Seeing Crime and Punishment Through a Sociological Lens: Contributions, Practices, and the Future
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Wish 1 Week 7 (3/2): SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY and LIFE
Week 7 (3/2): SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY AND LIFE-COURSE VARIANTS Hirschi, Travis. 1969. Causes of Delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press. Chapter 1 Hirschi sets out to explain the differences between control theory, strain theory, and cultural deviance or differential association theories. He offers several criticisms of strain theory, including the fact that strain theory is often unable to account for the desistence from crime after adolescence/during adulthood, the inability of strain theory to account for crime in the middle and upper economic classes, and strain theory’s suggestion that people who accept legitimate goals or whose values conform to those of the larger society are more likely to commit crime (p. 6-10). Hirschi differentiates between control and strain theories by suggesting that control theory “assumes variation in morality” while strain theory assumes that morality/moral values lead to the pressures that result in crime as an attempt to quickly and easily achieve goals (p. 10-11). (Chapter 2 deals exclusively with the definition of control theory). Hirschi also explains “theories of cultural deviance” as similar to differential association. Such theories postulate that while crime or deviance may violate the norms or standards of the majority of society, they also represent a conformity to other norms and standards shared only by a subset of the society. Cultural deviance theory thus explains crime as learned through interactions with specific subsets of the population who have different norms and standards (that accept certain criminal or deviant behaviors shunned by the majority of society). Hirschi points out that while he cannot outright reject cultural deviance theories, they are markedly different in both method and type of findings from social control theories. -
An Examination of the Impact of Criminological Theory on Community Corrections Practice
December 2016 15 An Examination of the Impact of Criminological Theory on Community Corrections Practice James Byrne University of Massachusetts Lowell Don Hummer Penn State Harrisburg CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES ABOUT parole officers in terms of practical advice; to other community corrections programs are to why people commit crime are used—and mis- the contrary, we think a discussion of “cause” is be successful as “people changing” agencies. used—every day by legislative policy makers critical to the ongoing debate over the appro- But can we reasonably expect such diversity and community corrections managers when priate use of community-based sanctions, and flexibility from community corrections they develop new initiatives, sanctions, and and the development of effective community agencies, or is it more likely that one theory— programs; and these theories are also being corrections policies, practices, and programs. or group of theories—will be the dominant applied—and misapplied—by line commu However, the degree of uncertainty on the influence on community corrections practice? nity corrections officers in the workplace as cause—or causes—of our crime problem in Based on recent reviews of United States cor they classify, supervise, counsel, and con the academic community suggests that a rections history, we suspect that one group of trol offenders placed on their caseloads. The certain degree of skepticism is certainly in theories—supported by a dominant political purpose of this article is to provide a brief order when “new” crime control strategies are ideology—will continue to dominate until overview of the major theories of crime causa introduced. We need to look carefully at the the challenges to its efficacy move the field— tion and then to consider the implications of theory of crime causation on which these new both ideologically and theoretically—in a new these criminological theories for current and initiatives are based. -
Key Idea: Hirschi's Social Bond/Social Control Theory
FIVE KEY IDEA: HIRSCHI’S SOCIAL BOND/SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY KEYWORK Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press. ravis Hirschi’s social bond/social control theory has remained a major paradigm in criminology since its introduction in 1969. To be sure, Tfew theories have generated as much empirical attention, or have sparked as much debate within the field, as Hirschi’s theory. It has been tested by scholars extensively (Akers & Sellers, 2008) and has been the source of heated disagreements among scholars on both theoretical and empirical grounds (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2007). Hirschi himself has remained a lead- ing figure in the discipline for over four decades now and continues to be among the most cited criminologists year after year (Wright, 2002). Indeed, few scholars can claim to have been this relevant to the field for this long. This was no accident—there’s a reason why his ideas have “caught on” where other ideas (even those that seem to be eerily similar) have been ignored, and such is the focus of this chapter. 55 56 KEY IDEAS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF THE 1960S The 1960s were an interesting time in American history for a variety of reasons. This was the decade of clashing values that brought us acid rock; police dogs and fire hoses set upon civil rights demonstrators in the South; Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; phrases like “free love” pitted against laws prohibiting the use of contraception; the burning of draft cards and the fleeing of draft dodgers to Canada; skateboards; miniskirts; the Black Panthers; the assas- sinations of John and Bobby Kennedy and of Martin Luther King, the pres- ence of non-white athletes Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron in major league baseball; the burning of bras by feminists, and the riots at the Democratic National Convention. -
The Growth of Criminological Theories
THE GROWTH OF CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES Jonathon M. Heidt B.A., University of Montana, 2000 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the School of Criminology OJonathon M. Heidt 2003 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY November 2003 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Jonathon Heidt Degree: M.A. Title of Thesis: The Growth of Criminological Theories Examining Committee: Chair: ~ridnkurtch,P~JJ$ . D;. Robert ~ordoi,kh.~. Senior Supervisor Dr. Elizabeth Elliott, Ph.D. Member Sociology Department University at Albany - SUNY Date Approved: PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/Project/Extended Essay The Growth of Criminological Theories Author: Name ABSTRACT In the last 50 years, an extensive array of theories has appeared within the field of criminology, many generated by the discipline of sociology. -
Concentric Zone Theory
Lecture-04 M.A.(Semester-II) PAPER-8 Urban Sociology CONCENTRIC ZONE THEORY Dr. Shankar Kumar Lal University Department of Sociology Lalit Narayan Mithila University Kameshwarnagar,Darbhanga E-mail: [email protected] Mobile: +91-8252199182 CONCENTRIC ZONE THEORY ORIGIN . Developed in the 1920’s by Ernest Burgess and Robert Park, University of Chicago . Hypothesis of this theory is that cities grow and develop outwardly in concentric zones. Sought to explain the socioeconomic divides in and out of the city . Model was based on Chicago’s city layout . First theory to explain the distribution of social groups CONCENTRIC ZONE THEORY….? • Social structures extend outward from one central business area. • Population density decreases towards outward zones • Shows correlation between socioeconomic status and the distance from the central business district • Also known as the Burgess Model, the Bull’s Eye Model, the Concentric Ring Model, or the Concentric Circles Model. Concentric Zone Model ZONE 1: CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT(CBD) • Non-residential center for business. • “Downtown” area • Emphasis on business and commerce • Commuted to by residents of other zones Commercial centre . First, the inner most ring zone or nucleolus of the city is a commercial centre also called Central Business District (CBD) in North America and western countries. This zone is characterized by high intensity of commercial, social and civic amenities. It is the heart of the city which includes department stores, office buildings, shops, banks, clubs, hotels, theatres and many other civic buildings. Being the centre of commercial activities and location, it is accessible from all directions and attracts a large number of people. -
Introduction to Criminology
PART 1 © Nevarpp/iStockphoto/Getty Images Introduction to Criminology CHAPTER 1 Crime and Criminology. 3 CHAPTER 2 The Incidence of Crime . 35 1 © Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock CHAPTER 1 Crime and Criminology Crime and the fear of crime have permeated the fabric of American life. —Warren E. Burger, Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court1 Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. —Bertrand Russell2 OBJECTIVES • Define criminology, and understand how this field of study relates to other social science disciplines. Pg. 4 • Understand the meaning of scientific theory and its relationship to research and policy. Pg. 8 • Recognize how the media shape public perceptions of crime. Pg. 19 • Know the criteria for establishing causation, and identify the attributes of good research. Pg. 13 • Understand the politics of criminology and the importance of social context. Pg. 18 • Define criminal law, and understand the conflict and consensus perspectives on the law. Pg. 5 • Describe the various schools of criminological theory and the explanations that they provide. Pg. 9 of the public’s concern about the safety of their com- Introduction munities, crime is a perennial political issue that can- Crime is a social phenomenon that commands the didates for political office are compelled to address. attention and energy of the American public. When Dealing with crime commands a substantial por- crime statistics are announced or a particular crime tion of the country’s tax dollars. Criminal justice sys- goes viral, the public demands that “something be tem operations (police, courts, prisons) cost American done.” American citizens are concerned about their taxpayers over $270 billion annually. -
Chicago School (Sociology)
Chicago school (sociology) In sociology and later criminology, the Chicago school (sometimes described as the ecological school) was the first major body of works emerging during the 1920s and 1930s specializing in urban sociology, and the research into the urban environment by combining theory and ethnographic fieldwork in Chicago, now applied elsewhere. While involving scholars at several Chicago area universities, the term is often used interchangeably to refer to the University of Chicago's sociology department. Following the Second World War, a "second Chicago school" arose whose members used symbolic interactionism combined with methods of field research (today often referred to asethnography ), to create a new body of work.[1] The major researchers in the first Chicago school included Nels Anderson, Ernest Burgess, Ruth Shonle Cavan, Edward Franklin Frazier, Everett Hughes, Roderick D. McKenzie, George Herbert Mead, Robert E. Park, Walter C. Reckless, Edwin Sutherland, W. I. Thomas [1], Frederic Thrasher, Louis Wirth, and Florian Znaniecki. The activist, social scientist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams also forged and maintained close ties with some of the members of the Chicago school of sociology. Contents Discussion Ecology and social theories Conclusions References References Other references Discussion The Chicago school is best known for its urban sociology and for the development of the symbolic interactionist approach, notably through the work of Herbert Blumer. It has focused on human behavior as shaped by social structures and physical environmental factors, rather than genetic and personal characteristics. Biologists and anthropologists had accepted the theory of evolution as demonstrating that animals adapt to their environments. -
Centennial Bibliography on the History of American Sociology
University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Sociology Department, Faculty Publications Sociology, Department of 2005 Centennial Bibliography On The iH story Of American Sociology Michael R. Hill [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/sociologyfacpub Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Social Psychology and Interaction Commons Hill, Michael R., "Centennial Bibliography On The iH story Of American Sociology" (2005). Sociology Department, Faculty Publications. 348. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/sociologyfacpub/348 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Sociology, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sociology Department, Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Hill, Michael R., (Compiler). 2005. Centennial Bibliography of the History of American Sociology. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association. CENTENNIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY Compiled by MICHAEL R. HILL Editor, Sociological Origins In consultation with the Centennial Bibliography Committee of the American Sociological Association Section on the History of Sociology: Brian P. Conway, Michael R. Hill (co-chair), Susan Hoecker-Drysdale (ex-officio), Jack Nusan Porter (co-chair), Pamela A. Roby, Kathleen Slobin, and Roberta Spalter-Roth. © 2005 American Sociological Association Washington, DC TABLE OF CONTENTS Note: Each part is separately paginated, with the number of pages in each part as indicated below in square brackets. The total page count for the entire file is 224 pages. To navigate within the document, please use navigation arrows and the Bookmark feature provided by Adobe Acrobat Reader.® Users may search this document by utilizing the “Find” command (typically located under the “Edit” tab on the Adobe Acrobat toolbar). -
Chapter Eight: Deviance and Social Control
Chapter Eight: Deviance and Social Control Chapter Summary Sociologists use the term deviance to refer to any violation of rules and norms. From a sociological perspective, deviance is relative. Definitions of “what is deviant” vary across societies and from one group to another within the same society. Howard S. Becker described the interpretation of deviance as, “…not the act itself, but the reaction to the act that makes something deviant.” This coincides with the symbolic interactionist view. In some cases, an individual need not do anything to be labeled a deviant. He or she may be falsely accused or discredited because of a birth defect, race, or disease. Even crime is relative when interpreting the deviance of the actor. Deviance is based on adherence to and violation of norms. Human groups need norms to exist. By making behavior predictable, norms make social life possible. Consequently, all human groups develop a system of social control, which involves formal and informal means of enforcing norms. Those who violate these norms face the danger of being labeled “deviant.” Violators can expect to experience negative sanctions for the violation of norms. Members of society who conform to societal norms, especially those who go above and beyond what is commonly expected, receive positive sanctions. In some societies, such as the Amish, shaming is a common negative sanction that acts strongly as a means of social control, minimizing deviance. Biologists, psychologists, and sociologists have different perspectives on why people violate norms. Biological explanations focus on genetic predispositions, psychologists concentrate on abnormalities within the individual (commonly known as personality disorders), and sociologists look at social factors outside the individual. -
Self-Control Vs. Social Control As an Explanation for Delinquency
University of Windsor Scholarship at UWindsor Electronic Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Major Papers 2003 Self-control vs. social control as an explanation for delinquency. Marcel Joseph Parent University of Windsor Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd Recommended Citation Parent, Marcel Joseph, "Self-control vs. social control as an explanation for delinquency." (2003). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3415. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/3415 This online database contains the full-text of PhD dissertations and Masters’ theses of University of Windsor students from 1954 forward. These documents are made available for personal study and research purposes only, in accordance with the Canadian Copyright Act and the Creative Commons license—CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivative Works). Under this license, works must always be attributed to the copyright holder (original author), cannot be used for any commercial purposes, and may not be altered. Any other use would require the permission of the copyright holder. Students may inquire about withdrawing their dissertation and/or thesis from this database. For additional inquiries, please contact the repository administrator via email ([email protected]) or by telephone at 519-253-3000ext. 3208. SELF-CONTROL VS. SOCIAL CONTROL AS AN EXPLANATION FOR DELINQUENCY by Marcel Parent Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research through Sociology in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree -
Sociology 4111 (Uggen): Deviant Behavior Midterm Review, Spring 2004
Sociology 4111 (Uggen): Deviant Behavior Midterm Review, Spring 2004 PART I: BASIC CONCEPTS -- DEVIANCE, CONTROL, AND CAREERS I. Social Facts and Social Constructions II. Defining Deviance a. Clinard’s Definitions of Deviance (Statistical, Absolutist, Reactivist, Normative) b. Adlers’ definition’s i. Deviance as violation of social norms (Attitudes, Behaviors, Conditions, Prescriptive norms, Proscriptive norms) ii. Role iii. Subcultures iv. Power v. Moral entrepreneurs c. Kai Erikson (1966) III. Differences between Criminology and Deviance a. Piece in The Criminologist: b. Heckert: positive deviance i. Altruism (hero) ii. Charisma (dictator) iii. Innovation (artist) iv. Supra-Conformity (4.0) v. Innate/Ascribed (beauty) vi. Ex-Deviant (saved) c. Middle Class norms - Typology of Deviance IV. Social Controls and the Hobbesian Problem of Order a. Thomas Hobbes i. “Hobbesian problem of order” ii. How can we create a society in which self-interested people don’t use force and fraud to satisfy their (criminal, sexual, substance-abusing …) wants? iii. 3 “solutions” to Hobbesian dilemma 1. Normative 2. Exchange 3. Conflict iv. Informal social controls v. Formal social controls b. social controls and constructions i. Clinard: Deviant Events in Context ii. Joel Best: Social Constructionism c. Race and formal control i. Anderson on police as social control ii. Local perspective/Why focus on police? V. Introduction to Deviant Careers (of people, firms, nations…) a. Becoming Deviant b. Phases of the Deviant Career 1 VI. Subcultures, Power, and “Unconventional Sentimentality” (5 min. video: The Wall) a. Chambliss: Saints and Roughnecks b. Sanchez Jankowski: Joining a Gang c. Fox: Real Punks and Pretenders PART II: THEORIES OF DEVIANCE AND SOCIETAL REACTION VII. -
Employee Theft: a Study of the Major Sociological, Economic
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF IRENE ELAINE VOIT for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN INTER- DISCIPLINARY STUDIES in BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, ECONOMICS, AND SOCIOLOGY presented on MAY 1, 1978 Title: EMPLOYEE THEFT: A STUDY OF THE MAJOR SOCIOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS CAUSAL THEORIES Redacted for Privacy Abstract approved: DR. MATT M. AMANO Although employee theft is claimed by many authors to be a significant problem in America with corrosive and damaging effects upon business and society, very little research has been done to establish the causes of such behavior. The purpose of this thesis was to identify, discuss, and critically evaluate theories that might have the potential to explain the etiology of employee theft. To discover the most promising theories necessitated searching the literature of several disciplines, including criminology/sociology, business, and economics. A surprisingly small amount of literature that could be considered of a serious or research nature that was concerned specifically with employee theft could be uncovered. It became necessary to broaden the search to include major theories on the etiology of crime in general and to determine their applicability and value in the study of employee theft. Differential association theory, alienation theory, labeling theory, and cost/benefit analysis were identified as having potential value despite their cited shortcomings. The final chapter compared the approaches of the theories, discussed how current research methodology is deficient, and suggested areas for future