It is now about 12:40, and I have accepted the last of the family questions (with the exception of a couple Blue family members). Below are the questions and answers I have accepted, with some editing. They are in no particular order and since no bonus points are involved, I am not going to designate the various families. But again, these, along with the questions from your Crime Types' reports, will be on the final exam which is Monday 2-5PM.
1. What was the ultimate (and preposterous) goal of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, which included the Byrne Grant program? (1)
Answer: to create a drug-free America by 1995.
2. In Gary Gardner's letter to the Tulia defendants, what TWO sound legal recommendations did he make? (2)
Answer: (a) to seek a change of venue (move the trial out of Tulia)
(b) that they research Tom Coleman's background
3. In the context of the drug war video we saw, what was Dr. Robert DuPont's plan to help reduce the crime rate in the Washington D.C. area? (1)
Answer: deal with the problem of heroin addiction, which a high percentage of prisoners in the D.C. jails tested positive for.
4. What alternative drug did Dr. Jaffe promote to help heroin addicts deal with their addictions? (1)
Answer: methadone
5. What is the only type of crime in which the U.S. compares favorably with other nations? (1)
Answer: burglary
6. In introducing the drug issue, I spoke briefly about a book entitled, Buzzed. How did I characterize the authors' basic argument? (1)
Answer: Just Say Know!
7. Give TWO reasons why Tom Coleman's past and character should have been investigated. (2)
Answer: Any TWO of the following: (1) no experience in undercover work, (2) previously charged with stealing, (3) walked off jobs twice, (4) was claimed to be a racist.
That's it. See you Monday afternoon.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Reminders & Final Family Activity
REMINDERS: As you should all know, ESSAY III on Tulia is due tomorrow (Tues. 12/2). Please make every effort to get it in so that I may grade them and get them back to you by the end of the week. Also, for those of you who saw the documentary on Tulia during our class before the break and decided to do the extra credit assignment, you need to turn those in tomorrow as well. Finally, even though we have just two classes left, I am still planning to cover the whole of the book on Tulia which you should be well into, if not finished reading by now.
FINAL FAMILY ACTIVITY: Since we've only had a few individual and family activities this semester, I am going to have to make this final family activity worth much more than previous ones in order to meet the 25 point total for this aspect of the course. This will involve making up final exam questions. Of course, you have already made up some questions based on your Crime Types' reports (which will, of course, be on the test). Now you need to come up with more questions based on my lectures on those parts of Crime Types not covered in your reports, including my follow-up comments on your reports which I posted on the blog. Questions may also come from class lectures on the drug war, and Tulia. I want each family to come up with 5 SHORT-ANSWER questions (and answers) which you will submit to me in an email NO LATER THAN FRIDAY NOON. I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY QUESTIONS AFTER THAT SINCE I HAVE TO MAKE UP THE FINAL EXAM THIS WEEKEND. I will select at least one question from each family, and possibly more, and will post these on the blog over the weekend. You will need to check that out since these questions will be on the final exam. This exercise is worth 14 points (in order for all our activities and exercises to total 25). You have to participate to earn these points. Those family members missing-in-action will not earn these points. I will give you time in class tomorrow to begin the brainstorming process. I will also review the new families.
FINAL FAMILY ACTIVITY: Since we've only had a few individual and family activities this semester, I am going to have to make this final family activity worth much more than previous ones in order to meet the 25 point total for this aspect of the course. This will involve making up final exam questions. Of course, you have already made up some questions based on your Crime Types' reports (which will, of course, be on the test). Now you need to come up with more questions based on my lectures on those parts of Crime Types not covered in your reports, including my follow-up comments on your reports which I posted on the blog. Questions may also come from class lectures on the drug war, and Tulia. I want each family to come up with 5 SHORT-ANSWER questions (and answers) which you will submit to me in an email NO LATER THAN FRIDAY NOON. I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY QUESTIONS AFTER THAT SINCE I HAVE TO MAKE UP THE FINAL EXAM THIS WEEKEND. I will select at least one question from each family, and possibly more, and will post these on the blog over the weekend. You will need to check that out since these questions will be on the final exam. This exercise is worth 14 points (in order for all our activities and exercises to total 25). You have to participate to earn these points. Those family members missing-in-action will not earn these points. I will give you time in class tomorrow to begin the brainstorming process. I will also review the new families.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Reminders & Next Tuesday 11/25
Several people have not turned in the Crime Types paper and need to do so ASAP. The clock is ticking.... Remember, I take one point off per day if something is late and you have no legitimate excuse for it being late. Also, you should be reading Tulia. I began to talk about it in class this past Tuesday. We will cover the whole of this book before all is said and done for the semester. And for the sake of ESSAY III, you need to read well into it. That essay will be due on the first class after the break.
On Tuesday 11/25 I will show the documentary on Tulia. It is pretty good, but by no means a substitute for the comprehensive coverage of this case in the book you are reading. To earn 4 points extra credit (which many of you could use), I want you to write a one-page response to seeing the documentary in which I want you to comment on the documentary as a whole and bring out ONE point where the book provides more detail or background on any aspect of this documentary. If you choose to do this, it will be due NO LATER THAN THE FIRST CLASS AFTER THE BREAK (Tues. 12/2).
On Tuesday 11/25 I will show the documentary on Tulia. It is pretty good, but by no means a substitute for the comprehensive coverage of this case in the book you are reading. To earn 4 points extra credit (which many of you could use), I want you to write a one-page response to seeing the documentary in which I want you to comment on the documentary as a whole and bring out ONE point where the book provides more detail or background on any aspect of this documentary. If you choose to do this, it will be due NO LATER THAN THE FIRST CLASS AFTER THE BREAK (Tues. 12/2).
Monday, November 17, 2008
Drug War Video, Tulia, & ESSAY III
Instead of posting my follow-up comments on the drug war video we saw, I'll take some time out to highlight some points in class on Tuesday (11/18). We will also begin to talk about Tulia. You need to start reading that. I plan to cover it all before the semester is over. Also, as you can see below, the topic of your final out-of-class essay deals with Tulia.
__________________________
Sociology 220
Essay III
11/17/08
A. In the context of the early trials and convictions, which carried exceedingly long sentences (basically up to Part Three, p. 179), I want you to write an essay on how such a miscarriage of justice was possible in the first place. Specifically, I want you to identify and discuss any TWO factors which contributed to this miscarriage of justice. And between these two factors, which ONE do you believe represents the greatest threat to the proper functioning of our court system in general. (Note: you do not necessarily have to read all the way through p. 179 in order to complete this assignment.)
B. The essay should be roughly 3 pages. Be sure to indicate the page number(s) of any passage(s) from the book which you quote in your essay.
C. This essay is due on TUESDAY, DEC. 2ND, which is the first class after we come back from Thanksgiving break. This essay is worth 25 points.
__________________________
I will be handing back essay II on Tuesday (11/18). For those who have not yet turned that essay in, tomorrow will be the deadline to get it in.
Also, don't forget that the Crime Types Paper is due on Thursday (11/20), at which time each of you will be called on to give a brief overview of your paper in class.
__________________________
Sociology 220
Essay III
11/17/08
A. In the context of the early trials and convictions, which carried exceedingly long sentences (basically up to Part Three, p. 179), I want you to write an essay on how such a miscarriage of justice was possible in the first place. Specifically, I want you to identify and discuss any TWO factors which contributed to this miscarriage of justice. And between these two factors, which ONE do you believe represents the greatest threat to the proper functioning of our court system in general. (Note: you do not necessarily have to read all the way through p. 179 in order to complete this assignment.)
B. The essay should be roughly 3 pages. Be sure to indicate the page number(s) of any passage(s) from the book which you quote in your essay.
C. This essay is due on TUESDAY, DEC. 2ND, which is the first class after we come back from Thanksgiving break. This essay is worth 25 points.
__________________________
I will be handing back essay II on Tuesday (11/18). For those who have not yet turned that essay in, tomorrow will be the deadline to get it in.
Also, don't forget that the Crime Types Paper is due on Thursday (11/20), at which time each of you will be called on to give a brief overview of your paper in class.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Family Questions on Crime Types' Reports for the Final Exam
Below are the questions from the families, as promised. But you will note that I have done some editing. Also, some of you asked questions based more on my follow-up comments than your reports. You should have focused just on your reports. Finally, I probably should have asked you to come up with more than two questions so I could have selected two good ones from several, but I didn't, which is "my bad," I guess. Nonetheless, here they are:
Green Family: Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault
1. What types of murders does Cooney say constitute the majority of murders, as Dabney brings out in the Introduction to this chapter? (1)
ANSWER: Moralistic murders with expressive motives that are committed by novices in the heat of the moment. That is, "crimes of passion."
2. Identify and briefly describe ONE of the six possible rationalization frameworks battered women use to rationalize the behavior of their abusers. (2)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the following:
(1) appeal to the salvation ethic -- the woman feels the need to save the abuser.
(2) denial of the victimizer -- the woman sees the battering as an outside force beyond the control of their spouse and think it can be cured.
(3) denial of injury -- the experience is so out of sync with their expectations that they refuse to even acknowledge they've been hurt.
(4) denial of victimization -- the woman blames herself for the violence.
(5) denial of options -- referring to both practical and emotional options, the woman refuses to believe she has any other option than to stay with the abuser. Eg. that even a life being battered is better than being lonely and alone.
(6) appeal to higher loyalties -- the woman endures the abuse for the sake of a higher commitment, either religious or traditional.
Blue Family: Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes (Two family members submitted questions, so I simply selected the best two, which I also modified somewhat because most of the questions reflected my follow-up comments.)
1. Among the theories of rape mentioned in the Introduction to this chapter is the "gender inequality theory." Briefly describe this theory. (2)
ANSWER: "that rape and fear of rape enable men to assert their power over women and maintain the existing system of gender stratification (or inequality)." Rape is associated with strong patriarchal societies.
2. In the context of selection #8, "Understanding Women's Experiences of Wife Rape," what did I suggest in my follow-up comments was the "bottom line" with respect to preventing this type of rape especially? (1)
ANSWER: That men should be taught NOT to treat women as mere sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives.
Yellow family: Chapter 4: Robbery
1. How does robbery typically differ from other violent crimes such as murder, assault, and rape? (2)
ANSWER: In the case of robbery, the offender typically does NOT know the victim, as opposed to other violent crimes where there is often a previous relationship between the victim and the offender.
2. Identify ONE other possible motive, besides money, a robber may have. (1)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the capitalized terms: Expressive motives such as REVENGE, or a quest for EXCITEMENT and SENSORY STIMULATION.
Black family: Chapter 5: Burglary
1. In the context of Chapter 5 on burglary and the discussion of the "stolen property system," briefly describe the role of the "fence." (2)
ANSWER: The role of the fence is to receive the goods which have been stolen and then attempt to sell them. He is essentially the "middle man" who specializes in buying and selling stolen goods which is indispensable for burglars.
2. Seasoned professional burglars engage in "search planning" in which they often rely on what type of information? (1)
ANSWER: A "tipster" who informs them of the suitability of various targets.
Red family: Chapter 7: Public Order Crime
1. Identify any TWO of the six "contingent elements of the prostitute's identity," as discussed in selection # 18, "An Analysis of Women's Involvement in Prostitution." (2)
ANSWER: Any TWO of the following:
(1) prostitutes-as-workers
(2) prostitutes-as-commodified bodies
(3) prostitutes-as-business-women
(4) prostitutes-as-loving-partners
(5) prostitutes-as-victims
(6) prostitutes-as-survivors
2. Briefly describe the "residence house" as one of the most common forms of crack houses in the Miami area. (1)
ANSWER: Residence houses are private homes where the owner welcomes in partiers for extended drug and sex fests.
_________________________________________
Finally, a quick reminder for tomorrow's class (Tues. 11/11) that your essays on "A Hard Straight" are due. If for some reason you have not seen it yet, remember it is available on reserve in the library.
Green Family: Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault
1. What types of murders does Cooney say constitute the majority of murders, as Dabney brings out in the Introduction to this chapter? (1)
ANSWER: Moralistic murders with expressive motives that are committed by novices in the heat of the moment. That is, "crimes of passion."
2. Identify and briefly describe ONE of the six possible rationalization frameworks battered women use to rationalize the behavior of their abusers. (2)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the following:
(1) appeal to the salvation ethic -- the woman feels the need to save the abuser.
(2) denial of the victimizer -- the woman sees the battering as an outside force beyond the control of their spouse and think it can be cured.
(3) denial of injury -- the experience is so out of sync with their expectations that they refuse to even acknowledge they've been hurt.
(4) denial of victimization -- the woman blames herself for the violence.
(5) denial of options -- referring to both practical and emotional options, the woman refuses to believe she has any other option than to stay with the abuser. Eg. that even a life being battered is better than being lonely and alone.
(6) appeal to higher loyalties -- the woman endures the abuse for the sake of a higher commitment, either religious or traditional.
Blue Family: Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes (Two family members submitted questions, so I simply selected the best two, which I also modified somewhat because most of the questions reflected my follow-up comments.)
1. Among the theories of rape mentioned in the Introduction to this chapter is the "gender inequality theory." Briefly describe this theory. (2)
ANSWER: "that rape and fear of rape enable men to assert their power over women and maintain the existing system of gender stratification (or inequality)." Rape is associated with strong patriarchal societies.
2. In the context of selection #8, "Understanding Women's Experiences of Wife Rape," what did I suggest in my follow-up comments was the "bottom line" with respect to preventing this type of rape especially? (1)
ANSWER: That men should be taught NOT to treat women as mere sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives.
Yellow family: Chapter 4: Robbery
1. How does robbery typically differ from other violent crimes such as murder, assault, and rape? (2)
ANSWER: In the case of robbery, the offender typically does NOT know the victim, as opposed to other violent crimes where there is often a previous relationship between the victim and the offender.
2. Identify ONE other possible motive, besides money, a robber may have. (1)
ANSWER: Any ONE of the capitalized terms: Expressive motives such as REVENGE, or a quest for EXCITEMENT and SENSORY STIMULATION.
Black family: Chapter 5: Burglary
1. In the context of Chapter 5 on burglary and the discussion of the "stolen property system," briefly describe the role of the "fence." (2)
ANSWER: The role of the fence is to receive the goods which have been stolen and then attempt to sell them. He is essentially the "middle man" who specializes in buying and selling stolen goods which is indispensable for burglars.
2. Seasoned professional burglars engage in "search planning" in which they often rely on what type of information? (1)
ANSWER: A "tipster" who informs them of the suitability of various targets.
Red family: Chapter 7: Public Order Crime
1. Identify any TWO of the six "contingent elements of the prostitute's identity," as discussed in selection # 18, "An Analysis of Women's Involvement in Prostitution." (2)
ANSWER: Any TWO of the following:
(1) prostitutes-as-workers
(2) prostitutes-as-commodified bodies
(3) prostitutes-as-business-women
(4) prostitutes-as-loving-partners
(5) prostitutes-as-victims
(6) prostitutes-as-survivors
2. Briefly describe the "residence house" as one of the most common forms of crack houses in the Miami area. (1)
ANSWER: Residence houses are private homes where the owner welcomes in partiers for extended drug and sex fests.
_________________________________________
Finally, a quick reminder for tomorrow's class (Tues. 11/11) that your essays on "A Hard Straight" are due. If for some reason you have not seen it yet, remember it is available on reserve in the library.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Just a Reminder
This morning (Tues. 11/4) we saw the documentary, "A Hard Straight". You need to check out my Wed., Oct. 29th blog post for a description of the essay I want you to write on it, which will be due next Tuesday, 11/11. This documentary will be available in the library if you missed it or want to see some of it again. Just go to the circulation desk. It will be for use only in the library.
As I also mentioned this morning, we will wrap up Crime Types, as well as start to get into the drug issue next Tuesday. And don't forget the paper assignment in which you need to locate, read, and analyze three outside articles related to a particular crime type, which will be due on the 20th.
As I also mentioned this morning, we will wrap up Crime Types, as well as start to get into the drug issue next Tuesday. And don't forget the paper assignment in which you need to locate, read, and analyze three outside articles related to a particular crime type, which will be due on the 20th.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Follow-ups to Chapter 7 & Chapter 5
Before I begin to re-cap these two chapters, let me, again, remind you to check out the description of the next essay assignment connected with the documentary I will be showing next Tuesday 11/4. That description can be found at the previous blog post, on Wed., Oct. 29th.
First, my comments on Chapter 7 which I did not get to yesterday in class:
#16 "Drugs-Crime Connections: Elaborations from the Life Histories of Hard Core Heroin Addicts"
A. Looks at the basic question: do drugs cause crime or does crime cause drugs?
1. Basically, addicts said their drug and criminal activities began independently, but eventually became intertwined, which makes sense.
B. Two general factors shape the drug and crime careers of respondents: (1) availability -- more you had, more you did; less available it was most addicts could adjust by reducing consumption. (2) life-structure -- "...regularly occuring patterns of daily domestic, occupational, recreational, or criminal activity."
C. The article makes an important point about when heroin becomes the most destructive -- when that larger "life-structure" is deteriorated. See middle paragraph on p. 274, under heading: The Free-Wheeling Junkie -- High Availability/Low Life Structure.
D. We must seek to improve that life structure -- sense of order and purpose -- to rehabilitate the heroin addict.
#17 "The Miami Sex-for-Crack Market Revisited"
A. No question that prostitution and crack cocaine use are related. Also includes a public health warning about having sex in some of these crack houses -- that they are at extreme risk of contracting HIV.
#18 "An Analysis of Women's Involvement in Prostitution"
A. This is an unpublished paper which I believe is poorly written, filled with jargon, and based on only 21 interviews.
B. One interesting point which was touched on in the class report is the irony of fining these women for their behavior. "Fining women involved in prostitution for their prostitution-related offenses is paradoxical. Many of them simply did not have the financial resources to pay their fines. The obvious irony is that the criminal justice system, itself, created the conditions that both justified these women's continued involvement in prostitution as well as trapped them within it" (p. 296)
Chapter 5 Burglary
A. Recent NCVS data suggest that crimes against property account for more than three-fourths of all criminal victimizations, and roughly one in six property crimes is a household burglary. Estimates indicate that 3,139,700 households were burglarized in 2001. Total of $2.9 billion in losses, not to mention the emotional trauma of the victims.
1. Yet the rate of burglary has dropped nearly 75% over the past three decades. In 1973 there were 110 per 1,000 households compared to 28.7 per 1,000 in 2001.
2. Perhaps surprisingly, the rural rate is higher than the suburban rate, which is the lowest. This is probably due to greater prevalence of neighborhood watch programs, more police patrols, in suburban areas. This lends credence to the routine activities theory. (see bottom, p. 172)
3. Also surprising, this is one crime where the U.S. compares favorably with many other countries. (see top, p. 173)
B. A significant point is that this type of crime also depends on a thriving UNDERGROUND ECONOMY, consisting of FENCES (people willing to handle stolen goods) and consumers willing to buy this stolen merchandise. (Flea markets are notorious for being places where stolen goods are sold.)
C. Under the "cognitive aspects of burglary," Dabney notes the "shallow instrumental motives" -- burglars become accustomed to a fast-paced lifestyle and/or are addicted to drugs "thus (they) continue to commit burglaries in the face of increasing risks and diminishing rewards." (p. 176)
1. Although obviously some planning is involved -- "Research indicates that most burglars engage in only minimal pre-event planning....Indeed, they tend to operate in a somewhat spontaneous fashion, exploiting opportunities as they arise." (p. 177)
2. 56% of incarcerated burglars in one survey were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time they committed their last offense. But a urinalysis of arrested offenders found 80% to have drugs or alcohol in their system.
a) Some use drugs to enhance their performance (botttom, p. 178), such as Malcolm X who talked about snorting cocaine before going out to burglarize.
3. Burglars tend to depend on others such as getting inside information about whether a home is vacant or what valuables might be in a home.
D. Arrest rate is only 13% (which might suggest the relevance of deterrence theory since the certainty of punishment in so low).
E. Informal controls (eg., neighborhood crime watch) are important to deter burglary activity. Even neighbors just getting together to clean up their neighborhood might send a deterrence message to would-be burglars.
#11 "A Woman's Place Is in the Home: Females and Residential Burglary"
A. Profiles female burglars who share a lot of the characteristics with males, but in some cases even more so -- eg., that they almost always work with others. Also, women tend to start at an older age than males.
B. Confirms an observation I made about feminist criminological theories which claim bias against women in our criminal justice system. This is NOT the case here; if anything women got more lenient treatment. (See middle, p. 187)
#12 "Operational Parameters in the Stolen Property System"
A. Examines the property theft system (or business) from a marketing perspective -- such as the role of supply and demand.
B. Makes a very good point about how many studies have focused on the individual criminal apart from the social system with which he connects, which the authors contend is short-sighted. See especially p. 194 (almost the entire page which brings this point out well).
1. The authors get rather detailed about how this Stolen Propety System works, especially how the thief and the fence interact.
__________________________
That's all for now. Incorporate the above comments in your notes for the class. Also, only one family has turned in their two proposed short-answer questions (and answers). The rest of the families need to do that soon. By next Tuesday (11/4), if at all possible. I will be adding some concluding comments on Crime Types as a whole, probably on Tuesday 11/11.
First, my comments on Chapter 7 which I did not get to yesterday in class:
#16 "Drugs-Crime Connections: Elaborations from the Life Histories of Hard Core Heroin Addicts"
A. Looks at the basic question: do drugs cause crime or does crime cause drugs?
1. Basically, addicts said their drug and criminal activities began independently, but eventually became intertwined, which makes sense.
B. Two general factors shape the drug and crime careers of respondents: (1) availability -- more you had, more you did; less available it was most addicts could adjust by reducing consumption. (2) life-structure -- "...regularly occuring patterns of daily domestic, occupational, recreational, or criminal activity."
C. The article makes an important point about when heroin becomes the most destructive -- when that larger "life-structure" is deteriorated. See middle paragraph on p. 274, under heading: The Free-Wheeling Junkie -- High Availability/Low Life Structure.
D. We must seek to improve that life structure -- sense of order and purpose -- to rehabilitate the heroin addict.
#17 "The Miami Sex-for-Crack Market Revisited"
A. No question that prostitution and crack cocaine use are related. Also includes a public health warning about having sex in some of these crack houses -- that they are at extreme risk of contracting HIV.
#18 "An Analysis of Women's Involvement in Prostitution"
A. This is an unpublished paper which I believe is poorly written, filled with jargon, and based on only 21 interviews.
B. One interesting point which was touched on in the class report is the irony of fining these women for their behavior. "Fining women involved in prostitution for their prostitution-related offenses is paradoxical. Many of them simply did not have the financial resources to pay their fines. The obvious irony is that the criminal justice system, itself, created the conditions that both justified these women's continued involvement in prostitution as well as trapped them within it" (p. 296)
Chapter 5 Burglary
A. Recent NCVS data suggest that crimes against property account for more than three-fourths of all criminal victimizations, and roughly one in six property crimes is a household burglary. Estimates indicate that 3,139,700 households were burglarized in 2001. Total of $2.9 billion in losses, not to mention the emotional trauma of the victims.
1. Yet the rate of burglary has dropped nearly 75% over the past three decades. In 1973 there were 110 per 1,000 households compared to 28.7 per 1,000 in 2001.
2. Perhaps surprisingly, the rural rate is higher than the suburban rate, which is the lowest. This is probably due to greater prevalence of neighborhood watch programs, more police patrols, in suburban areas. This lends credence to the routine activities theory. (see bottom, p. 172)
3. Also surprising, this is one crime where the U.S. compares favorably with many other countries. (see top, p. 173)
B. A significant point is that this type of crime also depends on a thriving UNDERGROUND ECONOMY, consisting of FENCES (people willing to handle stolen goods) and consumers willing to buy this stolen merchandise. (Flea markets are notorious for being places where stolen goods are sold.)
C. Under the "cognitive aspects of burglary," Dabney notes the "shallow instrumental motives" -- burglars become accustomed to a fast-paced lifestyle and/or are addicted to drugs "thus (they) continue to commit burglaries in the face of increasing risks and diminishing rewards." (p. 176)
1. Although obviously some planning is involved -- "Research indicates that most burglars engage in only minimal pre-event planning....Indeed, they tend to operate in a somewhat spontaneous fashion, exploiting opportunities as they arise." (p. 177)
2. 56% of incarcerated burglars in one survey were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time they committed their last offense. But a urinalysis of arrested offenders found 80% to have drugs or alcohol in their system.
a) Some use drugs to enhance their performance (botttom, p. 178), such as Malcolm X who talked about snorting cocaine before going out to burglarize.
3. Burglars tend to depend on others such as getting inside information about whether a home is vacant or what valuables might be in a home.
D. Arrest rate is only 13% (which might suggest the relevance of deterrence theory since the certainty of punishment in so low).
E. Informal controls (eg., neighborhood crime watch) are important to deter burglary activity. Even neighbors just getting together to clean up their neighborhood might send a deterrence message to would-be burglars.
#11 "A Woman's Place Is in the Home: Females and Residential Burglary"
A. Profiles female burglars who share a lot of the characteristics with males, but in some cases even more so -- eg., that they almost always work with others. Also, women tend to start at an older age than males.
B. Confirms an observation I made about feminist criminological theories which claim bias against women in our criminal justice system. This is NOT the case here; if anything women got more lenient treatment. (See middle, p. 187)
#12 "Operational Parameters in the Stolen Property System"
A. Examines the property theft system (or business) from a marketing perspective -- such as the role of supply and demand.
B. Makes a very good point about how many studies have focused on the individual criminal apart from the social system with which he connects, which the authors contend is short-sighted. See especially p. 194 (almost the entire page which brings this point out well).
1. The authors get rather detailed about how this Stolen Propety System works, especially how the thief and the fence interact.
__________________________
That's all for now. Incorporate the above comments in your notes for the class. Also, only one family has turned in their two proposed short-answer questions (and answers). The rest of the families need to do that soon. By next Tuesday (11/4), if at all possible. I will be adding some concluding comments on Crime Types as a whole, probably on Tuesday 11/11.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
ESSAY II DESCRIPTION
Below is a description of what I want you to do for the next short essay assignment. I will not be handing out a hard copy of this assignment.
Sociology 220
Essay II
10/29/08
A. On Tuesday, November 4th (election day) I will be showing a documentary entitled, "A Hard Straight," which chronicles the struggles of three parolees. For this essay I want you to focus on ONE of these three parolees. Briefly describe this person's situation and then discuss what you believe could have been done to help this person make a successful transition to life outside of prison. Let me recommend that you jot down some notes while seeing the video so that you can incorporate some details in your essay and not just write in "vague generalities." IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE IN CLASS ON THE 4TH TO SEE THIS DOCUMENTARY. Following the showing of it I will return it to the library, so if you did miss it you would be able to check it out.
B. The essay should be roughly 2-3 pages.
C. It is due on TUES., NOV. 11TH, and it is worth 25 points.
Sociology 220
Essay II
10/29/08
A. On Tuesday, November 4th (election day) I will be showing a documentary entitled, "A Hard Straight," which chronicles the struggles of three parolees. For this essay I want you to focus on ONE of these three parolees. Briefly describe this person's situation and then discuss what you believe could have been done to help this person make a successful transition to life outside of prison. Let me recommend that you jot down some notes while seeing the video so that you can incorporate some details in your essay and not just write in "vague generalities." IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE IN CLASS ON THE 4TH TO SEE THIS DOCUMENTARY. Following the showing of it I will return it to the library, so if you did miss it you would be able to check it out.
B. The essay should be roughly 2-3 pages.
C. It is due on TUES., NOV. 11TH, and it is worth 25 points.
Comments on Chapter 4
Below are my follow-up comments on Chapter 4: Robbery. Again, keep in mind that if I ask any questions about this chapter in addition to the ones the family submits, they will come from these follow-up comments.
Chapter 4: Robbery
A. This crime is underreported. The NCVS indicates that roughly 40% of robbery victims chose not to notify the police.
B. "As is the case with all forms of violent crime, increased population density yields significantly higher robbery victimization rates."
city -- 4.9 per 1,000 residents
suburban -- 2.2 per 1,000
rural -- 1.4 per 1,000 (p. 131)
(which, as I noted in class, generally supports social disorganization theory)
C. Researchers found that "injuries occurred far less frequently in robberies involving a gun than they did when a knife, club, or no weapon was present." (p. 132)
D. Robbery is different from other violent crimes in that the vast majority of robbery offenders and victims do NOT know each other.
E. Very high recidivism rate -- 70.% re-arrested within three years of release from prison.
F. Many robbers commit their crimes while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol -- one-third or more.
G."Planning does not appear to play a large role in most robberies." they may be described as "alert opportunists" for the most part. (p. 136)
H. Most "seasoned thieves" invoke some normative neutralizations to justify their behavior. Again, we see the relevance of "techniques of neutralization."
I. Dabney identifies the existence of a criminal subculture where other robbers are known as "colleagues" or they act as conspirators, or in teams. (suggesting the relevance of differential association theory)
#9 "Stick-up, Street Culture, and Offender Motivation"
A. In addition to the obvious motivation of a need for money, the authors talk about the larger culture in which they exist which is driven by the need to spend to fit in, seek pleasure in a harsh world, "life as a party" instant gratification. They are so focused on gratification, there is little consideration of consequences, often little effort at planning. (which generally runs contrary to rational choice or deterrence theory.
B. P. 146 beginning with "Without doubt,...." about the middle of the page and continuing all the way to the end of that page, Dabney captures well the world of these criminals. In some respects, one can see the relevance of anomie theory. Even though most of them do not necessarily face economic hardships, they feel the pressure to keep up with the fast-paced "life as party" lifestyle and so resort to illegitimate means to achieve that.
C. Later, Dabney says, "... the 'choice' to rob occurs in a context in which rationality not only is sharply bounded, it barely exists." (p. 148) Which, again, raises a question about the relevance of rational choice theory.
#10 "Dubs and Dees, Beats and Rims, Carjackers and Urban Violence"
A. From the abstract: "Offenders may choose to engage in the crime in response to peer pressure, boredom, or a perceived need for money, drugs, or transportation." (p. 149) reflecting the possible application of both differential association and social bonding theory, in which I interjected my "boredom theory" in the context of talking about Hirschi's bond of Involvement.
B. Underscores the lack of planning, impulsiveness often stemming from a desperate need for drugs.
C. Notes how easy targets sometimes motivated carjackers -- isolated, weak victims, desirable vehicles. See bottom of p.154-155, which suggests a calculation of greater pleasure or gain, which lends itself to rational choice theory. I would also add, routine activities theory as relevant.
D. But to counter-balance the above point about the relevance of rational choice: the thing that strikes me about alot of these interviews is that these carjackers are so focused on satisfying immediate "needs" or pleasures, that nothing else matters. There is no conception or thought of how such a lifestyle is a complete dead end no matter how successful they may be in the short run.
That's it for now. Look for my comments on Chapter 5 later (perhaps Friday). Also, I will be posting a description of our next short essay assignment soon, connected with viewing the documentary, "A Hard Straight" which I will be showing in class next Tuesday, 11/4.
Chapter 4: Robbery
A. This crime is underreported. The NCVS indicates that roughly 40% of robbery victims chose not to notify the police.
B. "As is the case with all forms of violent crime, increased population density yields significantly higher robbery victimization rates."
city -- 4.9 per 1,000 residents
suburban -- 2.2 per 1,000
rural -- 1.4 per 1,000 (p. 131)
(which, as I noted in class, generally supports social disorganization theory)
C. Researchers found that "injuries occurred far less frequently in robberies involving a gun than they did when a knife, club, or no weapon was present." (p. 132)
D. Robbery is different from other violent crimes in that the vast majority of robbery offenders and victims do NOT know each other.
E. Very high recidivism rate -- 70.% re-arrested within three years of release from prison.
F. Many robbers commit their crimes while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol -- one-third or more.
G."Planning does not appear to play a large role in most robberies." they may be described as "alert opportunists" for the most part. (p. 136)
H. Most "seasoned thieves" invoke some normative neutralizations to justify their behavior. Again, we see the relevance of "techniques of neutralization."
I. Dabney identifies the existence of a criminal subculture where other robbers are known as "colleagues" or they act as conspirators, or in teams. (suggesting the relevance of differential association theory)
#9 "Stick-up, Street Culture, and Offender Motivation"
A. In addition to the obvious motivation of a need for money, the authors talk about the larger culture in which they exist which is driven by the need to spend to fit in, seek pleasure in a harsh world, "life as a party" instant gratification. They are so focused on gratification, there is little consideration of consequences, often little effort at planning. (which generally runs contrary to rational choice or deterrence theory.
B. P. 146 beginning with "Without doubt,...." about the middle of the page and continuing all the way to the end of that page, Dabney captures well the world of these criminals. In some respects, one can see the relevance of anomie theory. Even though most of them do not necessarily face economic hardships, they feel the pressure to keep up with the fast-paced "life as party" lifestyle and so resort to illegitimate means to achieve that.
C. Later, Dabney says, "... the 'choice' to rob occurs in a context in which rationality not only is sharply bounded, it barely exists." (p. 148) Which, again, raises a question about the relevance of rational choice theory.
#10 "Dubs and Dees, Beats and Rims, Carjackers and Urban Violence"
A. From the abstract: "Offenders may choose to engage in the crime in response to peer pressure, boredom, or a perceived need for money, drugs, or transportation." (p. 149) reflecting the possible application of both differential association and social bonding theory, in which I interjected my "boredom theory" in the context of talking about Hirschi's bond of Involvement.
B. Underscores the lack of planning, impulsiveness often stemming from a desperate need for drugs.
C. Notes how easy targets sometimes motivated carjackers -- isolated, weak victims, desirable vehicles. See bottom of p.154-155, which suggests a calculation of greater pleasure or gain, which lends itself to rational choice theory. I would also add, routine activities theory as relevant.
D. But to counter-balance the above point about the relevance of rational choice: the thing that strikes me about alot of these interviews is that these carjackers are so focused on satisfying immediate "needs" or pleasures, that nothing else matters. There is no conception or thought of how such a lifestyle is a complete dead end no matter how successful they may be in the short run.
That's it for now. Look for my comments on Chapter 5 later (perhaps Friday). Also, I will be posting a description of our next short essay assignment soon, connected with viewing the documentary, "A Hard Straight" which I will be showing in class next Tuesday, 11/4.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Comments on Chapter 3
Below are my follow-up comments on last Thursday's report on Chapter 3 of Crime Types.
Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes
A. Dabney opens by noting how sexual assault has a significant effect on the daily thoughts and actions of American women.
1. According to the NCVS for 2001, 250,000 women fell victim to some form of unwanted sexual advance.
2. It is estimated that some form of sexually assaultive action is present in 1 of every 10 violent crimes involving a female.
3. Surprisingly, however -- "Aside from murder, the crimes of rape and sexual assault occur with less regularity than any other form of violent crime." Collectively, rape and sexual assault offenses accounted for only a small fraction (4%) of the more than 5.9 million violent crime victimizations that occurred nationally, according to the NCVS in 2003.
4. Nonetheless, over a lifetime women have a 1 in 6 chance of being a victim of rape.
5. Also, reported rapes are one-third of NCVS figures, which is better than it used to be. Back in the 1960s the ratio was one in nine.
B. Dabney reviews various theories, which were brought out in the report. These appear on pp. 82-83 and you should know what they are. I simply want to make a couple critical remarks about a couple of the theories.
1. First, the gender inequality theory makes sense. However, if it predicts higher rates of rape in patriarchal societies where women are considered the sexual servants of men, this is contradicted by many Asian societies, such as Japan, which are patriarchal yet have very low rates of rape.
2. Also, I am a bit dubious about some of the evidence for the pornography theory. Correlating rape with the circulation rates of adult magazines in various states is hardly conclusive. There are so many other factors that could be considered as well.
C. Some other interesting statistics: (1) In 70% of all rapes and sexual assualts, the victim is known to the offender. (2) As you might imagine, drugs and alcohol are often involved -- in 46% of cases.
D. I was a bit surprised by a 1990 study (bottom, p. 85) which suggested that violent resistance to rape serves as an effective means of preventing rape completion and reducing the level of injuries sustained, which highlights the value of self-defense classes.
E. There is some confusion in recidivism numbers (p. 86). The overall recidivism rate of 42% (which would include being re-arrested for any crime) is low compared to other crime types. But then Dabney suggests that, according to one study, rapists are re-arrested for a sex crime at a high rate -- that one in ten rapists will be re-arrested for a similar crime at some point in the future. But that is only 10%, and I am not sure how that compares with other crimes. So I am not sure it is fair to say that is a high or disproportionate rate.
#6 "Riding the Bull at Gilley's"
A. This article poses a very basic question: is rape mainly attributable to "sick individuals" or a "sick culture." This article clearly challenges the psychopathology model and argues that rape is learned. (Which obviously suggests the possible application of Social Learning theory.)
1. Males being sexually aggressive is considered natural, normal. There is evidence of neutralization or rationalization of rape.
2. So, again, overall rape is seen as more a product of a "sick culture" than sick individuals.
#7 "Acquaintance Gang Rape on Campus"
A. Highlights the role of organizations such as fraternities.
B. Gang rape diminishes individual responsibility.
C. Participants often have very traditional values about sex roles.
D. Protective measures on campus are often aimed at "stranger rape," when we need to focus more on this acquaintance rape. One change needed being a profound attitudinal change among men.
#8 "Understanding Women's Experiences of Wife Rape"
A. This is a long descriptive piece which was covered in some detail in the class report. It basically dissects the motives of husbands who do this and the coping strategies of the victims. I believe it is important to note that only fairly recently has this come to be recognized as a criminal act.
B. Perhaps the "bottom line" might be that somehow men must be taught not to treat women as sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives.
That's all I have to add. Tomorrow we'll hear reports on Chapters 4 & 5. Remember, as I noted in class, I realize some families have lost members recently, so I expect there will be gaps in your reports. Just go ahead with what you originally planned to report on; you do NOT have to cover for family members who may have dropped out. AND ALSO REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE READING THESE CHAPTERS AS WELL.
Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes
A. Dabney opens by noting how sexual assault has a significant effect on the daily thoughts and actions of American women.
1. According to the NCVS for 2001, 250,000 women fell victim to some form of unwanted sexual advance.
2. It is estimated that some form of sexually assaultive action is present in 1 of every 10 violent crimes involving a female.
3. Surprisingly, however -- "Aside from murder, the crimes of rape and sexual assault occur with less regularity than any other form of violent crime." Collectively, rape and sexual assault offenses accounted for only a small fraction (4%) of the more than 5.9 million violent crime victimizations that occurred nationally, according to the NCVS in 2003.
4. Nonetheless, over a lifetime women have a 1 in 6 chance of being a victim of rape.
5. Also, reported rapes are one-third of NCVS figures, which is better than it used to be. Back in the 1960s the ratio was one in nine.
B. Dabney reviews various theories, which were brought out in the report. These appear on pp. 82-83 and you should know what they are. I simply want to make a couple critical remarks about a couple of the theories.
1. First, the gender inequality theory makes sense. However, if it predicts higher rates of rape in patriarchal societies where women are considered the sexual servants of men, this is contradicted by many Asian societies, such as Japan, which are patriarchal yet have very low rates of rape.
2. Also, I am a bit dubious about some of the evidence for the pornography theory. Correlating rape with the circulation rates of adult magazines in various states is hardly conclusive. There are so many other factors that could be considered as well.
C. Some other interesting statistics: (1) In 70% of all rapes and sexual assualts, the victim is known to the offender. (2) As you might imagine, drugs and alcohol are often involved -- in 46% of cases.
D. I was a bit surprised by a 1990 study (bottom, p. 85) which suggested that violent resistance to rape serves as an effective means of preventing rape completion and reducing the level of injuries sustained, which highlights the value of self-defense classes.
E. There is some confusion in recidivism numbers (p. 86). The overall recidivism rate of 42% (which would include being re-arrested for any crime) is low compared to other crime types. But then Dabney suggests that, according to one study, rapists are re-arrested for a sex crime at a high rate -- that one in ten rapists will be re-arrested for a similar crime at some point in the future. But that is only 10%, and I am not sure how that compares with other crimes. So I am not sure it is fair to say that is a high or disproportionate rate.
#6 "Riding the Bull at Gilley's"
A. This article poses a very basic question: is rape mainly attributable to "sick individuals" or a "sick culture." This article clearly challenges the psychopathology model and argues that rape is learned. (Which obviously suggests the possible application of Social Learning theory.)
1. Males being sexually aggressive is considered natural, normal. There is evidence of neutralization or rationalization of rape.
2. So, again, overall rape is seen as more a product of a "sick culture" than sick individuals.
#7 "Acquaintance Gang Rape on Campus"
A. Highlights the role of organizations such as fraternities.
B. Gang rape diminishes individual responsibility.
C. Participants often have very traditional values about sex roles.
D. Protective measures on campus are often aimed at "stranger rape," when we need to focus more on this acquaintance rape. One change needed being a profound attitudinal change among men.
#8 "Understanding Women's Experiences of Wife Rape"
A. This is a long descriptive piece which was covered in some detail in the class report. It basically dissects the motives of husbands who do this and the coping strategies of the victims. I believe it is important to note that only fairly recently has this come to be recognized as a criminal act.
B. Perhaps the "bottom line" might be that somehow men must be taught not to treat women as sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives.
That's all I have to add. Tomorrow we'll hear reports on Chapters 4 & 5. Remember, as I noted in class, I realize some families have lost members recently, so I expect there will be gaps in your reports. Just go ahead with what you originally planned to report on; you do NOT have to cover for family members who may have dropped out. AND ALSO REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE READING THESE CHAPTERS AS WELL.
Friday, October 24, 2008
First Crime Types' Reports: Chapters 2 & 3
Let me begin by applauding the efforts of the Green and Blue Families to present some of the key points in Chapters 2 & 3. Those who gave their reports yesterday have earned the 5 activity points for this exercise. But please remember that your work is not done just yet. Someone from each family needs to submit TWO SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) based on the information in the reports you gave yesterday. These questions will be considered for inclusion on the final exam. Instead of posting these questions on the blog, you may simply write them out on a sheet of paper and turn them into me sometime by the end of next week when we will be wrapping these reports up. After I get all these questions, I will make my selections and then post them on the blog.
I realize that trying summarize these chapters in a mere 30 minutes or so is not easy to do, nonetheless, I would like to make some general critical remarks about the presentations yesterday, which I hope those presenting this coming week may take to heart.
***Both families had reports that went into too much unnecessary detail, particularly in the reports on some of the articles. Think about what the message of the article is IN GENERAL and perhaps cite a few key passages, but do NOT get tangled up in all the detail such as presenting many stages of this or that, etc.. I believe a fair number of articles get into too much nit-picky detail about motivations, stages, etc..
***Be sensitive to your fellow family members and try not to put them in a bind by taking up much more time than your should have.
***Although a couple of you did some of this, I'd like to see more of an effort to make connections with some of the theories or concepts we've covered in class. As one person did note, there was an obvious connection with Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization," which itself is related to Social Learning theory. (Also, remember how I opened my remarks on Chapter 6.)
What follows are some specific follow-up remarks on the first two reports. Keep in mind that what I present here (along with follow-up remarks on subsequent reports) may be the basis for questions on the final exam.
Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault
A. Dabney reminds us that most homicides start out as assaults (not with death as the intended result), but then they escalate, and access to a weapon, especially a gun, can make it much more likely that a homicide will occur. (p. 14) Certainly, this was a major point in the first article which was reported on in depth.
B. He runs through statistics using NCVS for assaults and UCR for homicide. Both show recent declines, especially for homicide,(about 15-20,000 per year, only 1-2% of all violent crimes).
1. There is a distinct urban connection (suggesting possible relevance of social disorganization theory). (p. 17)
2. Violent crime rate sets the U.S. apart from the rest of the developed world (with the exception of Australia and its much higher assault rate). (pp. 17-18)
3. There is a strong guns/drug trade connection with homicide (65% involved a gun, and 80% of that, a handgun).
C. One-half of all murder and/or assault victims are known or related to the attacker. Also, homicide and assault tend to be INTRA-age and INTRA-racial. The perpetrators are predominantly male - 87.9% of known homicide offenders. There is a very high homicide rate among African American males -- "black males between the ages of 18 and 24 make up 1.1% of the U.S. population but accounted for a staggering 26% of all known homicide offenders and 13% of all homicide victims in 2000." (p. 21)
D. There is a very high RECIDIVISM rate among these violent criminals. (p. 22)
E. Dabney directly challenges the innate, biological explanation for violence. (p. 23)
F. Under "cognitive aspects," he recognizes the significant role of alcohol and drugs. "The volativity of these situations is exacerbated by the fact that most violent combatants commit their crimes while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol." (p. 23)
G. Dabney sees a role for "normative neutralizations." (Sykes and Matza) (p. 25)
H. He also recognizes the role of a "subculture of violence," such as violent media images. (p. 25) I will hand out a critical commentary on this claim in class on Tuesday -- look for that.
#1 "Criminal Homicide as a Situated Transaction"
A. Class report went into great detail on this. I believe most significant about this are a couple of implications: (1) clearly, avoiding a homicide could be accomplished by either side (or the audience) in an altercation backing down and disengaging; and (2) the availability of a weapon makes homicide that much more likely.
#2 "Becoming a Hitman"
A. This directly applies Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization," to being a professional hitman. (see. p. 39, also 40, 41, 42) It deals mainly with the mind states of a hitman, how he defines his victims as "targets". Perhaps, by getting such a person to realize his victims are human beings might be a way of trying to change such an individual.
#3 "Collective and Normative Features of Gang Violence"
A. Stresses the centrality of violence to gangs -- for "protection", also for opportunities to engage in violence. Violence appears to be "functional" for the gang - promotes cohesion.
1. Surprisingly, gang members said that the way to get rid of gangs is to get rid of them. Clearly, a simplistic solution, which reflects how central violence is to their lives, that they can only see violence as a solution.
#4 "Motivation for Gun Possession and Carrying Among Serious Juvenile Offenders"
A. I would just stress an important point made in the conclusion. (last two sentences on p. 67)
#5 "How Women Experience Battering: The Process of Victimization"
A. Interesting and relevant application of Sykes and Matza's "techinques of neutralization" to the victim, as was mentioned in the report. (see mid. p. 71 for overview).
That's all for now. I'll comment on Chapter 3 on Monday.
I realize that trying summarize these chapters in a mere 30 minutes or so is not easy to do, nonetheless, I would like to make some general critical remarks about the presentations yesterday, which I hope those presenting this coming week may take to heart.
***Both families had reports that went into too much unnecessary detail, particularly in the reports on some of the articles. Think about what the message of the article is IN GENERAL and perhaps cite a few key passages, but do NOT get tangled up in all the detail such as presenting many stages of this or that, etc.. I believe a fair number of articles get into too much nit-picky detail about motivations, stages, etc..
***Be sensitive to your fellow family members and try not to put them in a bind by taking up much more time than your should have.
***Although a couple of you did some of this, I'd like to see more of an effort to make connections with some of the theories or concepts we've covered in class. As one person did note, there was an obvious connection with Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization," which itself is related to Social Learning theory. (Also, remember how I opened my remarks on Chapter 6.)
What follows are some specific follow-up remarks on the first two reports. Keep in mind that what I present here (along with follow-up remarks on subsequent reports) may be the basis for questions on the final exam.
Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault
A. Dabney reminds us that most homicides start out as assaults (not with death as the intended result), but then they escalate, and access to a weapon, especially a gun, can make it much more likely that a homicide will occur. (p. 14) Certainly, this was a major point in the first article which was reported on in depth.
B. He runs through statistics using NCVS for assaults and UCR for homicide. Both show recent declines, especially for homicide,(about 15-20,000 per year, only 1-2% of all violent crimes).
1. There is a distinct urban connection (suggesting possible relevance of social disorganization theory). (p. 17)
2. Violent crime rate sets the U.S. apart from the rest of the developed world (with the exception of Australia and its much higher assault rate). (pp. 17-18)
3. There is a strong guns/drug trade connection with homicide (65% involved a gun, and 80% of that, a handgun).
C. One-half of all murder and/or assault victims are known or related to the attacker. Also, homicide and assault tend to be INTRA-age and INTRA-racial. The perpetrators are predominantly male - 87.9% of known homicide offenders. There is a very high homicide rate among African American males -- "black males between the ages of 18 and 24 make up 1.1% of the U.S. population but accounted for a staggering 26% of all known homicide offenders and 13% of all homicide victims in 2000." (p. 21)
D. There is a very high RECIDIVISM rate among these violent criminals. (p. 22)
E. Dabney directly challenges the innate, biological explanation for violence. (p. 23)
F. Under "cognitive aspects," he recognizes the significant role of alcohol and drugs. "The volativity of these situations is exacerbated by the fact that most violent combatants commit their crimes while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol." (p. 23)
G. Dabney sees a role for "normative neutralizations." (Sykes and Matza) (p. 25)
H. He also recognizes the role of a "subculture of violence," such as violent media images. (p. 25) I will hand out a critical commentary on this claim in class on Tuesday -- look for that.
#1 "Criminal Homicide as a Situated Transaction"
A. Class report went into great detail on this. I believe most significant about this are a couple of implications: (1) clearly, avoiding a homicide could be accomplished by either side (or the audience) in an altercation backing down and disengaging; and (2) the availability of a weapon makes homicide that much more likely.
#2 "Becoming a Hitman"
A. This directly applies Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization," to being a professional hitman. (see. p. 39, also 40, 41, 42) It deals mainly with the mind states of a hitman, how he defines his victims as "targets". Perhaps, by getting such a person to realize his victims are human beings might be a way of trying to change such an individual.
#3 "Collective and Normative Features of Gang Violence"
A. Stresses the centrality of violence to gangs -- for "protection", also for opportunities to engage in violence. Violence appears to be "functional" for the gang - promotes cohesion.
1. Surprisingly, gang members said that the way to get rid of gangs is to get rid of them. Clearly, a simplistic solution, which reflects how central violence is to their lives, that they can only see violence as a solution.
#4 "Motivation for Gun Possession and Carrying Among Serious Juvenile Offenders"
A. I would just stress an important point made in the conclusion. (last two sentences on p. 67)
#5 "How Women Experience Battering: The Process of Victimization"
A. Interesting and relevant application of Sykes and Matza's "techinques of neutralization" to the victim, as was mentioned in the report. (see mid. p. 71 for overview).
That's all for now. I'll comment on Chapter 3 on Monday.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Comments on Chapter 8, Crime Types & PAPER TOPIC DESCRIPTION
Before posting some additional comments on Chapter 8 of Crime Types, just a couple reminders: (1) To earn 6 points, on a separate sheet of paper I want you to write answers to questions # 4, 10, 15, 21, 33, 35 from the midterm exam. I expect the answers to be correct and complete, and you may do this regardless of whether you missed these questions or not on the exam. Please turn this in by next Tuesday 10/28 along with your exam. (2) Green family report on Chapter 2 & Blue Family report on Chapter 3 will be heard tomorrow (Thurs. 10/23). And now for my addtional comments on Chapter 8:
I left off around p. 320 in the Introduction of Chapter 8.
1. Prosecutors prefer plea bargains because the average white collar defendant has a good legal defense team. Trials are long and expensive. (see last 2 paragraphs p. 321)
2. They are much less likely to go to prison.
3. Informal social control often is not effective. (see 1st paragraph p. 323, and note the reference to Braithwaite and his version of labeling theory)
#19 "The Crash of ValuJet Flight 592: A Case Study in State-Corporate Crime"
A. This article brings together the private and public sectors -- negligent federal regulators bear part of the blame.
B. Organizational crime theorists have relied on three basic concepts to explain the crimes committed by corporations and governments. (see last paragraph p. 333- 334. Sort of a combination of Anomie and Control theories.)
1. The authors even go as far as to say that: "...the goal of capital accumulation can be a highly criminogenic force for organizations." (p. 334)
C. Finally -- "A basic tenet of organizational crime theory is that low levels of external social control provides opportunities to engage in crime." (p. 335) which, I would add, may have some relevance to the current financial crisis.
#20 "The Twisted Road to Genocide: On the Psychological Development of Evil During the Holocaust"
A. Looks at how this horrific act "developed" -- that it was not a fluke or simply the product of a sole mad dictator.
1. "In reality, the mass murder of the Jews and of other peoples was only possible because it could draw on the mass support of all segments of German society and the military." (p. 340)
B. Just as individuals go through a process to become good or moral, likewise there is a psychological development toward evil. Or, one learns to become evil. "Evil and goodness do not 'spring' from inner depths; they are carefully nurtured qualities of the mind." (p. 345) which, to me, suggests the application of differential association or social learning to the organizational level.
1. "Ordinary people, cast in extreme circumstances and initially subjected to great pressures, can become unusually bad or good." (p. 346)
#21 "Recreational Abusers and Therapeutic Self-Medicators: Two Criminal Career Trajectories among Drug Using Pharmacists"
A. Apparently this is a fairly widespread practice in pharmacy schools. They had more of a social support network in school. But recreational use really took off when they got out and became practicing pharmacists.
B. "All of the respondents (50 pharmacists) drew upon their social status as pharmacists to convince themselves that their drug use would not progress into dependency." (p. 360) But IN EVERY CASE occasional prescription drug abuse eventually gave way to an advanced addictive state. (p. 361) which, to me, underscores the power of addiction over people who should know better.
***Please insert these notes in with my other comments on Chapter 8.
______________________________
PAPER TOPIC DESCRIPTION
Below is a write-up of the paper assignment for this course. I do not plan to hand out a hard copy of this assignment, so please refer to this blog post for the details of this assignment.
Sociology 220
Paper Topic
10/22/08
Locate 3 articles relevant to a particular crime type discussed in our text, Crime Types, which you have an interest in investigating more. In searching for these articles, you should focus on more popular publications such as newspapers, popular magazines, and, as a last resort, professional journals in criminology. The articles should each be at least roughly two pages long. In your paper I want you to discuss what insights these articles contain, as well as discuss how they relate to the analysis of that crime type in the text. Do the articles support, not support, or contradict the treatment of that crime type in the text? Finally, I want you to address the question of the implications of what you've learned about this type of criminal behavior for policies to better control or reduce it.
The paper should be roughly 6-7 pages, double-spaced typewritten. PLEASE TURN IN COPIES OF ALL THREE ARTICLES ALONG WITH YOUR PAPER. To cite any passages that you may quote in your paper, you may simply assign a number at the end of the quote and then put the source and page number at the end of the paper on an Endnotes page. This, of course, would include any passages from Crime Types that you might use in your paper. No bibliography is required since I will have the sources that you drew on.
This paper is due on THURSDAY, NOV. 20TH, at which time everyone will have a brief opportunity to summarize your findings for the class (5 minutes, tops). The paper is worth 50 points, and the presentation 5 points.
I left off around p. 320 in the Introduction of Chapter 8.
1. Prosecutors prefer plea bargains because the average white collar defendant has a good legal defense team. Trials are long and expensive. (see last 2 paragraphs p. 321)
2. They are much less likely to go to prison.
3. Informal social control often is not effective. (see 1st paragraph p. 323, and note the reference to Braithwaite and his version of labeling theory)
#19 "The Crash of ValuJet Flight 592: A Case Study in State-Corporate Crime"
A. This article brings together the private and public sectors -- negligent federal regulators bear part of the blame.
B. Organizational crime theorists have relied on three basic concepts to explain the crimes committed by corporations and governments. (see last paragraph p. 333- 334. Sort of a combination of Anomie and Control theories.)
1. The authors even go as far as to say that: "...the goal of capital accumulation can be a highly criminogenic force for organizations." (p. 334)
C. Finally -- "A basic tenet of organizational crime theory is that low levels of external social control provides opportunities to engage in crime." (p. 335) which, I would add, may have some relevance to the current financial crisis.
#20 "The Twisted Road to Genocide: On the Psychological Development of Evil During the Holocaust"
A. Looks at how this horrific act "developed" -- that it was not a fluke or simply the product of a sole mad dictator.
1. "In reality, the mass murder of the Jews and of other peoples was only possible because it could draw on the mass support of all segments of German society and the military." (p. 340)
B. Just as individuals go through a process to become good or moral, likewise there is a psychological development toward evil. Or, one learns to become evil. "Evil and goodness do not 'spring' from inner depths; they are carefully nurtured qualities of the mind." (p. 345) which, to me, suggests the application of differential association or social learning to the organizational level.
1. "Ordinary people, cast in extreme circumstances and initially subjected to great pressures, can become unusually bad or good." (p. 346)
#21 "Recreational Abusers and Therapeutic Self-Medicators: Two Criminal Career Trajectories among Drug Using Pharmacists"
A. Apparently this is a fairly widespread practice in pharmacy schools. They had more of a social support network in school. But recreational use really took off when they got out and became practicing pharmacists.
B. "All of the respondents (50 pharmacists) drew upon their social status as pharmacists to convince themselves that their drug use would not progress into dependency." (p. 360) But IN EVERY CASE occasional prescription drug abuse eventually gave way to an advanced addictive state. (p. 361) which, to me, underscores the power of addiction over people who should know better.
***Please insert these notes in with my other comments on Chapter 8.
______________________________
PAPER TOPIC DESCRIPTION
Below is a write-up of the paper assignment for this course. I do not plan to hand out a hard copy of this assignment, so please refer to this blog post for the details of this assignment.
Sociology 220
Paper Topic
10/22/08
Locate 3 articles relevant to a particular crime type discussed in our text, Crime Types, which you have an interest in investigating more. In searching for these articles, you should focus on more popular publications such as newspapers, popular magazines, and, as a last resort, professional journals in criminology. The articles should each be at least roughly two pages long. In your paper I want you to discuss what insights these articles contain, as well as discuss how they relate to the analysis of that crime type in the text. Do the articles support, not support, or contradict the treatment of that crime type in the text? Finally, I want you to address the question of the implications of what you've learned about this type of criminal behavior for policies to better control or reduce it.
The paper should be roughly 6-7 pages, double-spaced typewritten. PLEASE TURN IN COPIES OF ALL THREE ARTICLES ALONG WITH YOUR PAPER. To cite any passages that you may quote in your paper, you may simply assign a number at the end of the quote and then put the source and page number at the end of the paper on an Endnotes page. This, of course, would include any passages from Crime Types that you might use in your paper. No bibliography is required since I will have the sources that you drew on.
This paper is due on THURSDAY, NOV. 20TH, at which time everyone will have a brief opportunity to summarize your findings for the class (5 minutes, tops). The paper is worth 50 points, and the presentation 5 points.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Family Questions Accepted & Midterm Exam Outline
It is Monday (10/13) morning and I still have not heard from two of the families regarding midterm exam questions. Members of the BLACK and BLUE families will not receive the 3 points for this activity. Below are the questions I accepted from the families that submitted them.
RED FAMILY: (earns 3 points)
What are the THREE elements of Routine Activities Theory? (3pts)
Answer: (1) there are persons motivated to commit crimes
(2) there is a suitable target or victim
(3) there is an absence of formal or informal control agents
YELLOW FAMILY: (earns 3 points, plus one bonus point)
What is the difference between specific and general deterrence? (2pts)
Answer: Specific deterrence is when someone goes clean after being in prison because they have learned their lesson during the time spent there. General deterrence is punishment that is meant to serve as an example not just to the criminal but also to the general public.
Identify any ONE way our "routine activities" have changed since World War II which might explain the increase in crime. (1pt)
Answer: (a) homes vacant during the day because of both spouses working, or
(b) 24hr. convenience stores, or
(c) ATMs
GREEN FAMILY: (earns 3 points)
What was Akers' main criticism of labeling theory, as brought out in the passage I quoted in class and posted on the blog? (2pts)
Answer: (the answer posted needed to be re-worded; the first part was incorrect)
Akers argues that the BEHAVIOR creates the LABEL rather than the label creating the behavior, and the ensuing criminal and deviant behavior continues the label more than the label continues the behavior.
Remember that these questions will be on the test. They will be inserted in the appropriate place.
OUTLINE OF TOPICS COVERED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER
I. Defining Deviant and Criminal Behavior
A. 1965 survey & Soc. 220 Class '02
B. Matza's definition of deviance & criticism
C. Goode's (better) definition of deviance (an improvement over Matza, but still based on attitudes and opinions)
D. Definition of Crime (similar issue with definition of deviance)
II. Crime Statistics
A. Weakness of FBI's Uniform Crime Reports.
B. War on Drugs' Statistics
C. Joel Best, "Telling the Truth About Damned Lies and Statistics" (handout)
III. Theories of Criminal and Deviant Behavior
A. What is theory?
B. Macro-Micro Distinction
C. Comment from "What 'Capturing the Friedmans' Says About Getting Tough on Crime" (posted on the blog)
D. "The Lost Distinction Between Explain and Justify" by Orlando Patterson (handout)
E. Deterrence/Rational Choice/Routine Activities
1. Posted much of this on the blog, especially criticisms of deterrence and rational choice.
2. Critical look at "get tough" policies of the last 25 years which have largely been based on deterrence theory. Also, posted on blog critical comments about "Scared Straight" experiment.
F. Biological and Psychological Theories
1. Lombroso
2. Goring (critic of Lombroso)
3. E.A. Hooten
4. Modern biological theories, XYY, etc. (blog comments from "Elementary, Dr. Watson. The Neurotransmitters Did It")
5. Policy implications of biological theories
6. Psychological theories (psychoanalytical & personality theories)
7. Overall criticism of both biological and psychological theories.
The bulk of this was posted on the blog.
Sociological Theories:
A. Differential Association/Social Learning (Sutherland/Akers)
B. Social Bonding and Control Theories (Hirschi)
1. "3:00, Nowhere to Go" (handout)
C. Labeling Theory (Becker and others)
1. "Saints and Roughnecks" (handout)
D. Social Disorganization Theory (Chicago School sociologists, 1920s & 30s)
E. Anomie or Strain Theory (Robert Merton)
1. Blog material -- description of Merton's anomie theory and relevance to today from The Cheating Culture.
F. Contemporary Theories (all of which focus mainly on what are considered biases in our criminal justice system)
1. Conflict Theory
2. Marxist Theory
3. Feminist Theory
CRIME TYPES, Chapters 1 & 6 which I hope to cover tomorrow in class.
I'll be handing back your essays tomorrow, and I'll try to set aside at least 20 or 30 minutes for review.
RED FAMILY: (earns 3 points)
What are the THREE elements of Routine Activities Theory? (3pts)
Answer: (1) there are persons motivated to commit crimes
(2) there is a suitable target or victim
(3) there is an absence of formal or informal control agents
YELLOW FAMILY: (earns 3 points, plus one bonus point)
What is the difference between specific and general deterrence? (2pts)
Answer: Specific deterrence is when someone goes clean after being in prison because they have learned their lesson during the time spent there. General deterrence is punishment that is meant to serve as an example not just to the criminal but also to the general public.
Identify any ONE way our "routine activities" have changed since World War II which might explain the increase in crime. (1pt)
Answer: (a) homes vacant during the day because of both spouses working, or
(b) 24hr. convenience stores, or
(c) ATMs
GREEN FAMILY: (earns 3 points)
What was Akers' main criticism of labeling theory, as brought out in the passage I quoted in class and posted on the blog? (2pts)
Answer: (the answer posted needed to be re-worded; the first part was incorrect)
Akers argues that the BEHAVIOR creates the LABEL rather than the label creating the behavior, and the ensuing criminal and deviant behavior continues the label more than the label continues the behavior.
Remember that these questions will be on the test. They will be inserted in the appropriate place.
OUTLINE OF TOPICS COVERED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER
I. Defining Deviant and Criminal Behavior
A. 1965 survey & Soc. 220 Class '02
B. Matza's definition of deviance & criticism
C. Goode's (better) definition of deviance (an improvement over Matza, but still based on attitudes and opinions)
D. Definition of Crime (similar issue with definition of deviance)
II. Crime Statistics
A. Weakness of FBI's Uniform Crime Reports.
B. War on Drugs' Statistics
C. Joel Best, "Telling the Truth About Damned Lies and Statistics" (handout)
III. Theories of Criminal and Deviant Behavior
A. What is theory?
B. Macro-Micro Distinction
C. Comment from "What 'Capturing the Friedmans' Says About Getting Tough on Crime" (posted on the blog)
D. "The Lost Distinction Between Explain and Justify" by Orlando Patterson (handout)
E. Deterrence/Rational Choice/Routine Activities
1. Posted much of this on the blog, especially criticisms of deterrence and rational choice.
2. Critical look at "get tough" policies of the last 25 years which have largely been based on deterrence theory. Also, posted on blog critical comments about "Scared Straight" experiment.
F. Biological and Psychological Theories
1. Lombroso
2. Goring (critic of Lombroso)
3. E.A. Hooten
4. Modern biological theories, XYY, etc. (blog comments from "Elementary, Dr. Watson. The Neurotransmitters Did It")
5. Policy implications of biological theories
6. Psychological theories (psychoanalytical & personality theories)
7. Overall criticism of both biological and psychological theories.
The bulk of this was posted on the blog.
Sociological Theories:
A. Differential Association/Social Learning (Sutherland/Akers)
B. Social Bonding and Control Theories (Hirschi)
1. "3:00, Nowhere to Go" (handout)
C. Labeling Theory (Becker and others)
1. "Saints and Roughnecks" (handout)
D. Social Disorganization Theory (Chicago School sociologists, 1920s & 30s)
E. Anomie or Strain Theory (Robert Merton)
1. Blog material -- description of Merton's anomie theory and relevance to today from The Cheating Culture.
F. Contemporary Theories (all of which focus mainly on what are considered biases in our criminal justice system)
1. Conflict Theory
2. Marxist Theory
3. Feminist Theory
CRIME TYPES, Chapters 1 & 6 which I hope to cover tomorrow in class.
I'll be handing back your essays tomorrow, and I'll try to set aside at least 20 or 30 minutes for review.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Quoted Passages & Two Reminders
A short passage from Prof. Akers which I quoted in connection with criticizing Anomie theory:
"...there is little evidence that unemployment motivates people to commit criminal acts. Moreover, crime is as likely to affect unemployment as vice versa."
And then a longer passage which addresses the policy implications of Anomie and other macro-level theories:
"The ultimate policy implications of any structural theory is that basic changes need to be fostered to remove the criminogenic features of economic, political, and social institutions of society. The clear implication of anomie theory, for instance, is to promote the integration of cultural goals and socially approved means, and the redistribution of opportunities in the class system."
Let me add, that despite some of the problems with Social Disorganization & Anomie theories, I believe the general policy implication that stems from them is sound.
REMINDER I: As I noted at the end of class today, I only plan to cover chapters 1 & 6 in Crime Types next Tuesday, so that is all you need to read in Crime Types for the sake of the midterm.
REMINDER II: Post family questions for the midterm exam as a comment on that blog post (Sun. Oct 5th) NO LATER THAN 2PM TOMMORROW (FRI. 10/10)
"...there is little evidence that unemployment motivates people to commit criminal acts. Moreover, crime is as likely to affect unemployment as vice versa."
And then a longer passage which addresses the policy implications of Anomie and other macro-level theories:
"The ultimate policy implications of any structural theory is that basic changes need to be fostered to remove the criminogenic features of economic, political, and social institutions of society. The clear implication of anomie theory, for instance, is to promote the integration of cultural goals and socially approved means, and the redistribution of opportunities in the class system."
Let me add, that despite some of the problems with Social Disorganization & Anomie theories, I believe the general policy implication that stems from them is sound.
REMINDER I: As I noted at the end of class today, I only plan to cover chapters 1 & 6 in Crime Types next Tuesday, so that is all you need to read in Crime Types for the sake of the midterm.
REMINDER II: Post family questions for the midterm exam as a comment on that blog post (Sun. Oct 5th) NO LATER THAN 2PM TOMMORROW (FRI. 10/10)
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Family Activity: Making Up Midterm Exam Questions
I will give the families some time in class beginning this Tuesday (10/7) to brainstorm some possible midterm exam questions. More specifically, I want each family to propose THREE SHORT-ANSWER questions (and answers) based on anything we've covered in class since the beginning of the term. This would include: lecture notes (including those notes and passages posted on the blog), any handouts, and however far we get in Crime Types during this coming week. You will need to come to some consensus on your three best questions, because I will ONLY ACCEPT THREE QUESTIONS FROM EACH FAMILY. I will look these over and then select at least ONE question from each family to appear on the midterm exam. However, for each additional question I accept, that family will receive a bonus point. So, it is possible to earn 2 bonus points for this exercise, and there will be the added advantage of knowing more of the questions on the test. I will give the families roughly 20 minutes of class time on both Tues. (10/7) and Thurs. (10/9)to confer. ALL QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) MUST BE SUBMITTED AS A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST BY 2PM ON FRIDAY, 10/10 -- NO EXCEPTIONS. I want to be able to look over these questions and make my selections by TUESDAY 10/14, when I will set aside some class time for review for the midterm exam which is scheduled for THURSDAY 10/16. This activity is worth 3 points.
In addition to coming up with midterm exam questions, the families should also begin to organize how you will divide up responsibilities in preparing for your report on the Chapter in Crime Types you are responsible for (see: Tuesday, Sept. 30th blog post: Schedule for Crime Types' Reports).
In addition to coming up with midterm exam questions, the families should also begin to organize how you will divide up responsibilities in preparing for your report on the Chapter in Crime Types you are responsible for (see: Tuesday, Sept. 30th blog post: Schedule for Crime Types' Reports).
Friday, October 3, 2008
Quoted Passages & Some Lecture Material
Below are the passages I quoted in class yesterday:
First from Howard Becker, author of The Outsiders, regarding the essence of labeling theory:
"One of the most crucial steps in the process of building a stable pattern of deviant behavior is likely to be the experience of being caught and publicly labeled as a deviant. Whether a person takes this step or not depends not so much on what he does as on what other people do...being caught and branded as a deviant has important consequences for one's futher social participation and self-image."
Then, from Prof. Akers, I quoted his main criticism of labeling theory:
"People are labelled as delinquent, homosexual, mentally ill, drug addicts, child molesters, and so on largely on the basis of overt acts they have committed or are believed to have committed. Therefore, the deviant behavior itself is prior to and forms the basis for the stigmatizing label. THE BEHAVIOR CREATES THE LABEL MORE THAN THE LABEL CREATES THE BEHAVIOR; AND SUBSEQUENT DEVIANT BEHAVIOR CONTINUES THE LABEL MORE THAN THE LABEL CONTINUES THE BEHAVIOR."
Finally, Akers concluding summary statement:
"The principal strength of labeling theory is that it calls attention to the unintended consequences of social control. Its principal weakness is that it essentially ignores primary deviance and seriously underestimates the influence that other variables have on behavior in the first place and continue to have on its future occurrence."
LECTURE MATERIAL: in an effort to get closer to wrapping up my coverage of the theories of criminal and deviant behavior, I am going to post the rest of my notes on SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION theory and introduce ANOMIE.
B. The social disorganization theorists contended that rapid industrialization and urbanization (as in Chicago) caused this social disorganization which, in turn, undermined "social control exercised through traditional social order and values."
(In some ways, I see these theorists as the 1920s & 30s version of the so-called "moral majority" of the 1980s, a religious-political group which stressed the breakdown of traditional morality, decline of the family, secularization of society, even urbanization, etc. as giving rise to higher rates of criminal and deviant behavior in contemporary American society.)
C. Certainly, things have changed in our cities and inner cities since the 1920s. If anything, conditions have deteriorated even further in our inner cities especially and crime rates are higher (even if they have declined somewhat in recent years), as brought out in books such as William Julius Wilson's The Truly Disadvantaged. Yet, there is some basis to question this theory. As Prof. Akers observes --
"To what degree the relationship between inner-city residence and crime is the result of social disorganization remains uncertain...."
"Often the research does not carefully measure social disorganization...."
"The very fact that crime and deviance are high within an area is itself sometimes used tautologically, as an empirical indicator that the area is socially disorganized..."
1. Furthermore, even in those areas characterized as the most disorganizaed, only a minority of youths and even smaller minority of adults are involved in crime (not to mention potential racial or class bias in police practices).
2. Another problem with social disorganization theory, raised many years ago by a prominent American sociologist, C. Wright Mills, was the problem of bias. In an essay entitled, "The Ideology of Social Pathologists" (late 30s), he suggested that these social disorganization theorists had a strong anti-urban bias because of their small-town, religious upbringing which they assumed to be the basis of social order.
D. Despite its apparent bias, among other problems, I believe it makes some sense and it suggests the need to address poor social conditions in order to address the crime problem.
ANOMIE THEORY
A. Like social disorganization theory, this is basically a structural or macro theory which provides an explanation for the concentration of crime in lower class urban areas and among lower class minorities, as well as the overall high crime rate in America.
B. Although the concept of "anomie" derives from the work of Emile Durkehim, Robert Merton gave it a different twist. He defined it as follows:
"Anomie is the form that societal malintegration takes when there is a dissociation (or disjunction) between valued cultural ends and legitimate societal means to these ends."
C. This condition of anomie (or means-ends disjunction), Merton argued, was endemic to American society. (Indeed, one could argue today that the gap is as wide as it has ever between the so-called "haves and have nots.")
1. We have a strong emphasis on success in a monetary or material sense, but not an equally strong emphasis on socially approved means -- that is, getting ahead at any cost is a preoccupation. And the disjunction between means and ends is perpetuated by continuing economic and social inequality.
(ThIS is where that handout from The Cheating Culture comes in, which represents a very good statment of Merton's theory.)
2. So, those groups which are blocked from legitimate means to material success feel the pressure or strain more than others and are more likely to resort to illegitimate means.
_____________________________
That's all for now. On Monday, look for a description of the family exercise which will involve making up questions for the midterm exam. AND DO NOT FORGET THAT YOUR FIRST ESSAY IS DUE NEXT TUESDAY.
First from Howard Becker, author of The Outsiders, regarding the essence of labeling theory:
"One of the most crucial steps in the process of building a stable pattern of deviant behavior is likely to be the experience of being caught and publicly labeled as a deviant. Whether a person takes this step or not depends not so much on what he does as on what other people do...being caught and branded as a deviant has important consequences for one's futher social participation and self-image."
Then, from Prof. Akers, I quoted his main criticism of labeling theory:
"People are labelled as delinquent, homosexual, mentally ill, drug addicts, child molesters, and so on largely on the basis of overt acts they have committed or are believed to have committed. Therefore, the deviant behavior itself is prior to and forms the basis for the stigmatizing label. THE BEHAVIOR CREATES THE LABEL MORE THAN THE LABEL CREATES THE BEHAVIOR; AND SUBSEQUENT DEVIANT BEHAVIOR CONTINUES THE LABEL MORE THAN THE LABEL CONTINUES THE BEHAVIOR."
Finally, Akers concluding summary statement:
"The principal strength of labeling theory is that it calls attention to the unintended consequences of social control. Its principal weakness is that it essentially ignores primary deviance and seriously underestimates the influence that other variables have on behavior in the first place and continue to have on its future occurrence."
LECTURE MATERIAL: in an effort to get closer to wrapping up my coverage of the theories of criminal and deviant behavior, I am going to post the rest of my notes on SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION theory and introduce ANOMIE.
B. The social disorganization theorists contended that rapid industrialization and urbanization (as in Chicago) caused this social disorganization which, in turn, undermined "social control exercised through traditional social order and values."
(In some ways, I see these theorists as the 1920s & 30s version of the so-called "moral majority" of the 1980s, a religious-political group which stressed the breakdown of traditional morality, decline of the family, secularization of society, even urbanization, etc. as giving rise to higher rates of criminal and deviant behavior in contemporary American society.)
C. Certainly, things have changed in our cities and inner cities since the 1920s. If anything, conditions have deteriorated even further in our inner cities especially and crime rates are higher (even if they have declined somewhat in recent years), as brought out in books such as William Julius Wilson's The Truly Disadvantaged. Yet, there is some basis to question this theory. As Prof. Akers observes --
"To what degree the relationship between inner-city residence and crime is the result of social disorganization remains uncertain...."
"Often the research does not carefully measure social disorganization...."
"The very fact that crime and deviance are high within an area is itself sometimes used tautologically, as an empirical indicator that the area is socially disorganized..."
1. Furthermore, even in those areas characterized as the most disorganizaed, only a minority of youths and even smaller minority of adults are involved in crime (not to mention potential racial or class bias in police practices).
2. Another problem with social disorganization theory, raised many years ago by a prominent American sociologist, C. Wright Mills, was the problem of bias. In an essay entitled, "The Ideology of Social Pathologists" (late 30s), he suggested that these social disorganization theorists had a strong anti-urban bias because of their small-town, religious upbringing which they assumed to be the basis of social order.
D. Despite its apparent bias, among other problems, I believe it makes some sense and it suggests the need to address poor social conditions in order to address the crime problem.
ANOMIE THEORY
A. Like social disorganization theory, this is basically a structural or macro theory which provides an explanation for the concentration of crime in lower class urban areas and among lower class minorities, as well as the overall high crime rate in America.
B. Although the concept of "anomie" derives from the work of Emile Durkehim, Robert Merton gave it a different twist. He defined it as follows:
"Anomie is the form that societal malintegration takes when there is a dissociation (or disjunction) between valued cultural ends and legitimate societal means to these ends."
C. This condition of anomie (or means-ends disjunction), Merton argued, was endemic to American society. (Indeed, one could argue today that the gap is as wide as it has ever between the so-called "haves and have nots.")
1. We have a strong emphasis on success in a monetary or material sense, but not an equally strong emphasis on socially approved means -- that is, getting ahead at any cost is a preoccupation. And the disjunction between means and ends is perpetuated by continuing economic and social inequality.
(ThIS is where that handout from The Cheating Culture comes in, which represents a very good statment of Merton's theory.)
2. So, those groups which are blocked from legitimate means to material success feel the pressure or strain more than others and are more likely to resort to illegitimate means.
_____________________________
That's all for now. On Monday, look for a description of the family exercise which will involve making up questions for the midterm exam. AND DO NOT FORGET THAT YOUR FIRST ESSAY IS DUE NEXT TUESDAY.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Schedule for Crime Types' Reports & Next Couple Weeks
First, remember to check out the MONDAY, SEPT. 29TH blog post in which I describe what I want each of the families to do in your chapter reports. Also, as I noted this morning, this will be a 5 point activity. Now that we know which chapters each of the families will be responsible for, let me set down a schedule for this, including for the next couple weeks:
THURS. 10/2: continue presenting sociological theories of criminal behavior, beginning with so-called "Labeling Theory".
TUES. 10/7: FIRST ESSAY DUE. Final comments on theories. I will talk about Preface and Chapter 1 of Crime Types. (Time for families to organize reports and brainstorm midterm exam questions). BRING YOUR BOOKS.
THURS. 10/9: I'll report on Chapters 6 & 8 of Crime Types. (family time to finalize some midterm exam questions).
TUES. 10/14: I'll cover any loose ends on Crime Types and theories. Review for midterm exam. Probably also hand back essays.
THURS. 10/16: MIDTERM EXAM.
TUES. 10/21: Crime Types' Report: Chap. 2 (Green Family) Most likely hand back midterm exams and go over in class.
THURS. 10/23: Crime Types' Reports: Chap. 3 (Blue Family); Chap. 4 (Yellow Family)
TUES. 10/28: Crime Types' Reports: Chap. 5 (Black Family); Chap. 7 (Red Family).
***We'll try to stick to this schedule. Since your reports will come after the midterm exam, you will be making up questions for the final exam. Also, you need to read at least the Preface and Chapters 1, 6 & 8 prior to the midterm.
THURS. 10/2: continue presenting sociological theories of criminal behavior, beginning with so-called "Labeling Theory".
TUES. 10/7: FIRST ESSAY DUE. Final comments on theories. I will talk about Preface and Chapter 1 of Crime Types. (Time for families to organize reports and brainstorm midterm exam questions). BRING YOUR BOOKS.
THURS. 10/9: I'll report on Chapters 6 & 8 of Crime Types. (family time to finalize some midterm exam questions).
TUES. 10/14: I'll cover any loose ends on Crime Types and theories. Review for midterm exam. Probably also hand back essays.
THURS. 10/16: MIDTERM EXAM.
TUES. 10/21: Crime Types' Report: Chap. 2 (Green Family) Most likely hand back midterm exams and go over in class.
THURS. 10/23: Crime Types' Reports: Chap. 3 (Blue Family); Chap. 4 (Yellow Family)
TUES. 10/28: Crime Types' Reports: Chap. 5 (Black Family); Chap. 7 (Red Family).
***We'll try to stick to this schedule. Since your reports will come after the midterm exam, you will be making up questions for the final exam. Also, you need to read at least the Preface and Chapters 1, 6 & 8 prior to the midterm.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Family Activity: Crime Types Chapter Reports
First thing in class tomorrow (Tues. 9/30) someone from each family will choose a chapter in Crime Types which that family will be responsible for reporting on to the rest of the class. Since we have five families, that will mean the families will cover five chapters in Crime Types, and I will be responsible for covering the remainder. These will be oral reports, however, I also want each family to submit TWO SHORT-ANSWER EXAM QUESTIONS (and answers) based on your report. Submit these questions in writing to me. Plan on taking roughly 30 minutes to cover each chapter, and every family member should contribute to this oral report in some way. In these reports, I want you to address the following:
(1) A general overview of the chapter, including the selected articles. Please DO NOT TRY TO COVER EVERYTHING because that would take too long. Focus on main points and a few supporting examples and statistics.
(2) Draw out at least a couple connections to the theories of criminal and deviant behavior we covered in class lecture. And by "connections" I mean not only things which support a particular theory but also points which may go against or contradict a theory.
(3) Identify implications of what you have learned about your crime type which may have use in developing strategies for controlling or reducing that type of criminal behavior.
(4) Finally, as I noted above, two short-answer exam questions which I may use on either the midterm exam or final exam.
After each family knows which chapter it will be reporting on, I will make up a schedule of when you will be called upon to present your chapter to the class. I anticipate that we will not finish this until after the midterm exam which will be coming up in a couple weeks, so some of you may be reporting on your chapters after the midterm exam. Of course, everyone is responsible for reading ALL of Crime Types, and not just the chapter you'll be reporting on.
See you tomorrow.
(1) A general overview of the chapter, including the selected articles. Please DO NOT TRY TO COVER EVERYTHING because that would take too long. Focus on main points and a few supporting examples and statistics.
(2) Draw out at least a couple connections to the theories of criminal and deviant behavior we covered in class lecture. And by "connections" I mean not only things which support a particular theory but also points which may go against or contradict a theory.
(3) Identify implications of what you have learned about your crime type which may have use in developing strategies for controlling or reducing that type of criminal behavior.
(4) Finally, as I noted above, two short-answer exam questions which I may use on either the midterm exam or final exam.
After each family knows which chapter it will be reporting on, I will make up a schedule of when you will be called upon to present your chapter to the class. I anticipate that we will not finish this until after the midterm exam which will be coming up in a couple weeks, so some of you may be reporting on your chapters after the midterm exam. Of course, everyone is responsible for reading ALL of Crime Types, and not just the chapter you'll be reporting on.
See you tomorrow.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Essay I Description
Since I ran out of copies of the brief write-up for the first essay yesterday, I decided to post it on the blog, which I probably should have done to begin with. So, here it is:
Sociology 220
Essay I
9/23/08
A. For this first essay you will need to review the comment you posted on our course blog regarding your explanation for criminal behavior and/or fluctuations in the crime rate. First, I want you to RE-WRITE that comment, making needed corrections, perhaps also deleting or, more likely, adding a few sentences to make it more complete and coherent. Then, you should discuss how your ideas relate (i.e., are consistent or inconsistent) with any TWO aspects of what I have covered in class lecture, especially the various theories of criminal and deviant behavior. Finally, I want you to be critical of your own theory; that is, identify what you believe is a weakness in your own theory.
B. The essay should be roughly 3 pages (single-spaced handwritten or double-spaced typewritten).
C. It is due on or before TUESDAY, OCT. 7th. Normally, I would give you a week for such an essay, but in this case I want to make sure to have covered all of the various theories, which should take me another week and a half.
_____________________________
We will get back to the theories in class next Tuesday (9/30). Also, don't forget that each family will choose a chapter in Crime Types to report on. I will post what I want you to do in those reports on this blog on Monday (9/29).
Sociology 220
Essay I
9/23/08
A. For this first essay you will need to review the comment you posted on our course blog regarding your explanation for criminal behavior and/or fluctuations in the crime rate. First, I want you to RE-WRITE that comment, making needed corrections, perhaps also deleting or, more likely, adding a few sentences to make it more complete and coherent. Then, you should discuss how your ideas relate (i.e., are consistent or inconsistent) with any TWO aspects of what I have covered in class lecture, especially the various theories of criminal and deviant behavior. Finally, I want you to be critical of your own theory; that is, identify what you believe is a weakness in your own theory.
B. The essay should be roughly 3 pages (single-spaced handwritten or double-spaced typewritten).
C. It is due on or before TUESDAY, OCT. 7th. Normally, I would give you a week for such an essay, but in this case I want to make sure to have covered all of the various theories, which should take me another week and a half.
_____________________________
We will get back to the theories in class next Tuesday (9/30). Also, don't forget that each family will choose a chapter in Crime Types to report on. I will post what I want you to do in those reports on this blog on Monday (9/29).
Monday, September 22, 2008
Lecture Material: Biological and Psychological Theories
Although we are not terribly behind, I decided to go ahead and post the remainder of my lecture notes on the biological and psychological theories, especially since I don't claim any real expertise in these fields. This will allow me to begin to talk about the main sociological theories tomorrow.
I left off by noting how in 1939 E.A. Hooten resurrected a theory of criminal behavior reminiscent of Lombroso in which he argued that criminals are basically "organically inferior." (And, indeed, Edwin Sutherland, the father of American criminology, developed his theory of Differential Association in part as a critical response to Hooten. As we'll see, Sutherland also pioneered the field of white collar crime, whereas Hooten and other biological theorists had studied only street criminals.)
6. By the 1950s, biological theories in criminology had pretty much been discredited. Sociological theories were coming into vogue. But biological theories did not die but were resurrected and have become more sophisticated due to our increasingly sophisticated understanding of human physiology and genetics.
a. For example, in the 1960s biological explanations got a short-lived boost from the "XYY super-male criminal theory" -- that an additional Y chromosome makes men more volatile and aggressive. But, among other problems, it was found that only a small proportion of XYY males commit crimes of any kind, and there is no evidence that the XYY syndrome is the specific cause of any criminal behavior. And, of course, what about female criminals?
7. Modern biological theories of crime and delinquency, often based on new advances in genetics, neurology, biochemistry, are considered more respectable, despite some methodological problems. They are more sophisticated than the early, simplistic BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM of people like Lombroso. These modern theorists do acknowledge the role of other social factors, and they largely relegate biological factors to the role of PROPENSITIES or PREDISPOSITIONS, which I would argue is the most that can be claimed for any biological theory.
a. In a commentary entitled, "Elementary, Dr. Watson. The Neurotransmiters Did It.", science correspondent for the New York Times, Natalie Angier, examined some recent biological theories. She quoted a neurobiologist at Harvard University, Evan S. Balaban, who noted that part of what is driving this interest in biological theories is people want a simple answer to crime -- "that perhaps a lot of criminals really are just born defective."
Then toward the end of this commentary, Ms. Angier notes that at best theories such as low serotonin levels in the brain being linked to violence and aggression may have identified a PREDISPOSITION to violent criminal behavior, but that social environmental factors such as easy access to guns, poor schools, few jobs, etc. must also be considered part of the equation. And that to intervene to prevent criminal violence will take more than just putting everyone on Prozac, if that were even feasible or acceptable.
8. Policy Implications of Biological Theories
a. Older, more deterministic theories would lead to more drastic measures. Criminals really could only be changed through some medical or surgical intervention, or through selective breeding (which Hooten actually suggested), or completely isolating these born criminals from society through incapacitation in prison or execution.
b. Contemporary biological theorists support such interventions as dietary therapy, genetic counseling, drug therapies, but they would also support changes in the social environment.
1. In this context, you would have to deal with the problem of "false positives" -- people who may have some of these biological characteristics but will not go on to commit crimes. Often talking about 50% or more (not just a few)-- the question being: would early (preventative) intervention with some drug therapy be justified if half of those receiving it really did not need it?
Psychological Theories: I want to address briefly TWO broad categories of such theories, recognizing that this is far from exhaustive or adequate.
1. One type of psychological theory that was more popular some years ago was the psychoanalytic theory based on the Freudian view of the psyche, consisting of the id, ego, and superego.
a. Without getting very specific, one could say that the psychoanalytic explanation relies heavily on irrational, unconscious motivations (emanating from the id) not being properly handled by other aspects of the psyche -- the ego and superego (repressed sexuality, guilt, or abnormal maturation or control of instincts).
b. It is difficult to assess the empirical validity of psychoanalytic theories because they rely on a careful examination of individual cases by a trained psychoanalyst, and however compelling they may seem, you cannot extrapolate to the larger population. Which is also to say, it is difficult to replicate or independently verify the psychoanalysts' diagnosis.
2. Then you have what could be called personality theories. Here you are dealing with more conscious, observable (measurable) aspects of personality. The basic proposition being that criminals have abnormal, inadequate or specifically criminal personalities or personality traits that set them apart from law-abiding people.
a. This would include traits such as aggressiveness, impulsiveness, sensation-seeking, risk-taking, etc. (although we should acknowledge that these traits do NOT necessarily manifest themselves in criminal behavior.)
b. Apparently, (according to Prof. Akers) research results on the causative effects of such personality traits on criminal and deviant behavior have been inconsistent.
c. You also run into the problem of TAUTOLOGY (that is, a circular argument or true by definition and so incapable of being disproven). For example, a psychopathic personality being measured in part by a prior history of criminal and deviant behavior would make the argument that such a personality leads to criminal behavior true by definition, which is a TAUTOLOGY.
3. Psychological counseling of various kinds is widely employed in delinquency prevention and treatment programs. Such counseling is also found in virtually every residential and non-residential facility for treating criminal offenders. But the effectiveness of these programs has not been demonstrated, which would suggest that perhaps the theory behind it is not very good.
I would like to conclude this obviously superficial treatment of biological and psychological theories with what I believe is a valid overall criticism:
I believe that neither theory by itself, or even in combination, can offer a completely adequate explanation for criminal and deviant behavior for the basic reason that: THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT BIOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL BEING. THE INDIVIDUAL IS ALSO A SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BEING. That is to say, the individual is really a system of relations which includes the biological, psychological, and especially the SOCIAL. So any explanation of any aspect of human behavior which ignores the social dimension of who we are is necessarily inadequate. Indeed, I believe most biological and psychological theorists would concede this point.
So, lets then turn our attention to the main sociological theories of criminal and deviant behavior.
That's all for now. I may address a few of the points brought out above in class tomorrow, but I also plan to move on quickly to the sociological theories. As I mentioned in the blog post on Friday, I will also have a write-up of your first out-of-class essay to hand out.
I left off by noting how in 1939 E.A. Hooten resurrected a theory of criminal behavior reminiscent of Lombroso in which he argued that criminals are basically "organically inferior." (And, indeed, Edwin Sutherland, the father of American criminology, developed his theory of Differential Association in part as a critical response to Hooten. As we'll see, Sutherland also pioneered the field of white collar crime, whereas Hooten and other biological theorists had studied only street criminals.)
6. By the 1950s, biological theories in criminology had pretty much been discredited. Sociological theories were coming into vogue. But biological theories did not die but were resurrected and have become more sophisticated due to our increasingly sophisticated understanding of human physiology and genetics.
a. For example, in the 1960s biological explanations got a short-lived boost from the "XYY super-male criminal theory" -- that an additional Y chromosome makes men more volatile and aggressive. But, among other problems, it was found that only a small proportion of XYY males commit crimes of any kind, and there is no evidence that the XYY syndrome is the specific cause of any criminal behavior. And, of course, what about female criminals?
7. Modern biological theories of crime and delinquency, often based on new advances in genetics, neurology, biochemistry, are considered more respectable, despite some methodological problems. They are more sophisticated than the early, simplistic BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM of people like Lombroso. These modern theorists do acknowledge the role of other social factors, and they largely relegate biological factors to the role of PROPENSITIES or PREDISPOSITIONS, which I would argue is the most that can be claimed for any biological theory.
a. In a commentary entitled, "Elementary, Dr. Watson. The Neurotransmiters Did It.", science correspondent for the New York Times, Natalie Angier, examined some recent biological theories. She quoted a neurobiologist at Harvard University, Evan S. Balaban, who noted that part of what is driving this interest in biological theories is people want a simple answer to crime -- "that perhaps a lot of criminals really are just born defective."
Then toward the end of this commentary, Ms. Angier notes that at best theories such as low serotonin levels in the brain being linked to violence and aggression may have identified a PREDISPOSITION to violent criminal behavior, but that social environmental factors such as easy access to guns, poor schools, few jobs, etc. must also be considered part of the equation. And that to intervene to prevent criminal violence will take more than just putting everyone on Prozac, if that were even feasible or acceptable.
8. Policy Implications of Biological Theories
a. Older, more deterministic theories would lead to more drastic measures. Criminals really could only be changed through some medical or surgical intervention, or through selective breeding (which Hooten actually suggested), or completely isolating these born criminals from society through incapacitation in prison or execution.
b. Contemporary biological theorists support such interventions as dietary therapy, genetic counseling, drug therapies, but they would also support changes in the social environment.
1. In this context, you would have to deal with the problem of "false positives" -- people who may have some of these biological characteristics but will not go on to commit crimes. Often talking about 50% or more (not just a few)-- the question being: would early (preventative) intervention with some drug therapy be justified if half of those receiving it really did not need it?
Psychological Theories: I want to address briefly TWO broad categories of such theories, recognizing that this is far from exhaustive or adequate.
1. One type of psychological theory that was more popular some years ago was the psychoanalytic theory based on the Freudian view of the psyche, consisting of the id, ego, and superego.
a. Without getting very specific, one could say that the psychoanalytic explanation relies heavily on irrational, unconscious motivations (emanating from the id) not being properly handled by other aspects of the psyche -- the ego and superego (repressed sexuality, guilt, or abnormal maturation or control of instincts).
b. It is difficult to assess the empirical validity of psychoanalytic theories because they rely on a careful examination of individual cases by a trained psychoanalyst, and however compelling they may seem, you cannot extrapolate to the larger population. Which is also to say, it is difficult to replicate or independently verify the psychoanalysts' diagnosis.
2. Then you have what could be called personality theories. Here you are dealing with more conscious, observable (measurable) aspects of personality. The basic proposition being that criminals have abnormal, inadequate or specifically criminal personalities or personality traits that set them apart from law-abiding people.
a. This would include traits such as aggressiveness, impulsiveness, sensation-seeking, risk-taking, etc. (although we should acknowledge that these traits do NOT necessarily manifest themselves in criminal behavior.)
b. Apparently, (according to Prof. Akers) research results on the causative effects of such personality traits on criminal and deviant behavior have been inconsistent.
c. You also run into the problem of TAUTOLOGY (that is, a circular argument or true by definition and so incapable of being disproven). For example, a psychopathic personality being measured in part by a prior history of criminal and deviant behavior would make the argument that such a personality leads to criminal behavior true by definition, which is a TAUTOLOGY.
3. Psychological counseling of various kinds is widely employed in delinquency prevention and treatment programs. Such counseling is also found in virtually every residential and non-residential facility for treating criminal offenders. But the effectiveness of these programs has not been demonstrated, which would suggest that perhaps the theory behind it is not very good.
I would like to conclude this obviously superficial treatment of biological and psychological theories with what I believe is a valid overall criticism:
I believe that neither theory by itself, or even in combination, can offer a completely adequate explanation for criminal and deviant behavior for the basic reason that: THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT BIOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL BEING. THE INDIVIDUAL IS ALSO A SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BEING. That is to say, the individual is really a system of relations which includes the biological, psychological, and especially the SOCIAL. So any explanation of any aspect of human behavior which ignores the social dimension of who we are is necessarily inadequate. Indeed, I believe most biological and psychological theorists would concede this point.
So, lets then turn our attention to the main sociological theories of criminal and deviant behavior.
That's all for now. I may address a few of the points brought out above in class tomorrow, but I also plan to move on quickly to the sociological theories. As I mentioned in the blog post on Friday, I will also have a write-up of your first out-of-class essay to hand out.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Quoted Passages & Reminders
Regarding Rutgers University's critical analysis of the "Scared Straight" experiment and similar programs which employ get tough or scare tactics to try to prevent juvenile crime:
" 'Deterrence,' the Rutgers researchers began their second report, 'has long been one of the fundamental goals of the criminal justice system, and more recently of the juvenile justice system as well. Unfortunately, little is known about the deterrent effects of exposure to these systems.' In any case, the researchers went on, studies suggest that the CERTAINTY of punishment has more impact on crime than the SEVERITY. The lifers at Rahway can expound on the horrors of the place to their young audiences, but they cannot guarantee tham that the kids are going to end up there if they steal a purse or sell some drugs. 'Perceived severity,' the researchers concluded, 'has no particular deterrent effect.' "
And it appears that those who were supposedly "scared straight" actually got into more trouble than those who weren't: "Six of the 19 who went to Rahway with no prior record were arrested within the next six months. Only one of the 21 with no prior record who did not go to Rahway was arrested subsequently."
Finally: "...Richard J. Lundman and Frank Scarpitti looked at 40 juvenile delinquency prevention programs. 'Our own research and the research of others' they wrote, 'lead us to the nearly inescapable conclusion that few, if any, of these efforts successfully prevented delinquency.' The authors suggest less optimism, for the moment: so far, the program hasn't been devised that will knock out juvenile crimes. With the best intentions, the lifers at Rahway can't transform city schools, poor and broken families, jobless summers. Too many of us, the Rutgers researchers write near the end of their report, 'have failed to take account of these realities, and consequently have raised unrealistic expectations and goals for the Project.' This research, like that of Lundman and Scarpitti, suggests that people consider sociological and psychological causes in future programs for delinquency prevention."
REMINDERS: I should have a write-up of our first out-of-class essay on Tuesday (9/23), so look for that. Also, since we are a bit behind, on Monday I may post some of my lecture notes on biological and psychological theories.
" 'Deterrence,' the Rutgers researchers began their second report, 'has long been one of the fundamental goals of the criminal justice system, and more recently of the juvenile justice system as well. Unfortunately, little is known about the deterrent effects of exposure to these systems.' In any case, the researchers went on, studies suggest that the CERTAINTY of punishment has more impact on crime than the SEVERITY. The lifers at Rahway can expound on the horrors of the place to their young audiences, but they cannot guarantee tham that the kids are going to end up there if they steal a purse or sell some drugs. 'Perceived severity,' the researchers concluded, 'has no particular deterrent effect.' "
And it appears that those who were supposedly "scared straight" actually got into more trouble than those who weren't: "Six of the 19 who went to Rahway with no prior record were arrested within the next six months. Only one of the 21 with no prior record who did not go to Rahway was arrested subsequently."
Finally: "...Richard J. Lundman and Frank Scarpitti looked at 40 juvenile delinquency prevention programs. 'Our own research and the research of others' they wrote, 'lead us to the nearly inescapable conclusion that few, if any, of these efforts successfully prevented delinquency.' The authors suggest less optimism, for the moment: so far, the program hasn't been devised that will knock out juvenile crimes. With the best intentions, the lifers at Rahway can't transform city schools, poor and broken families, jobless summers. Too many of us, the Rutgers researchers write near the end of their report, 'have failed to take account of these realities, and consequently have raised unrealistic expectations and goals for the Project.' This research, like that of Lundman and Scarpitti, suggests that people consider sociological and psychological causes in future programs for delinquency prevention."
REMINDERS: I should have a write-up of our first out-of-class essay on Tuesday (9/23), so look for that. Also, since we are a bit behind, on Monday I may post some of my lecture notes on biological and psychological theories.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Quoted Passages & Lecture Material
Yesterday (Tues., 9/16) I quoted two passages from a book entitled, The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice (4th ed.), which questioned the validity of deterrence theory. First, with regard to deterrence and capital punishment:
" A simple test of deterrence is whether states or countries with the death penalty have lower homicide rates than those that don't. There is no evidence to indicate that this is true. The United States is the only Western democracy that retains capital punishment; it is also the country with the highest homicide rate in the industrialized world. Comparative analyses of regions within the U.S. reveal the same pattern. Southern states account for about 80 percent of all executions, and the South is the only region with a homicide rate above the national average. The homicide rate in states that have retained the death penalty is 6.6; the rate for non-death penalty states is 3.5." (p. 335)
Then, a broader criticism from the same source which I quoted:
"If prison terms deterred further criminality, we would expect that people who go to prison would be among those least likely to return there. However, the fact is that within 3 years of release from prison 47 percent were reconvicted for a new crime."
"So the commonsense logic of deterrence is neither logical nor sensible. It is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of both criminals and crime. For deterrence to work, the offender must be a logical actor who understands the consequences of criminal behavior, knows the penalties, and weighs the costs of the crime against the benefits of crime. Logic and calm reflection are simply not parts of the crime equation. In addition, a sizable number of offenders are people without hope, living in desparate circumstances. They are the poor, unemployed, the uneducated, and the socially alienated. Fear of prison is a relatively minor consideration when stacked up against the hopelessness of their day-to-day existence. Yet, police and politicians continue to pledge eradiction of mythical crime problems through more law and order and more punishment." (pp. 362-363)
Since the above passages also speak to the validity of Rational Choice theory, let me go ahead and include my lecture notes on that:
RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY came into vogue in the 1980s, and it was introduced by economists who attempted to explain not only criminal behavior but all kinds of human behavior. It is based on the same general view of human nature in classical criminology. More specifically, it derives from the "expected utility" principle in economics -- that people will make rational decisions to act in certain ways based on the extent to which their choice of actions will maximize their profits and minimize costs or losses.
1. However, to quote the critical analysis of Prof. Ronald Akers (author of Criminological Theories (4th ed.): "Does an offender choose to commit a crime with full knowledge and free will, taking into account only a carefully reasoned...set of costs and benefits? If it is this kind of rationality that rational choice theory assumes, then the theory has virtually no empirical validity. The purely rational calculation of the probable consequences of an action is a rarity even among the general conforming public." (p. 24)
a. As I also commented yesterday, I would stress that most people most of the time, much less criminals who are generally less educated and more impulsive, do NOT act this way.
b. Indeed, well over half of those involved in crimes such as manslaughter or assault were under the influence of alcohol. And the last time I checked, alcohol is not known to enhance one's rational faculties.
2. Studies of repeat offenders also seem to bear out that criminals generally are not the rationally calculating actors deterrence and rational choice theories assume. Again, quoting Prof. Akers -- "...their actions and assessment of risks were unrealistic, even to some extent irrational. They were unable to make reasonable assessments of the risk of arrest, did little planning for the crime, were uninformed about the legal penalties in the state where the crime was committed." (p. 25) And add to this, incredible stories of the ineptitude of many criminals. Their focus seems to be almost exclusively on the rewards, not the potential penalties.
3. Finally, from a book entitled, Drug War Heresies:
"Expected legal risks do have an influence on decisions, but their effects are considerably more muted than generally assumed. Part of the problem is that people just do not seem to combine information in the manner suggested by rational choice theories. For example, Carroll (1978) found that when evaluating hypothetical crime opportunities, few adult and juvenile offenders focused on more than one of the four key deterrence factors: probablity of success, amount of gain, probablity of capture, and size of penalty."
"And the factors that do matter are more likely to involve carrots than sticks. Studies comparing the relative influence of the rewards and risks of crime suggest that criminal gains are more influential than the probablity of capture...."
"One reason gains generally loom larger than risks is that the gains tend to be immediate, whereas legal sanctions are not only uncertain but also in the remote future. Criminal offenders are particularly prone to impulsiveness and an inability to delay gratification." (pp. 84-85)
I realize I am being hard on deterrence and rational choice theories, but I believe there is just too much evidence that most people, most of the time simply don't act in a rationally calculating manner.
We'll pick up with Routine Activities Theory on Thursday.
" A simple test of deterrence is whether states or countries with the death penalty have lower homicide rates than those that don't. There is no evidence to indicate that this is true. The United States is the only Western democracy that retains capital punishment; it is also the country with the highest homicide rate in the industrialized world. Comparative analyses of regions within the U.S. reveal the same pattern. Southern states account for about 80 percent of all executions, and the South is the only region with a homicide rate above the national average. The homicide rate in states that have retained the death penalty is 6.6; the rate for non-death penalty states is 3.5." (p. 335)
Then, a broader criticism from the same source which I quoted:
"If prison terms deterred further criminality, we would expect that people who go to prison would be among those least likely to return there. However, the fact is that within 3 years of release from prison 47 percent were reconvicted for a new crime."
"So the commonsense logic of deterrence is neither logical nor sensible. It is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of both criminals and crime. For deterrence to work, the offender must be a logical actor who understands the consequences of criminal behavior, knows the penalties, and weighs the costs of the crime against the benefits of crime. Logic and calm reflection are simply not parts of the crime equation. In addition, a sizable number of offenders are people without hope, living in desparate circumstances. They are the poor, unemployed, the uneducated, and the socially alienated. Fear of prison is a relatively minor consideration when stacked up against the hopelessness of their day-to-day existence. Yet, police and politicians continue to pledge eradiction of mythical crime problems through more law and order and more punishment." (pp. 362-363)
Since the above passages also speak to the validity of Rational Choice theory, let me go ahead and include my lecture notes on that:
RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY came into vogue in the 1980s, and it was introduced by economists who attempted to explain not only criminal behavior but all kinds of human behavior. It is based on the same general view of human nature in classical criminology. More specifically, it derives from the "expected utility" principle in economics -- that people will make rational decisions to act in certain ways based on the extent to which their choice of actions will maximize their profits and minimize costs or losses.
1. However, to quote the critical analysis of Prof. Ronald Akers (author of Criminological Theories (4th ed.): "Does an offender choose to commit a crime with full knowledge and free will, taking into account only a carefully reasoned...set of costs and benefits? If it is this kind of rationality that rational choice theory assumes, then the theory has virtually no empirical validity. The purely rational calculation of the probable consequences of an action is a rarity even among the general conforming public." (p. 24)
a. As I also commented yesterday, I would stress that most people most of the time, much less criminals who are generally less educated and more impulsive, do NOT act this way.
b. Indeed, well over half of those involved in crimes such as manslaughter or assault were under the influence of alcohol. And the last time I checked, alcohol is not known to enhance one's rational faculties.
2. Studies of repeat offenders also seem to bear out that criminals generally are not the rationally calculating actors deterrence and rational choice theories assume. Again, quoting Prof. Akers -- "...their actions and assessment of risks were unrealistic, even to some extent irrational. They were unable to make reasonable assessments of the risk of arrest, did little planning for the crime, were uninformed about the legal penalties in the state where the crime was committed." (p. 25) And add to this, incredible stories of the ineptitude of many criminals. Their focus seems to be almost exclusively on the rewards, not the potential penalties.
3. Finally, from a book entitled, Drug War Heresies:
"Expected legal risks do have an influence on decisions, but their effects are considerably more muted than generally assumed. Part of the problem is that people just do not seem to combine information in the manner suggested by rational choice theories. For example, Carroll (1978) found that when evaluating hypothetical crime opportunities, few adult and juvenile offenders focused on more than one of the four key deterrence factors: probablity of success, amount of gain, probablity of capture, and size of penalty."
"And the factors that do matter are more likely to involve carrots than sticks. Studies comparing the relative influence of the rewards and risks of crime suggest that criminal gains are more influential than the probablity of capture...."
"One reason gains generally loom larger than risks is that the gains tend to be immediate, whereas legal sanctions are not only uncertain but also in the remote future. Criminal offenders are particularly prone to impulsiveness and an inability to delay gratification." (pp. 84-85)
I realize I am being hard on deterrence and rational choice theories, but I believe there is just too much evidence that most people, most of the time simply don't act in a rationally calculating manner.
We'll pick up with Routine Activities Theory on Thursday.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Follow-up to where we left off & Reminder
The final point I made before we wrapped up on Thursday had to do with the complexity of human behavior and the corresponding complexity of trying to explain criminal behavior. In that regard I was going to quote something from a recent commentary on an interesting documentary (which is in our library)on a case of child molestation. It is entitled, "What 'Capturing the Friedmans' Says About Getting Tough on Crime." On the general trend of getting tougher, the author comments:
"The result of these 'throw away the key' trends is a bad case of what legal experts call 'overincarceration.' After a three-decade surge, which has continued even as crime rates have dropped, the United States has 702 inmates per 100,000 people, the highest incarceration rate in the world. The growing number of death row exonerations -- more than 100 since 1976 -- are proof that at least some of these inmates do not belong in prison at all. Many more inmates are behind bars longer than they should be."
"The title 'Capturing the Friedmans" is a wordplay on the difference between law and art: it was far easier for the police to 'capture' the Friedmans than it was for the filmmakers. But if the justice system is to live up to its name, it must be as concerned about reaching a full understanding of people and their actions as documentarians are. The law is not free, as artists are, to become so caught up in indeterminacy that it renounces the whole idea of guilt. But it has a moral obligation -- one it has abandoned in recent years -- to try to see crime and criminals in all their complexity."
The way I see it, "to try to see crime and criminals in all their complexity" is precisely what we are going to do in this course. So, in that sense, I believe the sociologist or criminologist can be of value to our criminal justice system, even if they don't have all the answers.
Next Tuesday, I'll comment briefly on "The Lost Distinction Between 'Explain' and 'Justify'", and then we'll get into our first major theory, so-called Deterrence theory.
Reminder: Again, don't forget to post your comment on the first blog exercise by next Monday.
"The result of these 'throw away the key' trends is a bad case of what legal experts call 'overincarceration.' After a three-decade surge, which has continued even as crime rates have dropped, the United States has 702 inmates per 100,000 people, the highest incarceration rate in the world. The growing number of death row exonerations -- more than 100 since 1976 -- are proof that at least some of these inmates do not belong in prison at all. Many more inmates are behind bars longer than they should be."
"The title 'Capturing the Friedmans" is a wordplay on the difference between law and art: it was far easier for the police to 'capture' the Friedmans than it was for the filmmakers. But if the justice system is to live up to its name, it must be as concerned about reaching a full understanding of people and their actions as documentarians are. The law is not free, as artists are, to become so caught up in indeterminacy that it renounces the whole idea of guilt. But it has a moral obligation -- one it has abandoned in recent years -- to try to see crime and criminals in all their complexity."
The way I see it, "to try to see crime and criminals in all their complexity" is precisely what we are going to do in this course. So, in that sense, I believe the sociologist or criminologist can be of value to our criminal justice system, even if they don't have all the answers.
Next Tuesday, I'll comment briefly on "The Lost Distinction Between 'Explain' and 'Justify'", and then we'll get into our first major theory, so-called Deterrence theory.
Reminder: Again, don't forget to post your comment on the first blog exercise by next Monday.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Introductory Exercise
Before we get into the various theories of criminal behavior, I'd like each of you to give me some of your thoughts on this. Briefly state (in a paragraph) your own personal theory or ideas about what leads people to commit crimes or why the crime rate may go up or down. Please post your comment no later than next FRIDAY, SEPT. 12TH.
This activity is worth 3 points.
This activity is worth 3 points.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Welcome to Soc. 220, Fall '08
I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome all students of Soc. 220: Criminal and Deviant Behavior to this blog. As you will note, I set this blog up last Fall '07 for the first time and all of the material posted on there is also available to you. You might want to take a few minutes to scroll through last year's entries to get an idea of what this blog is for. Basically, I plan to use this space to supplement class notes and discussion; give you a place to post questions or comments; for individual and family activities; for occasional extra credit opportunities; and to review for exams, among other things. Prof. Ginocchio
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