Before describing this additional extra credit opportunity, let me remind you to check out the previous two blog posts on "Gang Leader" and the initial extra credit opportunity connected with a video we will see in class this Thursday (11/3).
ANOTHER EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY:
Tomorrow evening (Tues. 11/1) at 7PM in the Olin Theater, the African/African American Studies Program is presenting a lecture by Dr. Peter Caster entitled, "Prisons, Race, and Masculinity." You may earn 5 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT by attending his lecture and posting a one-paragraph comment on this blog in which I want you to express what you thought of the talk in general and identify any point which Dr. Caster made which relates to our class on criminal and deviant behavior. Please post your comment NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, 11/4.
LET ME STRESS, YOU MUST POST A COMMENT IN ORDER TO EARN THE 5 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
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 as a class. More specifically, I will give the families class time to discuss the book on TUESDAY, NOV. 8TH and THURSDAY, NOV. 10TH. Then on the following class, TUESDAY, NOV. 15TH, I will call on each of the families both to present your answers in class and to submit them to me in writing. I will, then consider your answers and post on this blog what I believe are the best answers to each question. These "best answers" I will use as the basis for making up some final exam questions on the book. Those families' answers that are selected as best will earn a bonus point. All PARTCIPATING family members will earn 6 activity points for this exercise.
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS:
(1) What did you find was the MOST SURPRISING FACT OR OBSERVATION in the book, 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?
________________________
So, please start reading the book when you get a chance and keep the above questions in mind, and be ready to discuss these questions with your family members on TUESDAY, NOV. 8TH.
Also, let me remind you to check out the previous blog post which describes an EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY coming up next week Thursday, Nov. 3rd.
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS:
(1) What did you find was the MOST SURPRISING FACT OR OBSERVATION in the book, 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?
________________________
So, please start reading the book when you get a chance and keep the above questions in mind, and be ready to discuss these questions with your family members on TUESDAY, NOV. 8TH.
Also, let me remind you to check out the previous blog post which describes an EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY coming up next week Thursday, Nov. 3rd.
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY
Next week Thursday, Nov. 3rd, I will be showing in class 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 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 were at that time?
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENT NO LATER THAN MONDAY, NOV. 7TH.
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENT NO LATER THAN MONDAY, NOV. 7TH.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Family Questions from Crime Types' Reports That Will Appear on the Midterm Exam
Below are the questions and answers I accepted for inclusion on the midterm exam next week (Tues. 10/25). In general, they were not very good and so I did not select many of them. Hopefully, you can do better the next time around. REMEMBER, THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE ON THE EXAM.
CHAPTER 2: HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT (Green Family)
1. Identify THREE ways in which violence is an integral factor of gang life. (3)
ANSWER: (1) violence used during the initiation process, (2) violence used in response to threats from rival gangs, (3) violence used as a way to deter members from leaving the group.
CHAPTER 3: VIOLENT SEX CRIMES (Blue Family)
1. In the view of women who have been victims of wife rape, what are the THREE main causes? (3)
ANSWER: (1) entitlement to sex, (2) rape as punishment, (3) rape as a form of control.
CHAPTER 4: ROBBERY (Red Family)
1. What makes robbery different from other violent crimes such as murder, assault, and rape? (1)
ANSWER: The vast majority of robbery offenders and victims have no prior relationship.
2. Why do carjackers target other criminals? (2)
ANSWER: The participation of other criminals in street culture encourages the acquisition of vehicles most prized by carjackers, and because they are involved in a number of illegal activities they cannot go to the police.
CHAPTER 5: BURGLARY (Black Family)
1. What does SPS stand for, and why is this significant for burglary? (2)
ANSWER: SPS stands for Stolen Property System and it's significance for burglary is that burglars depend on this system to turn stolen items into cash.
That's all folks! See you next Tuesday for the midterm exam.
CHAPTER 2: HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT (Green Family)
1. Identify THREE ways in which violence is an integral factor of gang life. (3)
ANSWER: (1) violence used during the initiation process, (2) violence used in response to threats from rival gangs, (3) violence used as a way to deter members from leaving the group.
CHAPTER 3: VIOLENT SEX CRIMES (Blue Family)
1. In the view of women who have been victims of wife rape, what are the THREE main causes? (3)
ANSWER: (1) entitlement to sex, (2) rape as punishment, (3) rape as a form of control.
CHAPTER 4: ROBBERY (Red Family)
1. What makes robbery different from other violent crimes such as murder, assault, and rape? (1)
ANSWER: The vast majority of robbery offenders and victims have no prior relationship.
2. Why do carjackers target other criminals? (2)
ANSWER: The participation of other criminals in street culture encourages the acquisition of vehicles most prized by carjackers, and because they are involved in a number of illegal activities they cannot go to the police.
CHAPTER 5: BURGLARY (Black Family)
1. What does SPS stand for, and why is this significant for burglary? (2)
ANSWER: SPS stands for Stolen Property System and it's significance for burglary is that burglars depend on this system to turn stolen items into cash.
That's all folks! See you next Tuesday for the midterm exam.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Follow-Up to Family Reports on Chapters 4 & 5 in Crime Types
Before I post my follow-up comments on the two chapters reported on yesterday (Tues. 10/18), I want to point out that, with the exception of the Blue Family which reported on Chapter 3, you have been neglecting to identify connections with the various theories we covered in the first part of the course. You'll note that my follow-up comments address this missing element.
CHAPTER 4: ROBBERY (Red Family)
A. As was noted in the Red Family's report, robbery is widely underreported. The NCVS indicates that roughly 40% of robbery victims choose not to report the crime to the police.
B. A theoretical connection to Social Disorganization theory (which I presented on the blog) can be found in the following statement: "As is the case with all forms of violent crime, increased population density yields significantly higher robbery victimization rates." (p. 131) -- so densely populated cities have higher rates, which is what the social disorganization theorist would argue.
C. Robbery is different from other violent crimes in that the vast majority of robbery offenders and victims do NOT know each other.
D. Very high recidivism rate -- 70.2% are re-arrested within three years of release from prison. As a couple of the reports brought out, clearly robbers generally have few skills and it is no surprise that many would go back to their criminal ways after being released from prison because that is all they know how to do.
E. Many robbers are "alert opportunists," implying that: "Planning does not appear to play a large role in most robberies." (p. 136) Also, many (one-third or more) are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when they commit their crimes -- this clearly goes AGAINST Rational Choice theory.
F. The fact that most "seasoned thieves" invoke some "normative neutralizations" to justify their behavior lends support to Differential Association/Social Learning theory, as does the existence of a SUBCULTURE among robbers where they act as teams.
G. The notion of "life as a party" -- instant gratification -- characterizes the lives of robbers.
H. There is even some support for Anomie/Strain theory in the following observation: "The bottom line is that the offenders, when faced with a pressing need for cash, tend to resort to robbery because they know of no other course of action, legal or illegal, that offers as quick and easy a way out of their financial difficulties." (p. 146)
I. Finally, in the carjacker article it was noted how easy targets (isolated, weak victims, desirable vehicles) sometimes motivated carjackers, which would lend support to Routine Activities theory.
CHAPTER 5: BURGLARY (Black Family)
A. Although burglary is one of the most common property crimes, the rate of burglary has dropped nearly 75% over the past three decades. In fact, other developed countries have higher rates than the U.S..
B. Perhaps surprisingly, the rural rate is higher than the suburban rate which is the lowest. Suburbs are more likely to have neighborhood watch programs, security systems, etc., whereas rural homes tend to be more isolated. Lends support to Routine Activities theory (relative absence of informal or formal control agents).
C. Burglary tends to involve more planning than robbery, but Dabney suggests it is often minimal and many burglars are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time they commit their crimes. This would challenge the applicability of the Rational Choice theory.
1. But given that the arrest rate is very low, only 13%, it might be a rational calculation that the rewards are greater than the costs because the likelihood of getting caught is so low.
D. Some support for Differential Association/Social Learning 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 (blog notes) -- that female burglars tend to get more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system rather than harsher treatment, as some feminist criminologists claim.
E. In the article on the Stolen Property System (SPS), 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 this SPS, which clearly facilitates this criminal act, not to mention ordinary people who are willing to buy these stolen goods. And, I would add, clearly that the SPS operates on rational business principles.
***REMEMBER THAT THE NOTES ABOVE MAY BE THE BASIS FOR QUESTIONS ON OUR UPCOMING MIDTERM EXAM. AS I NOTED AT THE END OF CLASS ON TUESDAY, THE MIDTERM EXAM WILL ONLY COVER THROUGH CHAPTER 5 IN CRIME TYPES. ALSO, I STILL NEED THE QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) FROM THE GREEN AND RED FAMILIES. I hope to see everyone tomorrow, especially since we'll be reviewing for the midterm exam next Tuesday 10/25.
CHAPTER 4: ROBBERY (Red Family)
A. As was noted in the Red Family's report, robbery is widely underreported. The NCVS indicates that roughly 40% of robbery victims choose not to report the crime to the police.
B. A theoretical connection to Social Disorganization theory (which I presented on the blog) can be found in the following statement: "As is the case with all forms of violent crime, increased population density yields significantly higher robbery victimization rates." (p. 131) -- so densely populated cities have higher rates, which is what the social disorganization theorist would argue.
C. Robbery is different from other violent crimes in that the vast majority of robbery offenders and victims do NOT know each other.
D. Very high recidivism rate -- 70.2% are re-arrested within three years of release from prison. As a couple of the reports brought out, clearly robbers generally have few skills and it is no surprise that many would go back to their criminal ways after being released from prison because that is all they know how to do.
E. Many robbers are "alert opportunists," implying that: "Planning does not appear to play a large role in most robberies." (p. 136) Also, many (one-third or more) are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when they commit their crimes -- this clearly goes AGAINST Rational Choice theory.
F. The fact that most "seasoned thieves" invoke some "normative neutralizations" to justify their behavior lends support to Differential Association/Social Learning theory, as does the existence of a SUBCULTURE among robbers where they act as teams.
G. The notion of "life as a party" -- instant gratification -- characterizes the lives of robbers.
H. There is even some support for Anomie/Strain theory in the following observation: "The bottom line is that the offenders, when faced with a pressing need for cash, tend to resort to robbery because they know of no other course of action, legal or illegal, that offers as quick and easy a way out of their financial difficulties." (p. 146)
I. Finally, in the carjacker article it was noted how easy targets (isolated, weak victims, desirable vehicles) sometimes motivated carjackers, which would lend support to Routine Activities theory.
CHAPTER 5: BURGLARY (Black Family)
A. Although burglary is one of the most common property crimes, the rate of burglary has dropped nearly 75% over the past three decades. In fact, other developed countries have higher rates than the U.S..
B. Perhaps surprisingly, the rural rate is higher than the suburban rate which is the lowest. Suburbs are more likely to have neighborhood watch programs, security systems, etc., whereas rural homes tend to be more isolated. Lends support to Routine Activities theory (relative absence of informal or formal control agents).
C. Burglary tends to involve more planning than robbery, but Dabney suggests it is often minimal and many burglars are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time they commit their crimes. This would challenge the applicability of the Rational Choice theory.
1. But given that the arrest rate is very low, only 13%, it might be a rational calculation that the rewards are greater than the costs because the likelihood of getting caught is so low.
D. Some support for Differential Association/Social Learning 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 (blog notes) -- that female burglars tend to get more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system rather than harsher treatment, as some feminist criminologists claim.
E. In the article on the Stolen Property System (SPS), 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 this SPS, which clearly facilitates this criminal act, not to mention ordinary people who are willing to buy these stolen goods. And, I would add, clearly that the SPS operates on rational business principles.
***REMEMBER THAT THE NOTES ABOVE MAY BE THE BASIS FOR QUESTIONS ON OUR UPCOMING MIDTERM EXAM. AS I NOTED AT THE END OF CLASS ON TUESDAY, THE MIDTERM EXAM WILL ONLY COVER THROUGH CHAPTER 5 IN CRIME TYPES. ALSO, I STILL NEED THE QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) FROM THE GREEN AND RED FAMILIES. I hope to see everyone tomorrow, especially since we'll be reviewing for the midterm exam next Tuesday 10/25.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Reminders & Follow-up to Reports on Chapters 2 & 3 of "Crime Types"
REMINDERS:
I am looking forward to reports on Chapters 4 & 5 tomorrow (Tues., 10/18). Please remember to submit your proposed questions for the midterm exam. I need those questions by Thursday of this week because I will begin making up the midterm exam (scheduled for next Tues., 10/25) by the end of this week. Finally, let me remind everyone to be READING "CRIME TYPES" ALONG WITH THESE REPORTS. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE READ THROUGH CHAPTER 5 BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
FOLLOW-UP TO CHAPTER 2: HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT
A. Let me first of all clarify that homicide and assault tend to be INTRA-AGED, INTRA-RACIAL (that is, within the same age and racial group), whereas for gender, homicide tends to be INTRA-GENDERED, but assault is more INTER-GENDERED (that is, male on female), especially violent sex crimes, of course.
B. In terms of methodology, most articles involve interviews either with criminals themselves or victims. It is difficult, if not impossible, to do broad surveys. Have to work with a "captive" population (no pun intended).
C. The report on the article on gangs stressed their violent nature. But we'll see in "Gang Leader for a Day" that that is not all there is to gangs.
D. In terms of theoretical connections (which the Green Family neglected to do), I believe Differential Association/Social Learning was perhaps the most relevant. In this context, Sykes and Matza's "Techniques of Neutralization" comes up in a couple articles, and Sykes and Matza's concept is connected with Differential Asssociation/Social Learning.
E. A couple of my own observations.
1. Most homicides start out as an assault, often in the context of a heated argument, which escalates to the point where someone is killed. The encouragement of a crowd and the availablity of a weapon (usually a gun) are also contributing factors. There is also significant involvement of alcohol and/or drugs in violent incidents.
2. Some of the specific examples of Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization" that come up are: (1) in the case of the professional hitman, "denial of victim," "denial of injury," and "denial of responsibility" are used in rationalizing what the hitman does for a living. 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.
3. 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 reeponded that the only way to do that would be to simply kill them -- wipe 'em out -- which I do not believe is a morally viable or justifiable 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.
4. Finally, a point that comes through loud and clear is the role of guns, especially assaults which escalate to homicides. This would seem to suggest that gun control might help to reduce the incidence of homicides.
FOLLOW-UP TO CHAPTER 3: VIOLENT SEX CRIMES
A. I especially appreciated the theoretical connections that the Blue Family made with this chapter. Differential Association (again) seemed pertinent, especially when talking about gang rape or group sexual asaults -- behavior, attitudes being learned. Clearly challenges Deterrence and Rational Choice theory, as evidenced by the high recidivism rate for sexual offenses. But the one-in-ten figure is really NOT very high compared to recidivism rates for other crimes. What distinguishes it is that those re-arrested were re-arrested for rape. The other recidivism figure of 42%, I assume, involved being re-arrested for any other crime.
B. Let me stress again, as I did in class, that NCVS statistics are especially relevant to this type of crime which is grossly underreported.
C. One -- perhaps counterintuitive -- finding which was not brought out: "A study by Kleck and Sayles (1990) reveals that resistance, especially violent forms of resistance, serves as effective means of (1) preventing rape completion, and (2) reducing the level of injuries sustained by the victim."
D. It goes without saying that alcohol and drugs are often implicated or involved in violent sex crimes (just as we saw in the case of homicide and assault).
E. Important to note that rape is often committed NOT for the purpose of sexual gratification but out of a desire to dominate and control -- rape is as much a violent act as it is a sexual act.
F. There are many types or categories of rape: stranger rape, gang rape, and some relatively new ones: acquaintance or date rape and wife rape.
G. Dabney outlines some theories of rape in the introduction: (1) gender inequality, (2) pornography, (3) social disorganization, (4) legitimation of violence theory (pp. 82-83). They all make some sense, although I would question the corelations 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.
H. "Riding the Bull at Gilley's" strongly challenges the "PSYCHOPATHOLOGY" view -- that "rape is the result of idiosyncratic mental diseases 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.
I. This cultural or social dimension also comes theough 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 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.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY OF THE ABOVE FOLLOW-UP MATERIAL MIGHT BE THE BASIS FOR QUESTIONS YOU MAY SEE ON THE MIDTERM EXAM.
Hope to see everyone in class tomorrow.
I am looking forward to reports on Chapters 4 & 5 tomorrow (Tues., 10/18). Please remember to submit your proposed questions for the midterm exam. I need those questions by Thursday of this week because I will begin making up the midterm exam (scheduled for next Tues., 10/25) by the end of this week. Finally, let me remind everyone to be READING "CRIME TYPES" ALONG WITH THESE REPORTS. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE READ THROUGH CHAPTER 5 BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
FOLLOW-UP TO CHAPTER 2: HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT
A. Let me first of all clarify that homicide and assault tend to be INTRA-AGED, INTRA-RACIAL (that is, within the same age and racial group), whereas for gender, homicide tends to be INTRA-GENDERED, but assault is more INTER-GENDERED (that is, male on female), especially violent sex crimes, of course.
B. In terms of methodology, most articles involve interviews either with criminals themselves or victims. It is difficult, if not impossible, to do broad surveys. Have to work with a "captive" population (no pun intended).
C. The report on the article on gangs stressed their violent nature. But we'll see in "Gang Leader for a Day" that that is not all there is to gangs.
D. In terms of theoretical connections (which the Green Family neglected to do), I believe Differential Association/Social Learning was perhaps the most relevant. In this context, Sykes and Matza's "Techniques of Neutralization" comes up in a couple articles, and Sykes and Matza's concept is connected with Differential Asssociation/Social Learning.
E. A couple of my own observations.
1. Most homicides start out as an assault, often in the context of a heated argument, which escalates to the point where someone is killed. The encouragement of a crowd and the availablity of a weapon (usually a gun) are also contributing factors. There is also significant involvement of alcohol and/or drugs in violent incidents.
2. Some of the specific examples of Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization" that come up are: (1) in the case of the professional hitman, "denial of victim," "denial of injury," and "denial of responsibility" are used in rationalizing what the hitman does for a living. 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.
3. 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 reeponded that the only way to do that would be to simply kill them -- wipe 'em out -- which I do not believe is a morally viable or justifiable 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.
4. Finally, a point that comes through loud and clear is the role of guns, especially assaults which escalate to homicides. This would seem to suggest that gun control might help to reduce the incidence of homicides.
FOLLOW-UP TO CHAPTER 3: VIOLENT SEX CRIMES
A. I especially appreciated the theoretical connections that the Blue Family made with this chapter. Differential Association (again) seemed pertinent, especially when talking about gang rape or group sexual asaults -- behavior, attitudes being learned. Clearly challenges Deterrence and Rational Choice theory, as evidenced by the high recidivism rate for sexual offenses. But the one-in-ten figure is really NOT very high compared to recidivism rates for other crimes. What distinguishes it is that those re-arrested were re-arrested for rape. The other recidivism figure of 42%, I assume, involved being re-arrested for any other crime.
B. Let me stress again, as I did in class, that NCVS statistics are especially relevant to this type of crime which is grossly underreported.
C. One -- perhaps counterintuitive -- finding which was not brought out: "A study by Kleck and Sayles (1990) reveals that resistance, especially violent forms of resistance, serves as effective means of (1) preventing rape completion, and (2) reducing the level of injuries sustained by the victim."
D. It goes without saying that alcohol and drugs are often implicated or involved in violent sex crimes (just as we saw in the case of homicide and assault).
E. Important to note that rape is often committed NOT for the purpose of sexual gratification but out of a desire to dominate and control -- rape is as much a violent act as it is a sexual act.
F. There are many types or categories of rape: stranger rape, gang rape, and some relatively new ones: acquaintance or date rape and wife rape.
G. Dabney outlines some theories of rape in the introduction: (1) gender inequality, (2) pornography, (3) social disorganization, (4) legitimation of violence theory (pp. 82-83). They all make some sense, although I would question the corelations 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.
H. "Riding the Bull at Gilley's" strongly challenges the "PSYCHOPATHOLOGY" view -- that "rape is the result of idiosyncratic mental diseases 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.
I. This cultural or social dimension also comes theough 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 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.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY OF THE ABOVE FOLLOW-UP MATERIAL MIGHT BE THE BASIS FOR QUESTIONS YOU MAY SEE ON THE MIDTERM EXAM.
Hope to see everyone in class tomorrow.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Wrap-up on Anomie/Strain Theory, Contemporary Perspectives & Guidelines for Making up Short-Answer Questions
WRAP-UP OF ANOMIE/STRAIN THEORY
I trust those of you in attendance got the point about Merton's theory and his 5 modes of adaptation, the main criminal path being that of "innovation." I also talked briefly about a couple later modifications. At the very end, I made a few scattered remarks about research support for the theory, so let me go back to that.
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, especially considering serious offenses (but there is less of a difference when considering minor offenses).
1. There is even a mixed picture when we consider the relationship between unemployment and crime. Citing a couple 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)
2. Focusing just on the "social structural correlates" of crime, such as social class, poverty, 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.
G. Despite some of the problems we've seen with both social disorganization and anomie theories, our two MACRO theories, I would endorse the general policy recommendations that flow from these theories, as Prof. Akers describes:
"The utlimate 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 anmoie theory, for instance, is to promote the integration of cultural goals and socially approved means, and the redistribution of opportunities in the class system."
And, I would add, David Callahan in "The Cheating Culture" draws a similar conclusion.
CONTEMPORARY "THEORIES"
A. Many of the more contemporary theories, to my mind, don't represent much of an improvement over the traditional theories we've covered to this point. Indeed, they seem to be more concerned with exposing the biases in the way our criminal justice system operates.
CONFLICT THEORY: biases based on social class and race; that we have a two-tiered justice system with lower classes and minorities getting harsher treatment. Or, that laws (such as drug laws) seem more directed at these groups than people of higher socio-economic status.
MARXIST THEORY: biases based on social class; that laws mainly protect property rights of the capitalist class and the focus of our criminal justice system is on street crime engaged in mainly by lower and working classes.
FEMINIST THEORY: biases based on gender, especially the subordinate position of women.
B. No doubt these "theories," or better, perspectives, bring out some valid issues, but many of these theorists tend to exaggerate the role of these factors and they are more IDEOLOGICAL. Among them, I would say the feminist's claim that there are biases against women in our criminal justice system may be the most unjustified. The conflict theorists have helped to expose the issue of racial bias, which I believe there is evidence for, especially considering the impact of the drug war, but many criminologists (such as Prof. Akers) downplay the role of race as an "extra-legal" variable in criminal justice decision-making. The Marxists may have a point in suggesting that capitalist societies (with greater inequality) tend to have higher rates of crime than socialist ones. But they have been guilty of idealizing socialist systems, or just assuming they would have lower crime rates. Also, they did not seem to be aware of the obvious differences in crime rates between various capitalist countries.
1. An interesting point some Marxist theorists have raised is -- that as the former Soviet Union , Eastern Europe (I would say, even China) have become more capitalist, their crime rates have risen dramatically. But that is a bit simplistic. We must consider how repressive the former Soviet Union was, for example, and that other things could 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 and deviant behavior, I believe sociologists have identified some important social factors that must be considered not only in terms of explaining this behavior but also in, ultimately, addressing this problem more effectively.
GUIDELINES FOR MAKING UP SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAPTERS IN "CRIME TYPES" WHICH YOU WILL BE REPORTING ON.
1. Remember, I am asking each family to submit THREE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS on anything you reported on in your chapter. You may submit them to me in writing or via email. I will consider them and post on the blog the ones I accept.
2. Types of questions I do NOT want: NO TRUE-FALSE, NO MULTIPLE CHOICE.
3. Fill-in-the-blank is ok. But basically what I mean by short-answer are questions that can be answered in a word, sentence, or a few sentences, at most. For example, a question I might ask about the theories might be: What is the first proposition of Differential Association theory? Answer: criminal behavior is learned. (I could also ask, briefly discuss why this is significant, which could be answered in a couple sentences. That would make it a 2 or 3 point question.)
4. You can make up multiple-point questions, but no more than three or four points.
REMINDERS:
***Several of you still need to turn in your first essays. Please do so ASAP. I will probably be handing back the essays next Tuesday (10/11), which means that will be the deadline for late papers.
***On Tuesday, 10/11, our next class. We will start right off with the Green Family reporting on Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault, and then move on to the Blue Family reporting on Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes.
I trust those of you in attendance got the point about Merton's theory and his 5 modes of adaptation, the main criminal path being that of "innovation." I also talked briefly about a couple later modifications. At the very end, I made a few scattered remarks about research support for the theory, so let me go back to that.
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, especially considering serious offenses (but there is less of a difference when considering minor offenses).
1. There is even a mixed picture when we consider the relationship between unemployment and crime. Citing a couple 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)
2. Focusing just on the "social structural correlates" of crime, such as social class, poverty, 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.
G. Despite some of the problems we've seen with both social disorganization and anomie theories, our two MACRO theories, I would endorse the general policy recommendations that flow from these theories, as Prof. Akers describes:
"The utlimate 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 anmoie theory, for instance, is to promote the integration of cultural goals and socially approved means, and the redistribution of opportunities in the class system."
And, I would add, David Callahan in "The Cheating Culture" draws a similar conclusion.
CONTEMPORARY "THEORIES"
A. Many of the more contemporary theories, to my mind, don't represent much of an improvement over the traditional theories we've covered to this point. Indeed, they seem to be more concerned with exposing the biases in the way our criminal justice system operates.
CONFLICT THEORY: biases based on social class and race; that we have a two-tiered justice system with lower classes and minorities getting harsher treatment. Or, that laws (such as drug laws) seem more directed at these groups than people of higher socio-economic status.
MARXIST THEORY: biases based on social class; that laws mainly protect property rights of the capitalist class and the focus of our criminal justice system is on street crime engaged in mainly by lower and working classes.
FEMINIST THEORY: biases based on gender, especially the subordinate position of women.
B. No doubt these "theories," or better, perspectives, bring out some valid issues, but many of these theorists tend to exaggerate the role of these factors and they are more IDEOLOGICAL. Among them, I would say the feminist's claim that there are biases against women in our criminal justice system may be the most unjustified. The conflict theorists have helped to expose the issue of racial bias, which I believe there is evidence for, especially considering the impact of the drug war, but many criminologists (such as Prof. Akers) downplay the role of race as an "extra-legal" variable in criminal justice decision-making. The Marxists may have a point in suggesting that capitalist societies (with greater inequality) tend to have higher rates of crime than socialist ones. But they have been guilty of idealizing socialist systems, or just assuming they would have lower crime rates. Also, they did not seem to be aware of the obvious differences in crime rates between various capitalist countries.
1. An interesting point some Marxist theorists have raised is -- that as the former Soviet Union , Eastern Europe (I would say, even China) have become more capitalist, their crime rates have risen dramatically. But that is a bit simplistic. We must consider how repressive the former Soviet Union was, for example, and that other things could 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 and deviant behavior, I believe sociologists have identified some important social factors that must be considered not only in terms of explaining this behavior but also in, ultimately, addressing this problem more effectively.
GUIDELINES FOR MAKING UP SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAPTERS IN "CRIME TYPES" WHICH YOU WILL BE REPORTING ON.
1. Remember, I am asking each family to submit THREE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS on anything you reported on in your chapter. You may submit them to me in writing or via email. I will consider them and post on the blog the ones I accept.
2. Types of questions I do NOT want: NO TRUE-FALSE, NO MULTIPLE CHOICE.
3. Fill-in-the-blank is ok. But basically what I mean by short-answer are questions that can be answered in a word, sentence, or a few sentences, at most. For example, a question I might ask about the theories might be: What is the first proposition of Differential Association theory? Answer: criminal behavior is learned. (I could also ask, briefly discuss why this is significant, which could be answered in a couple sentences. That would make it a 2 or 3 point question.)
4. You can make up multiple-point questions, but no more than three or four points.
REMINDERS:
***Several of you still need to turn in your first essays. Please do so ASAP. I will probably be handing back the essays next Tuesday (10/11), which means that will be the deadline for late papers.
***On Tuesday, 10/11, our next class. We will start right off with the Green Family reporting on Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault, and then move on to the Blue Family reporting on Chapter 3: Violent Sex Crimes.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Critical Passages on Labeling theory & More Lecture Notes
As usual, I got bogged down in trying to present the theories again today, so I am going to make amends on the blog. First, I will give you the passages on labeling theory which I quoted in class. And let me add, in reference to Nick's question about research to support this theory, it has been many years since I have read some of this literature, so I can't cite any specific studies, but I do recall that some of the books published in this area made a case for this theory and cited evidence. But as the critical passages indicated, whatever evidence there is for labeling theory is weak at best and subject to question.
PASSAGES ON LABELING THEORY:
First, from Howard Becker's "Outsiders," a statement of the theory:
"One of the most crucial steps in the process of building a stable pattern of deviant behavior is likely to be the experience of being caught and publicly labeled as a deviant. Whether a person takes this step or not depends not so much on what he does as on what other people do ...being caught and branded as a deviant has important consequences for one's further social participation and self-image."
And then a couple critical comments from Prof. Akers:
"People are labeled as delinquent, criminal, homosexual, mentally ill, drug addicts, child molesters, 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."
Finally, despite the strong criticism, Prof. Akers, among others, does see some promise in Braithwaite's revision (concept of "reintegrative shaming"). Akers fairly, and very broadly, identifies what he sees as the principal strength and principal 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."
MORE LECTURE NOTES:
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 or broken families, high rates of illegitimate births, and an unstable, transient, heterogenous population -- all regarded as indicators of "social disroganization."
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 truly MACRO theory we've covered, placing the blame on such social conditions and focusing on crime rates (instead of why particular individuals may get involved in crime).
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 since the 1920s. If anything, it could be argued that conditions have deteriorated even further, especially in inner city areas and crime rates are even higher (even if nationally they have declined 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 relationship 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...." (i.e., evidence of circular reasoning)
"Furthermore, even in those areas characterized as the most disorganized, only a minority of youths and a smaller minority of adults are involved in crime." (So, how do you explain that based on this theory? You can't really.)
1. C. Wright Mills, an important American sociologist, raised the problem of potential bias in an essay entitled, "The Ideology of Social Pathologists" (social pathologists being another term for social disorganization theorists). 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 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."
ANOMIE/STRAIN THEORY
A. Like social disorganization theory, this is basically a STRUCTURAL (or MACRO) theory which provides an explanation of the concentration of crime in lower class urban areas and among lower class minorities, as well as the overall high crime rate in America.
B. Although the concept of "anomie" (a French term) derives from the work of a famous French sociologist by the name of Emile Durkheim, which meant a condition of "normlessness," Robert Merton gave it a different twist. He defined it as follows:
"Anomie is the form that societal malintegration takes when there is a dissociation (or disjunction) between valued cultural ends and legitimate societal means to these ends."
C. This condition of anomie (or means-ends disjunction), Merton argued, was endemic to American society. (Indeed, one could argue today that the gap is as wide as it has ever been between the so-called "haves and have-nots.")
1. We have a strong emphasis on success in a monetary or material sense, but NOT an equally strong emphasis on socially approved means -- that is, getting ahead by any means is a preoccupation. And this disjunction between means and ends is perpetuated by continuing economic and social inequality. (A good example of this can be found in a recent book by David Callahan entitled, "The Cheating Culture." Let me quote a couple relevant passages to show you what I mean:
Referring to an earlier period in American history, Callahan observes:
"Amid the rough-and-tumble business competition and lax regulation, a certain level of lawlessness became part of economic life. An 'anything goes' mentality thrived in a country where everyone supposedly had a shot at success -- and where judgments of personal worth centered heavily on net worth. As the great sociologist Robert Merton once said, putting his finger on an ugly paradox: 'A cardinal American virtue, 'ambition,' promotes a cardinal American vice, 'deviant behavior.'" (p. 15)
and Callahan refers to Merton's theory a bit later: "...economic struggle is all the more dangerous when mixed with high expectations of well-being -- that is, the expectation that one should be as happy as the shiny rich people on television and in magazines seem to be. Writing in the mid-twentieth century, the sociologist Robert Merton observed that Americans are taught that everyone can succeed if they work hard enough. America was 'a society which places a high premium on economic affluence and social ascent for all its members.' But Merton also pointed out that there is no 'corresponding emphasis upon the legitimate avenues on which to march toward this goal.' Americans worshipped financial success without being too concerned about how people got ahead. 'The moral mandate to achieve success thus exerts pressure to succeed, by fair means if possible and by foul means if necessary.' These pressures were especially poisonous, Merton said, in a nation where not everyone actually could succeed -- where there were limits on the economic opportunities that were available."
"Merton could have made these points yesterday. The pressures on Americans to make a lot of money are extremely high -- higher, maybe, than they've ever been before. To be sure, there are many legitimate opportunites to do well financially. Yet ultimately the opportunities are finite. America needs only so many skilled and well-paid professionals. In an economy where structural conditions allow only one-fifth or so of earners to really get ahead, the other four-fifths of Americans are stuck in the bind that Robert Merton identified: they live in a society with insanely high material expectations but with limited ways to meet these expectations."
"What to do in this conundrum? Whatever you can get away with." (pp. 172-173)
That's all for now. I will continue with anomie/strain theory either tomorrow on this blog or in class on Thursday. PLEASE CONSIDER SOME OF THIS AS YOU PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON YOUR FIRST ESSAY.
PASSAGES ON LABELING THEORY:
First, from Howard Becker's "Outsiders," a statement of the theory:
"One of the most crucial steps in the process of building a stable pattern of deviant behavior is likely to be the experience of being caught and publicly labeled as a deviant. Whether a person takes this step or not depends not so much on what he does as on what other people do ...being caught and branded as a deviant has important consequences for one's further social participation and self-image."
And then a couple critical comments from Prof. Akers:
"People are labeled as delinquent, criminal, homosexual, mentally ill, drug addicts, child molesters, 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."
Finally, despite the strong criticism, Prof. Akers, among others, does see some promise in Braithwaite's revision (concept of "reintegrative shaming"). Akers fairly, and very broadly, identifies what he sees as the principal strength and principal 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."
MORE LECTURE NOTES:
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 or broken families, high rates of illegitimate births, and an unstable, transient, heterogenous population -- all regarded as indicators of "social disroganization."
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 truly MACRO theory we've covered, placing the blame on such social conditions and focusing on crime rates (instead of why particular individuals may get involved in crime).
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 since the 1920s. If anything, it could be argued that conditions have deteriorated even further, especially in inner city areas and crime rates are even higher (even if nationally they have declined 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 relationship 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...." (i.e., evidence of circular reasoning)
"Furthermore, even in those areas characterized as the most disorganized, only a minority of youths and a smaller minority of adults are involved in crime." (So, how do you explain that based on this theory? You can't really.)
1. C. Wright Mills, an important American sociologist, raised the problem of potential bias in an essay entitled, "The Ideology of Social Pathologists" (social pathologists being another term for social disorganization theorists). 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 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."
ANOMIE/STRAIN THEORY
A. Like social disorganization theory, this is basically a STRUCTURAL (or MACRO) theory which provides an explanation of the concentration of crime in lower class urban areas and among lower class minorities, as well as the overall high crime rate in America.
B. Although the concept of "anomie" (a French term) derives from the work of a famous French sociologist by the name of Emile Durkheim, which meant a condition of "normlessness," Robert Merton gave it a different twist. He defined it as follows:
"Anomie is the form that societal malintegration takes when there is a dissociation (or disjunction) between valued cultural ends and legitimate societal means to these ends."
C. This condition of anomie (or means-ends disjunction), Merton argued, was endemic to American society. (Indeed, one could argue today that the gap is as wide as it has ever been between the so-called "haves and have-nots.")
1. We have a strong emphasis on success in a monetary or material sense, but NOT an equally strong emphasis on socially approved means -- that is, getting ahead by any means is a preoccupation. And this disjunction between means and ends is perpetuated by continuing economic and social inequality. (A good example of this can be found in a recent book by David Callahan entitled, "The Cheating Culture." Let me quote a couple relevant passages to show you what I mean:
Referring to an earlier period in American history, Callahan observes:
"Amid the rough-and-tumble business competition and lax regulation, a certain level of lawlessness became part of economic life. An 'anything goes' mentality thrived in a country where everyone supposedly had a shot at success -- and where judgments of personal worth centered heavily on net worth. As the great sociologist Robert Merton once said, putting his finger on an ugly paradox: 'A cardinal American virtue, 'ambition,' promotes a cardinal American vice, 'deviant behavior.'" (p. 15)
and Callahan refers to Merton's theory a bit later: "...economic struggle is all the more dangerous when mixed with high expectations of well-being -- that is, the expectation that one should be as happy as the shiny rich people on television and in magazines seem to be. Writing in the mid-twentieth century, the sociologist Robert Merton observed that Americans are taught that everyone can succeed if they work hard enough. America was 'a society which places a high premium on economic affluence and social ascent for all its members.' But Merton also pointed out that there is no 'corresponding emphasis upon the legitimate avenues on which to march toward this goal.' Americans worshipped financial success without being too concerned about how people got ahead. 'The moral mandate to achieve success thus exerts pressure to succeed, by fair means if possible and by foul means if necessary.' These pressures were especially poisonous, Merton said, in a nation where not everyone actually could succeed -- where there were limits on the economic opportunities that were available."
"Merton could have made these points yesterday. The pressures on Americans to make a lot of money are extremely high -- higher, maybe, than they've ever been before. To be sure, there are many legitimate opportunites to do well financially. Yet ultimately the opportunities are finite. America needs only so many skilled and well-paid professionals. In an economy where structural conditions allow only one-fifth or so of earners to really get ahead, the other four-fifths of Americans are stuck in the bind that Robert Merton identified: they live in a society with insanely high material expectations but with limited ways to meet these expectations."
"What to do in this conundrum? Whatever you can get away with." (pp. 172-173)
That's all for now. I will continue with anomie/strain theory either tomorrow on this blog or in class on Thursday. PLEASE CONSIDER SOME OF THIS AS YOU PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON YOUR FIRST ESSAY.
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