGIST studying STRANGE popular cultural treatments of: A) youth subculture; or, B) the nuclear family unit. Your outline and final essay must view either topic A or B from three different social science theoretical perspectives or theories (suggestions: structural functionalism, Marxism, deviance or labeling theory, feminism, men’s movement, queer theory, marketing theory, youth transition theory, leisure or sub-cultural theory, etc.). The movies will provide opportunities for you to practice casting a “serious eye” on the historical and social construction of “normal” class, race and gender roles, and their links to social institutions (family and school). You should look/imagine how the film provide “primary source” evidence of particular norms, values, ideologies, rituals or worldviews, at a point in time. The sitcoms tend to take a light-heated or silly approach to dark and serious social issues. You should look/imagine how sitcoms over 3 decades have emphasized elite prejudices, stereotypes, punished nonconformity, and promoted or reinforced heterosexism, classism, sexism, etc. AND...
Words: 441 - Pages: 2
...SO 141 - Introduction to Sociology SO 141 - Final Exam - Review Document [pic] Important Things to Keep In Mind! • You will have two (2) hours to complete the exam. This review includes all of the areas you need to study and review for the exam. • There are 100 multiple choice questions; each question is worth two (2) points, thus 200 points possible for the entire exam. • This is ALL you have to study for the Final Exam. The number of “bullet” points under each chapter is the number of questions for that chapter – and they are the topics for each question from that chapter. In essence this document IS the Final Exam – without specific answers and of course the answers ( • The exam will be "scaled" in the sense that your scores will be compared to others, so the normal “90% = A” will not be the hard fast rule at all. So don't be overwhelmed by the test, just do your best and let me worry about "the grade." • You will take the exam online, during Week 8, just like all of the quizzes you have taken. Below is the list of EACH chapter and the topics, theories, and theorists to study for the Final Exam. EVERYTHING that appears on this list WILL be on the exam and there will be NO surprises on the exam, study this and you should do just fine. |WEEK |CHAPTER |TOPICS TO STUDY | |Week 1 |Chapter. 1: The Sociological Perspective ...
Words: 861 - Pages: 4
...within the subculture have rejected mainstream norms and have become inverted because the mainstream values have failed them as is illustrated by item A. These subcultural theories are used and developed by different sociologists in order to explain why crime and deviance happens, functionalists see society as socialising individuals into shared norms and values that dictate how they will behave showing why those who are part of a subculture reject society and participate in crime and deviance because they enable a person to have a sense of identification. However theses subcultural theories cannot always explain the trend in crime and deviance as there are many contributing factors as to why crime and deviance happens. Merton is a functionalist who has developed a theory in order to explain why crime and deviance happens which has then been developed further by other sociologists in to the form of subcultural theories. Merton’s strain theory is the basis of subcultural theories and he explains that the reason for deviance is the result of strain between the goals that society encourages individuals to achieve and what society actually allows them to achieve through legitimate means which leads them to commit deviance acts because they are frustrated at not being able to achieve, Merton explains the reason for this as being a combination of structural factors and cultural factors. He further develops this in terms of the American dream because the goal in society arguably is...
Words: 1391 - Pages: 6
...(News track India 2008). Exaggerations, misinterpretations and lack of knowledge can lead people in a society to believe things such as black holes that could potentially consume and destroy the Earth being created by the Large Hadron Collider. This is often the beginning of a phenomenon known as a moral panic unless it proves invalid by the masses or not profitable for institutions or organisations. First coined by Jock Young (1971:37) in his book ‘Images of Deviance’, edited by Stanley Cohen, his peer and colleague. It was Cohen (1973:9) though, in fact, who brought the phrase to the forefront of sociology and defined it when he said: Societies appear to be subject, every now and then, to periods of moral panic. A condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests; its nature is presented in a stylised and stereotypical fashion by the mass media (Cohen 1973:9). This paper assess’ Cohen’s’ ‘moral panic’ as a useful notion for explaining increased social anxiety about criminal behaviour using his work on ‘mods and rockers’ and Wilkins (1964:90) ‘Deviancy Amplification Feedback Loop’, a cyclic process that alienates perpetrators and increases sensitization to their actions creating more frequent arrests and often harsher punishments. Moral panics come and go and more often than not the ‘problem’ has been around for many years before it becomes accepted as a phenomenon that requires attention and reform. Often these...
Words: 2385 - Pages: 10
...Social Structure & Social Interaction, Groups, Deviance, Poverty and Social Class Both Sides Microsociology emphasis is placed on social interaction- rules, codes, survival strategies, relationships, face to face contact. 1/54 Study: Speller Learn Test Play Games: Scatter Space Race All 54 terms PrintExportCopyCombine Order by Terms Definitions Microsociology emphasis is placed on social interaction- rules, codes, survival strategies, relationships, face to face contact. Location in Social Structure People's location in the social structure accounts for differences in their behavior & attitudes Ascribed Status involuntary status; a status you inherit o Class of parents, gender, sex, ethnicity, race Achieved Status voluntary status; a status you earn o Student, criminal, doctor, friend Society people who share culture & territory Hunting & Gathering Societies simplest form of society, few social divisions, few people, nomadic, most egalitarian [treat all as equals, no one is rich or poor], society with most leisure time. Role Conflict When what is expected of us in one role is incompatible with what is expected in another role. Role Strain When the same role presents inherent conflict- one role Thomas Theorem If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences- think of people as less than and they will be treated as such. Group members of a group think of themselves as belonging together, they interact with...
Words: 6892 - Pages: 28
...what extent can control theory explain juvenile delinquency? (15 marks) Control theories argue that individuals have the potential and opportunity to perpetrate delinquent or criminal offenses, but usually refrain from such behaviour because of fear and social constraint. The control theory is used to explain as to why people don’t engage in other deviant behaviours. This is an act that deviates from the norms and value set by the society. Hirschi, a criminologist view of social control is the assumption that persons will engage in delinquent behaviour when their "social bond" to society is weakened. He shares a similar view to Durkheim which he state that social order is based on shared values and socialisation occurs through institution integrating into society. However, control theory takes the opposite approach from other theories in criminology. Instead, Hirschi want to explain as to why people do not commit crime. According to Hirschi, norms emerge to deter deviant behaviour, leading to conformity and groups. He believes that people will conform to a group when they believe they have more to gain from conformity than by deviance. Hirschi argued a person follows norms because they have a bond with society. These social bonds have four elements: opportunity, attachment, belief, and involvement. When any one of these bonds is weakened or broken a person is more likely to act in defiance. In Hirschi’s view, attachment measures our connection to others. When we are closely...
Words: 568 - Pages: 3
...The Social Norms of cigarettes and hookah smokers My target article of choice is (Roohafza et al., 2013) the research of the social norms with Iranian young cigarette and hookah smokers. The first introduction to either use of cigarette and hookah smokers accrues in their youth; continuing into maturity. The toxins within the tobacco smoke causes the surge in childhood illness and premature death. Consequently, the struggle to avoid or cut back on the frequency of smoking should be mindful of the younger age groups. Moreover, identifying the factors of smoking beginning in the youth is essential to accomplishing in tobacco regulations and prevention measures. As it states in the article it is a research article involved cross-sectional study was demonstrated on 451 females and 361 males aging 20-25 years old; within two the Universities of Isfahan and Kashan in Iran within the year of 2007. Demographic elements were age, gender, and age; smoking either cigarettes or hookah smoking status. Having a smoking family members or smoking friends were all recorded. Dual study was used to individually control relations between hookah and cigarette smoking and the four social norm variables (Roohafza et al., 2013). The summary of what I learned from the content of the article is 71% of the students’ nonsmokers, 9.5% smoked cigarette and 19.5% smoked hookah. At least 50% of hookah smokers and roughly 40% of cigarette smokers were social smokers...
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
...The Sociological Review of Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager, was living in Rwanda in the year 1994. During that year, Rwanda, a small country in Africa, went into a civil war between the Hutu and the Tutsi. The Hutu rebels went and assassinated the President of Rwanda and started the massacring the Tutsi. Paul Rusesabagina, a Hutu, was against the killing the Tutsi, since his wife and neighbors were Tutsi. Throughout the movie, Paul brought in survivors and attempted to get them into safety and try to escape the attempt of genocide that was happening in Rwanda. One of the biggest social structures that created throughout this movie was the difference between ascribed and achieved status. An ascribed status was status you were born with, and for the most part, it cannot be changed. In the movie, the ascribed status that affect the war was the ascribed status of being a Hutu or a Tutsi. And for the achieved status, it was the political power the Tutsi had in Rwanda. Most of the power in the politics in Rwanda was held by Tutsi, from the president to their congress. Through this, the Hutu was the minority of...
Words: 1765 - Pages: 8
