FAMILY QUESTIONS FOR FINAL EXAM

Below are the questions I accepted from the families for the final exam. You'll note I did some editing.

BLACK FAMILY (Meggan, Katie, Allie, Alex, Sterling) earn 8 points, plus one bonus point.

1. Identify any TWO things in Tom Coleman's background that should have disqualified him to be an undercover narcotics officer. (2)

ANSWER: Any TWO of the following: (a) he was openly racist, (b) was a pathological liar, (c) had an arrest warrant for theft and abuse of offical property from a previous job in law enforcement, (d) he walked away from debts, one of them over $6,900.

2. In "Gang Leader for a Day," identify any ONE thing that makes J.T. different from the stereotype of a typical gang leader.(1)

ANSWER: Any ONE of the following: (a) he had a college degree, (b) he had a corporate job which he quit to become a gang leader, (c) required his gang members to have a high school diploma and vote.

3. What is a "fence," and what crime type are fences involved with? (2)

ANSWER: A fence is a person who buys and sells stolen goods. Without fences, burglars (the crime type) would have a hard time converting stolen goods into cash.


RED FAMILY (Sami, Kirsten, Taylor) earn 8 points.

1. Common property crimes make up about what proportion of all crimes, and why? (2)

ANSWER: They make up TWO-THIRDS of all crimes because they require very little skill and offer instant gratification.

2. Gary Gardner was especially troubled by what specific headline in the "Tulia Herald," and why? (2)

ANSWER: "Tulia's Streets Cleared of Garbage," because this headline suggested that the accused defendants were guilty.


BLUE FAMILY (Lauren W., Brecken, Caroline, Hannah) earn 8 points.

1. What is the primary motivation of crimes within complex organizations? (1)

ANSWER: Instrumental motives such as greed and the desire for power/status.

2. Why are public order crimes rarely reported and hard to police? (2)

ANSWER: Because they are considered victimless crimes and are usually consensual. "Victims" of these crimes, like drug addicts, aren't likely to report this activity to the police because they want to maintain those relationships.


GREEN FAMILY (Michaela, Lauren A., Sarah, David) earn 8 points, plus one bonus point.

1. Identify ONE of the specific types of Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization" that professional hitmen employ to rationalize their behavior. (1)

ANSWER: Any ONE of the following: (a) denial of victim, (b) denial of injury, (c) denial of responsibility.

2. In Chapter 7 of "Crime Types," Public Order Crime, what Latin term does Dabney use to categorize these types of crimes, and what does it mean? (2)

ANSWER: "Malum prohibitum" offenses -- offenses defined by law but not necessarily recognized as inherently evil.

3. Why is civil court, instead of criminal court, used more often to prosecute cases of crimes within complex organizations? (1)

ANSWER: Because it is difficult to clearly identify the guilty individual or individuals. This type of crime is more complex and institutional in nature.


YELLOW FAMILY (Frances, Cynthia, Anna, Patrick) earn 8 points.

1. When Gary Gardner wrote letters to the Tulia defendants, what sound legal recommendations did he make? (2)

ANSWER: Investigate Tom Coleman's background, and move the trial out of Tulia.

2. EXTRA CREDIT (1) Who is the French architect associated with modernism and the architectural faults of the Robert Taylor Homes in "Gang Leader for a Day?"

ANSWER: Le Corbusier
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That's it. See you Monday afternoon.

Some Lecture Notes on "Tulia"

In order for me to be able to wrap up class lectures on our last book, "Tulia," by the end of this week, I am going to post some lecture notes. These are quite abbreviated. Nonetheless, as usual this is all that you will be responsible for knowing from these chapters for the final exam.
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CHAPTER 7: DONNIE SMITH

A. Just to re-cap, Donnie had had problems with crack cocaine before, and it was probably a mistake to call him to testify because he had to admit his previous crack cocaine use, which McEachern used effectively against him.

1. McEachern also portrayed the defense as attacking law enforcement, and so appealed to "Swisher County common sense" to convict Donnie Smith. (I guess that "common sense" did not include paying attention to the facts.)


CHAPTER 8: FREDDIE BROOKINS, JR.

A. Freddie had a lot of family support, particularly from his father (who you will see interviewed during the video documentary we'll see). And they actually hired an attorney who did not do a much better job than the court-appointed public defenders.

B. His attorney was able to question Coleman WITHOUT THE JURY PRESENT. But he failed to make a proper case to the judge as to why Coleman should have been questioned with the jury present.

C. McEachern used a "low-blow" to cast suspicion on Freddie -- what I would call "playing the race card" -- that is when McEachern questioned Freddie about an interracial relationship he had, which was irrelevant but cast him in an unfavorable light to the jury. See, pp. 156-157.


CHAPTER 9: ONE RIOT, ONE RANGER

A. We pick back up with Gary Gardner, who along with a retired minister, founded "Friends of Justice" in support of the Tulia defendants. Gardner collected every scrap of paper he could about Coleman's investigation -- "He meticulously recorded every case made by Coleman in Swisher Co.", which later becomes the basis for the "Dream Team's" counterattack.

B. Gardner and the "Friends of Justice" were responsible for interesting Blakeslee and "The Texas Observer" to do a long investigative journalist piece, which caught the attention of the national media.

1. There was a local backlash to this, for example, note the "letter to the editor" allegedly written by Coleman himself in which he indulged in some more fantasizing: "In the letters column, the "Herald" ran a bizarre screed about the bust, supposedly authored by Coleman himself, in which he described witnessing crack babies and automatic weapons in the homes of Tulia defendants. 'Have you ever seen a little girl having to perform oral sex to get drugs?' the letter read in part. (As if he had witnessed such a thing in Tulia.) 'Have you ever stood in the driveway of a drug dealer's house listening to him brag about his new boat or fancy truck he bought on the misery of these children?' The notion of Joe Moore or Donnie Smith buying a nice truck, much less a boat, brought some laughs from the defendants' advocates. The letter made Tulia sound like South Central Los Angeles." (p. 164)


PART THREE

CHAPTER 10: BLACK CARDS AND WHITE CARDS

A. Blakeslee deals with the racial divide in Tulia (which the video documentary brings out well). Notes how white Tulians responded to being characterized as racists by "circling the wagons" (that is, becoming defensive). Black folks saw this case as, in part, a reaction against race mixing in Tulia -- many of the defendants, such as Freddie Brookins, had been involved in interracial relationships. Blakeslee describes a couple of court cases where interracial contact was an issue.
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That brings us to Chapter 11: Jump Out Boys, which I will pick up with on Thursday, 12/9, and go through to the end. You should be well into the book, if not finished, already. Tomorrow (Tues., 12/7) we will see the video documentary, and then I will let the families discuss what questions they plan to submit for the final exam. REMEMBER, THOSE FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS ARE DUE BY 1PM THIS WEDNESDAY, 12/8.

Final Family Activity: Making Up Questions for the Final Exam

As you know, the final exam in this class is coming up in two weeks, so the families need to begin looking over the material from the second half of the course and making up short answer questions which I will consider for inclusion on the final exam. More specifically, I want each family to submit in writing (or via email, but NOT on this blog) FIVE short-answer questions and answers from the latter half of the course (which I define below). I NEED THESE QUESTIONS NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8TH BY 1PM. LET ME STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DEADLINE BECAUSE I WILL NEED TO MAKE MY SELECTIONS AND POST THEM ON THE BLOG NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, DEC. 10TH. ANY FAMILY NOT SUBMITTING THESE QUESTIONS BY THE WEDNESDAY DEADLINE WILL NOT RECEIVE THE POINTS FOR THIS ACTIVITY. I will accept at least TWO questions from each family and possibly more if I believe they are good questions; any additional questions I accept will be worth one bonus point. So, if you put some effort into this and come up with good questions you will not only earn some bonus points but know more of the questions which will be on the final exam. I will give the families a bit of class time during the next couple classes to do some brainstorming. And remember, this is a FAMILY activity; I will NOT accept individual family members submitting questions. If some family members do not contribute, let me know about it and they will not receive the activity points for this exercise. This will be worth 8 activity points.

LATTER-HALF-OF-THE-COURSE MATERIAL:

(1) My lectures/commentary on Chapters 6 & 8 of "Crime Types."
(2) Follow-up to "Crime Types'" Reports (on the blog)
(3) Family Responses to 3 Questions I posed about "Gang Leader for a Day" (on the blog)
(4) Brief Preliminary Comments on Drugs (handout, "A Very Fine Line") and lecture notes on our last book, "Tulia."

**Of course, those family questions from Chapters 5 & 7 of "Crime Types" (see previous blog post) will also be included.

"Crime Types' Family Questions for Final Exam: Chapters 5 & 7

At long last, below are the family questions I accepted and edited from the ones submitted by the Black and the Blue families for Chapters 5 & 7 in "Crime Types." Remember, these questions will be on the final exam which is roughly two weeks away.

CHAPTER 5: BURGLARY (Black Family: Alex, Allie, Katie, Sterling, Meggan)

1. What are the THREE important components of the legal definition of burglary? (3)

ANSWER: (a) entry (usually referred to as breaking and entering or remaining)
(b) the dwelling
(c) the intent to offend inside, usually by taking the contents inside a dwelling.

2. Under the heading, "Cultural Components of Burglary," Dabney notes that: "Socialization scripts play an important part in how and why burglars commit their crimes." And he goes on to note how "novice or occasional burglars" learn the ropes from more seasoned offenders. What major theory of criminal behavior does this relate to? (1)

ANSWER: Differential Association or Social Learning theory


CHAPTER 7: PUBLIC ORDER CRIME (Blue Family: only Lauren W., Hannah, Caroline)

1. What is the dominant mindset of the public order offender? (1)

ANSWER: the pleasure principle or short-term gratification

2. How are public order offenses such as drug use and prostitution usually framed by society? (2)

ANSWER: As relatively minor transgressions. They are not framed as evil in themselves, but instead are considered indications of weak personal character.
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That's it. On my next blog post, I will be describing the final family activity -- making up questions for the final exam.

Answers to "Gang Leader for a Day" Questions

Below are the answers that I thought were the best to the three questions I posed about "Gang Leader for a Day." It was not easy making my selections, and as you will note I accepted more than one for each question and I did some editing. I would say, overall, the YELLOW FAMILY did the best job. Remember that I (or the families) may make up final exam questions from these answers, so print out or copy these answers and keep them with your other notes.

1. What did you find was the MOST SURPRISING FACT OR OBSERVATION, AND WHY?

YELLOW FAMILY: One of the most surprising things that we found in "Gang Leader for a Day" was the fact that there is a huge difference between what sociologists think goes on and what is actually happening. Even though gangs and poor communities have been studied for decades, their culture is still not well understood. It was interesting to see how the community worked together in ways similar to other social structures. Venkatesh describes the Black Kings as "the de facto administration of Robert Taylor." Though the gang did participate in illegal activities, it also helped protect and provide for people in their buildings. Most sociological literature tends to portray gangs as "a nuisance at best, and more typically a major menace." This book shows that there is more than one side to the story. Yes, gangs do interact with drugs, prostitution, and violence, but that is not all that they do.

GREEN FAMILY: Following up on the Yellow family's answer above -- "...how accepting the commmunity was of the gang. Because the community could not depend on the government or the police for protection and for what they needed, they turned to the gang instead. Why? Because they have money and are able to do what needs to be done....The gang gave the community a sense of security and protection. They were an accepted part of the community.
"...people in the community not only socialized with the gang members but also became close acquaintances....They even got together for birthday parties, barbecues, and basketball touranments."

BLACK FAMILY: We were surprised by how organized and business-like the gang was. The fact that there was an implicit hierarchy and each member of the various hierarchies had different responsibilities and even different salaries was surprising.

RED FAMILY: We also found it surprising that the gang members really adhered to values, despite all of their criminal activity. Respect, loyalty, and honesty among members were incredibly important, and the sense of community was strong. JT always obeyed his mother; she had authority over him.


2. What do you believe is the MOST INSIGHTFUL PASSAGE IN THE BOOK (no more than a paragraph long), AND WHY?

YELLOW FAMILY: "We live in a community, understand? Not the projects -- I hate that word. We live in a community. We need a helping hand now and then, but who doesn't? Everyone in this building helps as much as they can. We share our food, just like I'm doing with you. My son says you're writing about his life -- well, you may want to write about this community, and how we help each other. And when I come over to your house, you'll share with me. You'll cook for me if I'm hungry. But when you're here, you're in my home and my community. And we'll take care of you." (p. 43)

Ms. Mae's quote is, arguably, one of the most insightful passages in the book. It shows how the resident of the Robert Taylor Homes collectively struggled to survive and "get by" with a marginalized, disadvantaged, and largely misrepresented status. Perhaps more significantly, it remarks on the disconnect that exists between this impoverished African-American community that is residentially, economically, and socially sepregated and isolated and mainstream society. We often think of ourselves as "normal" and essentially different from the poor, and this quote shows how these individuals are merely living under different, demanding, and often degrading conditions rather than distinctly separate lives.

I am also awarding the BLUE FAMILY a bonus point for basically the same quote and analysis. I just thought the YELLOW FAMILY expressed it better.

BLACK FAMILY: "For all the ways in which I had become a rogue sociologist, breaking conventions and flouting the rules, perhaps the most unconventional thing I ever did was embrace the idea that I could learn so much, absorb so many lessons, and gain so many experiences at the side of a man who was so far removed from my academic world." (p. 283)

This shows us that we can learn a lot from people who are outside of our own little "worlds." Even if we believe that we can't learn from someone, we need to take the time, like Venkatesh, to get to know that person or group because in the end they really could change our lives and teach us lessons about their way of life. J.T. really did teach Venkatesh a lot that he would never have learned without that personal contact.


3. What do you believe is the MOST IMPORTANT LESSON to be drawn from the book in terms of understanding and dealing with gangs?

YELLOW FAMILY: The most important lesson we gleaned from the book was about the general complexity of the gangs and the symbiotic relationship between them and impoverished communites like the Robert Taylor Homes. Gangs are more than simply violent organizations; they are related to drug use and abuse in inner cities, and to issues springing from poor housing and neighborhoods. Any attempt to prevent or stop gang violence has to encompass a multifaceted approach to all levels of life in these poor communities: education, job opportunities, drug dependency, the important role of informal social networks, etc. Thus, Venkatesh's work goes deeper, beyond explanations relying on stereotypes of gang life, to examine the related problems of poverty and gang violence.

RED FAMILY: The most important leasson from this book is not to judge a book by its cover. Most people associate gangs and their members with violence, a lack of education, drugs, danger, and a disregrad for anyone else. Venkatesh shows us that these stereotypes aren't necessarily true: J.T. was a college graduate, many members were taking college courses, they bought school supplies for the neighborhood kids, gave money to people in the community, and protected people and businesses. Rival gangs even showed each other espect by going to each other's basketball tournaments.

GREEN FAMILY: The most important lesson of the book is that one cannot discern anything of real value that will lead to a deeper understanding by asking simplisitic questions and evaluating dry data. Although we shouldn't all resort to the exact methods of Sudhir Venkatesh, actual interviews should be conducted and sociologists should keep the following in the front of their minds at all times: the subjects that they are evaluating are human beings, not statistics.

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So, here is what each family earned for this exercise:

YELLOW FAMILY: (Frances, Patrick, Cynthia, Anna) 7 points + 3 bonus points.

GREEN FAMILY: (Michaela, Sarah, Lauren A., David) 7 points + 2 bonus points.

BLACK FAMILY: (Allie, Katie, Alex, Sterling, Meggan) 7 points + 2 bonus points.

RED FAMILY: (Sami, Taylor, Kirsten) 7 points + 2 bonus point

BLUE FAMILY: (Lauren W., Hannah, Caroline) 7 points + 1 bonus point.

Follow-Up Points to "Crime Types'" Reports

Below are my follow-up points to the families' reports on Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, & 7. By bringing these points out, please note that I am not implying that the families did not cover some of them. They did. I just wanted to give further emphasis to some points. And these few points obviously do not cover everything in these chapters. Finally, please copy these points or print them out. I may make up some final exam questions based on them.

CHAPTER 2: HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT

A. Most homicides start out as an assault (or heated argument) which escalates to a homicide due to the intensity of the argument, encouragement of a crowd, or especially the availablity of a weapon (usually a gun). In general, there is also a significant involvement of alcohol and/or drugs in violent incidents.

B. Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization" comes up in a couple articles -- how professional hitmen employ "denial of victim," "denial of injury," and "denial of responisbility" in rationalizing their killing as a job. Also, an interesting application is how women who are battered rationalize the behavior of their abusers, in a sense neutralizing the responsibility of their spouses.

C. An interesting, although minor point, appears in the article on gang violence when a gang member was asked what he believes needs to be done to eliminate gangs. He responded that the only way to do that would be to kill them, which I do not believe is a morally viable option. But it reveals that all these young people know is violence, so for them it makes sense that they would see violence as the only solution to gangs.

D. A final point that comes through loud and clear is the role of guns, especially in assaults which escalate to homicides. This would seem to suggest that gun control might help to reduce the incidence of homicides.


CHAPTER 3: VIOLENT SEX CRIMES

A. Important to note that rape is often committed not for the purpose of sexual gratification but out of a desire to dominate and control -- it is as much a violent act as it is a sexual act.

B. There are many categories or types of rape: stranger rape, gang rape, but also some relatively new ones such as acquaintance (or date) rape and wife rape.

C. Dabney outlines some theories of rape in the introduction: (1) gender inequality, (2) pornography, (3) social disorganization, (4) legitimation of violence theory (pp. 82-3). They all make some sense, although I would question the correlations on which gender inequality and pornography theories are based. For example, gender inequality predicts that rape would be higher in patriarchal (male-dominant) societies. But Japan is very patriarchal, yet has a very low rape rate.

D. "Riding the Bull at Gilley's" article strongly challenges the "psychopathology" view -- that "rape is the result of idiosyncratic mental disease and that it often includes an uncontrollable sexual impulse." (p. 91)That is, there are not just some sick men out there. Rather, there is a cultural dimension -- how rape is rationalized as male perogative and women are stereotyped as sex objects mainly.

E. This cultural or social dimension also comes through in the gang rape on campus article. To combat this problem, it is suggested that men need an attitude adjustment. And in the article on wife rape, it is suggested that men need to be taught not to treat women as sex objects, even if they happen to be their wives and feel entitled to treat them that way.


CHAPTER 4: ROBBERY

A. There is much in this chapter that challenges the rational choice theory. Robbery is an opportunistic crime which often does not involve much planning.

B. In the "Stick-up, Street Culture,..." article, the authors talk about the cultural dimension in which robbers operate. That these individuals are driven by the need to spend to fit in; seek pleasure in a largely pleasureless world. This notion of "life as a party" is sustained by fast cash. Much in this article also lends itself to "anomie/strain" theory.

1. The carjackers interviewed also had this need for fast cash, to keep up their "life as a party."

C. Techniques of neutralization seem to be employed by robbers.

D. Robbers tend to have long criminal careers and high rates of recidivism (70%).


CHAPTER 5: BURGLARY

A. Should note that there has been a pretty steady decline in burglary rates since the early 1970s (at least through the 1990s). Also, many other developed countries have higher rates of burglary than the U.S. does.

B. In the section on the "Cognitive Aspects of Burglary" several points are made to suggest that burglars are not the most rationally oriented criminals. In addition to not planning, drugs and alcohol are involved in the majority of cases: "...56% of incacerated burglars were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of their most recent offense."

C. Some support for "differential association" theory in that burglars often work in groups and even have "apprentices" who learn the ropes. Women are more likely to work in groups than men. Also, the article on female burglars confirms my criticism of the feminist perspective -- that women burglars tend to get more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system rather than harsher treatment, as some feminist criminologists claim.

D. In the article on the stolen property system, the authors make a very good point: that we need to look beyond the individual criminal and recognize the broader context of burglary, which includes the stolen property system which clearly facilitates this criminal act. *See p. 194.


CHAPTER 7: PUBLIC ORDER CRIME

A. Important to note that these crimes are categorized as "malum prohibitum" offenses -- that is, offenses defined by law but not necessarily recognized as inherently evil (as are "malum in se" offenses). Also, they are classified as "victimless" crimes in the sense that there is a willing exchange of desired goods (drugs or sex) between individuals.

1. The consensual nature of these crimes makes them prone to underreporting and it complicates the job of law enforcement, which often has to resort to undercover operations to apprehend the criminals.

B. The economic and social costs of the drug war have been tremendous.

C. There definitely is a SUBCULTURAL aspect to public order crime -- that drug dealers, addicts, pimps, prostitutes, etc. inhabit a world where these illegal activities are seen as acceptable, which of course lends itself to "differential association" theory. Dabney also mentioned the role of "normative neutralizations" in rationaliszing the behavior.

D. The "Drugs-Crime" article basically concludes that the causal relation between drugs and crime is a two-way street: drugs cause crime and crime causes drugs.

E. Finally, in the article on hard-core heroin addicts, a typology is brought out which I believe contains at least one crucial point. The authors make an important point about the effects of heroin and when it is most destructive:

"In sum, contrary to popular belief, heroin use does not inevitably lead to a deterioration of lifestyle. Rather, the physiological dynamics of narcotics use tend to be the most destabalizing under conditions where life structure is already weak and incapable of accommodating the physiological demands imposed by increased tolerance." (p. 274) -- that is, in regard to the effects of any drug, one must consider the larger social circumstances in which the drug is taken and not just the chemical properties of the drug itself.
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That's it. Remember to incorporate the above points in your notes. And check out the previous blog post for the details of the family activity in connection with reading "Gang Leader for a Day."

FAMILY ACTIVITY: "GANG LEADER FOR A DAY"

Over the next couple weeks you'll be reading "Gang Leader for a Day," and I would like each of the families to discuss the questions listed below and come up with answers to them. Your answers or responses should be NO LONGER THAN A PARAGRAPH OR TWO AT MOST, AND THEY SHOULD REFLECT THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF THE FAMILY. I will give you plenty of class time to confer with your fellow family members, and we will also be discussing the book in class. Specifically, I will give the families time to discuss the book on THURSDAY, NOV. 4TH and TUESDAY, NOV. 9TH. On THURSDAY, NOV. 11TH I want each family to present your answers in class and submit them in writing to me. I will then consider your answers and post on this blog what I believe are the best answers to each question. These "best answers" will be the basis for me making up final exam questions about "Gang Leader for a Day." Those families' answers that are selected as best will earn a bonus point for your efforts. All participating family members will earn 7 activity points for this exercise.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS:
(1) What did you find was the MOST SURPRISING FACT OR OBSERVATION, AND WHY?

(2) What do you believe is the MOST INSIGHTFUL PASSAGE IN THE BOOK (no more than a paragraph long), AND WHY?

(3) What do you believe is the MOST IMPORTANT LESSON to be drawn from the book in terms of understanding and dealing with gangs?
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So, please start reading the book and be ready to begin discussing these questions with your family members next Thursday.

And please check out the previous blog post which describes the EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY coming up next Tuesday, Nov. 2nd.

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

Next week Tuesday, Nov. 2nd, I will be showing a documentary entitled, "A Hard Straight," about the parole system in California. After seeing this video in class, to earn 5 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS, I want you to post a two-paragraph comment in which you will focus on ONE of the three parolees featured in the documentary. The question I want you to address is simply: what could have been done to help this person make a successful transition to life outside of prison, thereby avoiding the personal and social costs of sending him or her back, as over 50% of parolees in California are today?

PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENT NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH.
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Also, be looking for another blog post soon describing the family activity on "Gang Leader for a Day."

Family Questions from "Crime Types" for the Midterm

Below are the questions (and answers) I accepted, with some editing. Remember, these questions will be on the midterm exam coming up this Thursday, 10/21.

CHAPTER 2: HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT RED FAMILY (Sami, Amanda, Taylor, Kirsten)

1. Identify the characteristics of most murders. (2pts) (Note: you do not have to list all of them to get full credit, but you should be able to identify several.)

ANSWER: Most murders are one-on-one situations where the victim and the perpetrator are acquainted. Most involved individuals of the same age, race, and gender. And they tend to be crimes of passion which result from a heated, emotional argument.

2. In what way do independent killers (or hitmen) use Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization?" (1)

ANSWER: By classifying killing as a job or a normal business transaction, which enables the hitman to neutralize any sense of moral responsibility.

3. Why is the use of "threats" so important in gang violence, and how does this contribute to the growth of gangs? (2)

ANSWER: Threats keep opposing gangs in a constant state of anticipation of what the other gang will do, causing them to act irrationally, out of fear, using violence. Threats increase the solidarity of a gang and motivates other young people in the neighborhood to join for protection.

4. In the article, "How Women Experience Battering," how is Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization" used in a unique way? (1)

ANSWER: As the basis for categories of rationalization that battered women, as VICTIMS, rationalize the behavior of their abusers.


CHAPTER 3: VIOLENT SEX CRIMES GREEN FAMILY (Michaela was the only one who submitted questions; the other family members, Lauren A., David, and Sarah get 2 points off for this activity.)

1. What are the typical characteristics of gang rape victims on college campuses? (1)

ANSWER: They are generally rather naive, first-year students who have somehow gained a reputation for being promiscuous.

2. According to research by Scully and Marolla, referred to in the Introduction to Chapter 3, most rapists are driven by what? (1)

ANSWER: a will to degrade or dominate their victims, not by a quest for sexual gratification.


CHAPTER 4: ROBBERY YELLOW FAMILY (Francis, Patrick, Cynthia, Anna)

1. Why do people resort to robbery instead of seeking legal work? (2)

ANSWER: Because criminals are addicted to pleasure. They rob and spend the money as quickly as possible on parties, drugs, clothes, etc. and when they run out, they want to have their "fun" back as quickly as possible, so they rob again. A job with a paycheck would not give them the cash they need when they need it. And since criminals tend to be unskilled and uneducated, it would be difficult for them to hold down even a minimum-wage job.

2. What is the term Samaha prefers as an alternative for "robbery," and why? (2)

ANSWER: "Aggravated property crime," because a robbery combines elements of property theft and violence into a single criminal transaction.

3. What two things govern an individual's decision to commit a carjacking? (2)

ANSWER: (1) PERCEIVED SITUATIONAL INDUCEMENTS (immediate pressures on an individual such as peer pressure, need for cash or drugs, revenge) and (2) PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITY (potential risks and rewards).
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That's it. See you tomorrow (Tues. 10/19).

Concluding Lecture Notes on Contemporary Theories

Below are some final brief notes on contemporary theories of crime. Please copy these and study them, along with the other lecture notes for the midterm exam coming up next Thursday, Oct. 21.

CONTEMPORARY THEORIES

A. Many of the more contemporary theories, to my mind, don't make much improvement over the traditional theories we've already covered. Indeed, they seem to be more concerned with exposing biases in the way our criminal justice system operates. There are three main ones:

1. Conflict theory -- biases based on social class (or race)
2. Marxist theory -- biases based on class
3. Feminist theory -- biases based on gender, especially the subordinate position of women.

B. No doubt these theories bring out some valid issues, but they also tend to exaggerate the role of these factors and generally can be considered more IDEOLOGICAL. Among them, I would say the feminists attempt to argue there are biases against women in the criminal justice system may be the most distorted. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that women receive more lenient sentences than men for the same crimes, not vice versa.

C. The conflict theorists have exposed the issue of racial bias, which I believe should be fairly obvious (as in the Tulia case), although many (such as Prof. Akers) downplay this "extra-legal" variable (race) in criminal justice decision-making.

D. The Marxists may have a point in suggesting that capitalist societies tend to have higher crime rates than socialist ones. But they also have been guilty of idealizing socialist systems or just assuming they would have lower crime rates. Also, they tend to ignore obvious differences in crime rates between various capitalist countries.

1. An interesting point point some Marxist theorists have raised is -- that as the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (I would even say, China) become more capitalist their crime rates have risen dramatically. But that is a bit simplistic. One must consider how repressive the former Soviet Union was and that other things could also explain this surge.

CONCLUDING OBSERVATION ON THE SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIMINAL AND DEVIANT BEHAVIOR

Even though no theory stands out as THE answer to the many different types of criminal behavior, I believe sociologists have identified some important social factors that must be considered not only in explaining this behavior, but also ultimately addressing or correcting it more effectively.

Concluding Lecture Notes on Anomie/Strain Theory

Last Thursday I did manage to present Merton's "Anomie" Theory of criminal and deviant behavior, along with a couple later modifications: Cohen's "status deprivation" and Cloward and Ohlin's "differential access to illegitimate opportunities. Let me, then wrap this up with some critical comments about the theory.

F. Research on this theory offers mixed support. Looking at official figures, the inverse relationship between social class and crime does appear to hold up (i.e., the lower the class the higher the crime rate), especially considering serious offenses. There is less of a class difference when considering minor offenses.

1. There is even a mixed picture when we consider the relationship between unemployment and crime. Citing a couple of studies from the 1980s, Prof. Akers observes: "...there is little evidence that unemployment motivates people to commit criminal acts. Moreover, crime is as likely to affect unemployment as vice versa." (especially these days with widespread drug testing in the workplace)

2. Focusing just on the so-called "social structural correlates" of crime such as social class, pverty, unemployment, racial heterogeneity, there is some fairly strong evidence of the influence of such factors. And this is seen as consistent with Merton's anomie theory. (Although one could still point out, this does not help us to sort out why only some individuals, and far from the majority, who live in these crime-prone social conditions get involved in crime.)

Concluding Comment About Macro Theories

A. Despite some of the problems we've seen with both Social Disorganization and Anomie/Strain theories (our two macro theories), I would endorse the general policy implications that Prof. Akers describes well in the following:

"The ultimate policy implications of any structural theory is that basic social 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."
("The Cheating Culture" book that had a nice description of Merton's theory draws a similar conclusion regarding how to address cheating.)
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That's all for now. I will post some notes about more contemporary theories in the near future. Tomorrow (Tues. 10/12), of course, we are going to break new ground in discussing "Crime Types." I will be reporting briefly on the Preface and Chapter 1, and then we will hear a family report on Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault.

Lecture Notes: Labeling & Social Disorganization Theories

Because it does not appear I will be able to cover all of the remaining theories tomorrow, I am going to post my remaining notes on labeling theory and also what I planned to say about social disorganization theory. Since I am not going over this material in class, you won't have an opportunity to comment or raise questions in class. So, after you read over these notes, please don't hesitate to email me any questions or comments or raise qusestions in class, especially during the review session before the midterm exam which is coming up in roughly two weeks. Also, you should consider this material as you compose your first essay, a description of which I will hand out tomorrow (Thurs., 10/7).

LABELING THEORY: as you recall, we did get into this a bit. I noted the relevance of the symbolic interactionist view of the development of self ("looking-glass self" notion)to this theory, then I quoted from one of the leading labeling theorists, Howard Becker, from his book entitled, "The Outsiders."

Becker said: "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 further social participation and self-image."

2. So, society imposing labels such as criminal, dope addict, crazy (as in Scheff's "Being Mentally Ill") tends to foster such a self-concept and behavior in us.

3. Labeling theorists would also emphasize that this theory is designed to explain SECONDARY deviance, not PRIMARY deviance (or the initial act for which one is publicly labeled). And herein lies one of the greatest weaknesses of the theory.

D. Prof. Akers, among many others, has been a long-time critic of labeling theory. He objected to the notion that we disregard the actual behavior of the deviant (in favor of focusing on society's reaction to it), and he also noted that even relatively powerless people are often able to resist the application of the label.

1. It is the factors that led to the initial act of deviance (which labeling theorists admittedly ignore) that may be the most important in explaining the perpetuation of the deviant behavior. As Prof. Akers comments in this regard:
"People are labeled as delinquent, criminal, homosexual, mentally ill, drug addicts, child molestors, and so on largely on the basis of overt acts they 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."

a.) Indeed, research appears to show that those who have committed primary deviance and have NOT been detected (and labeled) are just as likely as labeled offenders to develop deviant careers. To which Akers also adds: "The preponderance of research finds no or very weak evidence of labeling effects."

E. A later variation on the labeling thesis, John Braithwaite's, "Crime, Shame, and Integration" (1989), suggested the possibility of a positive role for labeling. He distinguished between "DISINTEGRATIVE SHAMING" (negative effect of labeling which the theory stresses) and "REINTEGRATIVE SHAMING" (positive effect).

1. "Reintegrative shaming" is where shaming someone is designed to create genuine remorse and bring the person back into the community (rather than ostracize him). Examples: restorative justice (apologies to victims or restitution, paying back), even drug courts where non-violent drug offenders have to appear before a judge periodically and show they are cleaning themselves up. A more notable recent example would be South Africa's "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" of the mid 1990s where former members of the apartheid regime who committed atrocities were allowed to confess their crimes and ask forgiveness from the victims, rather than simply being prosecuted and sent away to prison.

F. Back in the 1970s the labeling thesis did have some impact on criminal justice policy, inspiring so-called "juvenile diversion" programs -- avoid stigmatizing juvenile offenders and thereby locking them into a life of crime (according to the theory at least). Unfortunately, studies of such diversion programs have not demonstrated much effectiveness in stopping juveniles from continuing to commit crimes. (Nonetheless, I believe avoiding the criminal justice system (prison especially) when possible makes sense, such as in the case of drug courts. Most nonviolent drug offenders and abusers need help more than punishment and the stigma attached to it.)

G. Labeling theory may have been a product of its time -- it became popular in the 1960s to criticize the criminal justice system, to see it as part of the problem (which I believe was important to recognize). But by the late 1970s it was beginning to be rejected -- more conservative mood took hold in the country.

H. Despite the strong criticism , Prof. Akers, among others, does see some promise in Braithwaite's revision. Akers fairly (and very broadly) identifies the principal strength and weakness of labeling theory -- "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."


SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION THEORY

A. This theory originated at the University of Chicago in the 1920s and it is closely associated with a broader theoretical perspective known as URBAN ECOLOGY, that Chicago School sociologists developed around the same time. They are closely interrelated.

1. The urban ecologists developed various models to describe the city, its growth and development. They identified certain "natural areas" or zones, some of which had distinctly higher rates of criminal behavior. Why?

2. The social disorganization theorists contended that these high crime areas were characterized by a variety of indicators of social disorganization. For example, an especially crime-prone area was the so-called "zone of transition" -- an area near the commercial core which was changing from residential to commercial. Characterized by physical decay, poor housing, incomplete and broken families, high rates of illegitimate births and an unstable, transient, heterogeneous population -- all regarded as indicators of "social disorganization."

a.) Other characteristics identified in later versions of the theory (Sampson and Groves, 1989): lack of informal friendship networks, low participation in organizations, etc.

3. Basically, you have normal people trying to cope with these abnormal conditions, and in doing so tend to get involved in crime.

4. This is the first trutly MACRO theory we've covered, placing the blame on such social conditions and focusing on rates.

B. They also contended that rapid industrialization and urbanization caused this social disorganization which, in turn, undermined social control exercised through traditional social order and values.

C. Certainly, things have changed in our cities and inner city areas. 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). This is brought out in books such as "The Truly Disadvantaged" (1989). Yet, there is some basis to question this theory. As Prof. Akers observes --

"To what degree the realtionship between inner-city residents 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...."

"Furthermore, even in those areas characterized as the msot disorganized, only a minority of youths and a smaller minority of adults are involved in crime."

1. C. Wright Mills, a prominent American sociologist, raised the problem of potential bias in an essay entitled, "The Ideology of Social Pathologists." 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 more in line with social order.

D. Despite the apparent bias, among the other problems noted, I believe the theory makes some sense and it suggests the need to address poor social conditions in order to address the crime problem -- conditions such as you will read about in "Gang Leader for a Day."
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That's it for now. Please incorporate the above in your notes. See you tomorrow.

Next Couple Weeks & Crime Types' Reports

Below is a schedule of what we will be doing over roughly the next month, including a tentative date for the midterm exam. I believe this is a realistic schedule, so we should be able to stick to it.

TUES. OCT. 5TH: Wrap up Control/Bonding theory and move on to Labeling and Social Disorganization.

THURS. OCT. 7TH: Anomie/Strain theory; overview of some contemporary theories. Hand out description of first essay, which will be due on TUES. OCT. 12TH.

CRIME TYPES'S REPORTS: Please refer to the earlier description of what I want these oral reports to include. Remember, you should aim for about a 30 minute presentation for each family. Also, I want each family to submit in writing (or via email) FIVE short-answer questions (and answers) from your chapter by the day following your presentation, at the latest. I will look these over and select at least TWO of these questions and possibly more if they are good, which I will then incorporate on the midterm exam (or final exam, if you give your presentation after the midterm exam).** Finally, let me stress that although you will be focusing on just one chapter in the book for this report, EVERYONE SHOULD BE READING THE BOOK AS A WHOLE AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH IT.

** Note this is a change from the earlier blog description of this activity.

TUES. OCT. 12TH: Preface & Chapter 1 - Prof. Ginocchio
Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault - Red Family

THURS. OCT. 14TH: Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes - Green Family
Chapter 4: Robbery - Yellow Family

TUES. OCT. 19TH: Chapter 5: Burglary - Black family
(time for review for the midterm exam)

THURS. OCT. 21ST: MIDTERM EXAM (will cover only thru Chapter 4 of Crime Types)

TUES. OCT. 26TH: Chapter 6: Common Property Crime - Prof. Ginocchio
Chapter 7: Public Order Crime - Blue Family

THURS. OCT. 28TH: Chapter 8: Crime Within Complex Organizations - Prof. Ginocchio
(Hand back and go over the midterm exam)

TUES. NOV. 2ND: Chapter 9: Patterns and Prospects (few comments)
Begin discussing "Gang Leader for a Day"

Lecture Notes on Biological and Psychological Theories

As promised, below are the lecture notes on the biological and psychological theories of criminal behavior. PLEASE INCORPORATE THIS MATERIAL IN YOUR CLASS NOTES, BECAUSE I WILL ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT ON THE UPCOMING MIDTERM EXAM AND IT MAY BE OF SOME USE ON YOUR FIRST SHORT ESSAY.
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BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

A. The following brief overview of biological and psychological theories of criminal behavior is not intended to be comprehensive or exhaustive. By treating these theories so briefly, I do not mean to imply that they are not worth careful consideration. My main intention is to present these theories as a COUNTERPOINT or CONTRAST to the various sociological theories which, of course, emphasize the role of SOCIAL forces over and above any aspects of our biological or psychological make up.

B. Lombroso and the Early Biological Theories

1. The classical school of criminology (i.e., deterrence) was dominant up until the late 19th century when what is known as "biological positivism" took hold, which directly challenges the notion that crime is rational behavior. (In fact, I would go as far as to suggest that biological and psychological theories see criminal behavior as a product of some biological or mental DEFECT or ABNORMALITY, rather than ordinary, rationally-calculating individuals.)

2. The early biological criminologists viewed criminals as a distinct set of people who were biologically inferior to law-abiding citizens, or inherently defective in some way. Pre-eminent among them was Cesare Lombroso, a self-described "medical anthropologist" and physician, who wrote "The Criminal Man" in 1876, which, despite its major flaws, went through 5 editions. He has been considered the "father of modern criminology" because he used a scientific methodology to study criminals (and NOT because of the stength of his theory).

3. In his research, Lombroso compared Italian prisoners (representing the criminal population) with soldiers (representing the "normal" population). He found that the prisoners shared distinctive physical traits or abnormalities which identified them as being a "born criminal type" -- really throwbacks to primitive man. Traits such as asymetry of face or head, large ears, receding chin, twisted nose, etc.

4. There is an obvious problem with both of the samples he used: prisoners do NOT represent all criminals and even worse, soldiers are in no way representative of the normal population. Indeed, that was largely the basis of Charles Goring's refutation of Lombroso in his 1913 book, "The English Convict." Goring took a much broader sample of the normal or non-criminal population and found no significant physical differences with English convicts.

5. Despite Goring's rather thorough critique, Lombroso's idea did not die. It was resurrected by E.A. Hooten in 1939, who argued that criminals are basically "organically inferior." (Indeed, Edwin Sutherland, the father of American criminology, developed his theory of DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION in part as a critical response to Hooten. Sutherland also pioneered the field of white collar crime, which suggested that only focusing on street criminals was inadequate.)

C. More modern biological theories

1. 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 an individual more volatile and aggressive. But, among other problems, it was found that only a small proportion of XYY males commit crimes of any kind (lots of exceptions, that is), and there was no evidence that the XYY syndrome is the specific cause of any criminal behavior. (And that is not to mention that female criminals were overlooked.)

2. Modern biological theories of crime and delinquency, often based on advances in genetics, brain function (eg. serotonin levels in the brain), neurology, biochemistry, are considered more respectable, despite some methodological problems. These theories are clearly more sophisticated than the early, simplistic BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM (biology is destiny, that is) of people like Lombroso. They acknowledge the role of other social factors, and largely relegate biological factors to the role of PROPENSITIES or PREDISPOSITIONS (that is, biological factors may PREDISPOSE someone to commit a crime but they do NOT DETERMINE that someone will commit a crime).

D. Policy implications of biological theories

1. Older, more deterministic theories would lead to more drastic measures, such as "selective breeding," which Hooten acually suggested, or completely isolating these born criminals in prison, or executing them, since they were biologically determined to commit crime.

2. Contemporary biological theorists support dietary therapy, genetic counseling, drug therapies, but they would also support changes in the social environment. In this context, you would still have to deal with the problem of "false postiives," that is, people who may have these criminally-prone biological characteristics but who do not commit crimes. Often talking about 50% or more, not just a few exceptions. So, would early (preventive) intervention with some drug therapy be justified if half of those receiving it really did not need it?


E. Psychological Theories

1. One type of psychological theory that was more popular some years age when PSYCHOANALYSIS was more in vogue, is the PSYCHOANALYTIC theory based on Freud's view of the human psyche, consisting of: id, ego, superego. Without getting very specific, one could say that the psychoanalytic explanation relies heavily on the existence of irrational, unconscious motivations (id) not being properly handled or controlled by other aspects of the psyche (ego, and especially, superego or conscience). Or, the flip side would be an overbearing superego which would give rise to "repressed sexuality," or excessive guilt.

(a) 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. It is difficult to replicate and independently verify the psychoanalyst's 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 personality traits that set them apart from law-abiding people. This would include traits such as aggressiveness, impulsiveness, sensation-seeking, risk-taking, etc. (although we should also acknowledge that these traits do NOT necessarily manifest themselves in criminal behavior.)

(a) Apparently, research on the causative effects of such personality traits on criminal and deviant behavior has been INCONSISTENT.

(b) You also run into the problem of TAUTOLOGY (circular argument or true by definition and therefore incapable of being disproven). For example, psychopathic personality being measured, in part, by a prior history of criminal and deviant behavior, which would make the theory that a psychopathic personality leads to criminal behavior true by definition.

3. Psychological counseling of various kinds is widely employed in delinquency prevention and treatment programs, as well as in virtually every residential and non-residential facility for treating criminal offenders. But the effectiveness of such counseling has not been demonstrated, which would suggest perhaps that psychology is not the problem but something else needs to be addressed.

FINAL CRITICAL OBSERVATION ABOUT BOTH BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES:

I believe neither theory by itself (or even combined in some way) can offer an adequate explanation for criminal behavior for the basic reason that: THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT BIOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL BEING. INDIVIDUALS ARE ALSO SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BEINGS. That is to say, the individual is really a system of relations which includes the social and cultural dimension as well as the biological and psychological dimensions. Also, given the fact that crime is a matter of social definition, that would suggest that the social dimension is ultimately more important than the biological or psychological in explaining criminal behavior.
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That's all for now.

First Family Activity: Crime Types Chapter Reports

As I mentioned last week, we are going to be dividing the class up into five "families" first thing tomorrow (Tues. 2/28). Once everyone knows which family they will be working with, we will then have each family choose a chapter in "Crime Types" to report on to the rest of the class, and we will do that on Thursday, 9/30, of this week. Since there will be five families, that means you will be covering five chapters in that book and I will cover the rest. Each family will then read and prepare an oral report on their chapter. Plan on taking roughly 30 minutes to cover each chapter and make sure that each family member contributes to this oral report. 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 behavior that I am currently presenting 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 some use in developing strategies for controlling or reducing that type of criminal behavior.
(4) Finally, I want each family to submit to me in writing (or via email) TWO SHORT-ANSWER EXAM QUESTIONS (and answers) which I may use on either our upcoming midterm exam or the final exam (if we cover that chapter after the midterm exam).

After I know which chapter each family will be reporting on (and I will give you some time in class to discuss how you will divide up responsibilites), I will make up a schedule and post it on this blog. I anticipate that we will not finish this exercise until after the midterm exam, which will be coming up in a few weeks. LET ME ALSO STRESS, HOWEVER, THAT EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR READING ALL OF CRIME TYPES, NOT JUST THE CHAPTER YOU HAVE TO REPORT ON. This activity is worth 7 points for all PARTICIPATING family members.
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ALSO CHECK THIS BLOG LATER TODAY FOR SOME LECTURE NOTES I PLAN TO POST ON BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

Passages Critical of Deterrence Theory

AS you recall, yesterday I lectured a bit on deterrence theory, and toward the end of class I hurriedly read through a couple passages that were critical of this theory. These passages come from a book entitled, "The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice" 4th ed.:

First passage,regarding "General Deterrence": "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)

Second passage: "Longer sentences for repeat offenders continue to be a political panacea for crime. It is an easy solution to sell because it seems logical. According to popular folk wisdom, severe punishment and the certainty of prison will deter crime. That may be commonsense logic, but it is wrong. The simple fact is that prison does not deter crime and severe sanctions probably increase the amount of crime in society. 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 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 desperate circumstances. They are the poor, the 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 eradication of mythical crime problems through more law and order and more punishment." (pp. 362-363)


This last passage could certainly also apply to a modern variation of deterrence theory known as "rational choice theory," which I will begin talking about first thing tomorrow (Thurs. 9/23). Hope to see everyone then.

PLEASE INCORPORATE THE ABOVE PASSAGES IN YOUR CLASS NOTES.

Looking Ahead to Next Week & Reminder

Next week we will be getting into the major theories of criminal and deviant behavior, beginning with Deterrence theory. As you know, I will be presenting that material in class lecture. It should take two weeks or so, and then around the beginning of October, we should be getting into our first book, Crime Types. Let me also add, that next Tuesday I will take out just a little time to comment on those handouts I gave you on Thursday. Both make good general points about how to approach the question of explaining crime.

REMINDER: As of this morning (Friday, 8AM), there were still two people who had not posted their comments about your explanations for criminal behavior. Please do so ASAP. And remember, as I noted in class yesterday, I am going to link this first exercise with the first short essay you'll be doing once we finish going over the major theories of crime.

See you next Tuesday.

Welcome & First Exercise

WELCOME to the blog that I have set up for this course, Sociology 220: Criminal and Deviant Behavior. We will be using this blog for a variety of activities this semester, which would include the following:
(1) For what I call "activities and exercises" in the course syllabus, such as the one described below. I may ask you to comment on some a video program I may show in class, on something in the assigned reading, etc.. Among these activities and exercises, you will be called upon to contribute questions for both the midterm and final exams, which will be posted on this blog. I may also use this blog to post descriptions of some of the short essays you'll be writing during the semester.
(2) I may use this blog on occasion to post lecture notes, if I get behind in class, and I will post passages from other sources which I may quote in class. Frequently, I will use this blog to follow-up on a class lecture or discussion to clarify or elaborate on a point I made in class. (BUT PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT THAT I WILL BE POSTING EVERYTHING I COVER IN CLASS ON THIS BLOG.)
(3) There may also be some extra credit opportunities for which I will ask you to post a comment on some outside lecture, film or article that is pertinent to the class.
(4) Finally, you, of course, are welcome to use this blog to comment on or ask questions on anything we cover in class.
When I do post an exercise I will always be sure to mention it in class and ask you to check the blog, but I would also suggest that you get in the habit of checking this blog once or twice a week even if I don't call your attention to it in class. This blog will be an important source that you will need to consult for both the midterm and final exams, not to mention the short essays and paper you'll also be doing.
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FIRST EXERCISE: Before we get into the various theories of criminal and deviant behavior, I'd like each of you to give me some of your own thoughts on this. Briefly state (in a paragraph) your own personal theory or ideas about what leads people to commit crime or why the crime rate may go up or down. This exercise is worth 3 activity points, and I'd like you to post your comment by WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 15TH.