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.
Monday, November 29, 2010
"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.
_____________________________________
That's it. On my next blog post, I will be describing the final family activity -- making up questions for the final exam.
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.
_____________________________________
That's it. On my next blog post, I will be describing the final family activity -- making up questions for the final exam.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
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.
________________________________
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.
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.
________________________________
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.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
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.
____________________________
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."
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.
____________________________
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."
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