Chapter 6; Deviance and Social Control
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What is Deviance?
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Unit 6.1
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the violation of norms written into law
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Crime
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the violation of social norms (or rules or expectations)
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Deviance
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an expression of disapproval for breaking a norm, ranging from a mild, informal reaction such as a frown to a formal reaction such as a prison sentence or an execution
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Negative Sanction
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a reward or positive reaction for following norms, ranging from a smile to a material reward
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Positive Sanction
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a group's formal and informal means of enforcing its norms
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Social Control
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a group's usual and customary social arrangements, on which its members depend and on which they base their lives
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Social Order
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"blemishes" that discredit a person's claim to a "normal" identity
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Stigma
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Norms change from one society to another. Because deviance is the violation of norms, what is deviant also changes from one group to another, making deviance relative.
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Explain what deviance is and why it is relative.
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Stigma is a violation of norms so serious that it discredits and individual. As a negative master status, stigma overrides a person's other characteristics.
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Explain what stigma is.
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For interactions to proceed smoothly, people must know what to expect of one another. Norms lay down those expectations, and sanctions help to keep people in line.
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Explain why norms and sanctions are necessary for social life to exist.
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deviant
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When he tried to hold up the 7-11 convenient store, Heinrich shot the clerk. An ambulance crew took her to the hospital, where she died the next day. According to sociologists, Heinrich is a a. transgressor b. sinner c. robber d. deviant
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deviant
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Angelina was drawing a blank. She knew that she knew the answer to the question, but she couldn't think of it. The sociology test was important. If her GPA fell any lower, she would lose her scholarship. Angelina pretended to be scratching her head as she peered at the student's answers to the side of her. She quickly scribbled down the same answer. According to sociologists, Angelina is a a. transgressor b. sinner c. cheater d. deviant
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relativity of deviance
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From Chagnon's experience with the Yanomamo, you can see that different groups have different norms, that what is deviant to some is not deviant to others. This is called the a. confounding variable b. relativity of deviance c. mystique of deviance d. shifting sands of deviance
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it is not the act itself, but the reactions to the act, that makes something deviant
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At the heart of the sociological perspective on deviance is this idea a. it is not the act itself, but the reactions to the act, that makes something deviant b. although there are many norms, there are relatively few sanctions c. rehabilitation, not punishment, is the more effective response to deviants d. what goes around comes around
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an act admired in one society can be punished by death in another society
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It is easy to see the relativity of deviance when it comes to little things, such as clothing thought inappropriate by some but considered fine by others. When it comes to crime, though, it can be more difficult to perceive this point. Yet crime is so relative that a. sociologists can't define crime b. men are usually the lawbreakers c. few societies operate prisons d. an act admired in one society can be punished by death in another society
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any act to which people respond negatively
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Sociologists do not use the term deviant as a way to judge people's behavior. They use deviance to refer to a. behavior that they don't like b. changes in norms c. any act to which people respond negatively d. changes in sanctions
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a stigma
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Freddie was born with a cleft lip. The surgeons did a bad job in trying to fix it, and Freddie had been left disfigured. Everyone who meets Freddie immediately sees the disfigurement. Freddie has a. norm failure b. a stigma c. deviance transference d. AIDS - Acquired Infernal Disfigurement Syndrome
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undermines predictability
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Deviance is often perceived as threatening because it a. undermines predictability b. is done by deviants c. challenges sanctions d. rests on shifting foundations
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positive sanction
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If you get an A in this class, you are receiving a a. deviance pass b. deviance bypass c. negative sanction d. positive sanction
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an informal negative sanction
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Your friends tell you that when JoAnne, the mother of a mutual friend, went to a convention this past weekend she slept with her boss. Her husband who stayed home taking care of their child does not know about this. You shake your head and you mutter that you never thought she was that kind of person. You have just engaged in what sociologists call a. a formal positive sanction b. an informal positive sanction c. an informal negative sanction d. a formal negative sanction
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Comparing Sociobiology, Psychology, and Sociology
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Unit 6.2
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the view that a personality disturbance of some sort causes an individual to violate social norms
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Personality Disorders
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crimes such as mugging, rape, and burglary
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Street Crime
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The main difference is that sociological explanations look for influences for deviance outside the individual, such as socialization and peer groups. The other two look for causes within the individual, sociobiological in inherited characteristics and psychological in personality defects.
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Contrast sociobiological, psychological, and sociological explanations of deviance.
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sociobiologist
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"Pregnant women who took fewer risks were more likely to survive and pass on characteristics of empathy and self-control." Such a statement is likely to be made by a a. sociobiologist b. psychologist c. sociologist d. entomologist
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psychologist
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"This boy is getting in trouble with the police because his parents were too strict and demanding when they were toilet training him. He now has unresolved conflicts that he is working out by violating the law." Such a statement is likely to be made by a a. sociobiologist b. psychologist c. sociologist d. entomologist
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sociologist
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"The ideas and norms dominant in this group of girls encourage their member to break laws." Such a statement is likely to be made by a a. sociobiologist b. psychologist c. sociologist d. entomologist
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sociologist
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Some explanations of deviance point to factors within people, others to factors outside the individual. Which of these four are most likely to stress factors outside the individual? a. sociobiologist b. psychologist c. sociologist d. entomologist
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The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
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Unit 6.3
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Edwin Sutherland's term to indicate that people who associate with some groups learn an "excess of definitions" of deviance, increasing the likelihood that they will become deviant
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Differential Association
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ways of thinking or rationalizing that help people deflect (or neutralize) society's norms
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Techniques of Neutralization
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The different groups with which we associate give us massages about conformity and deviance. We receive an excess of definitions that tilts us toward conformance or deviance. In this process are family, friends, neighbors, and subcultures.
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Explain differential association theory.
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We all have desires to deviate. Working against these desires are inner controls (internalizaed morality - conscience, ideas of right and wrong) and outer controls (people - from friends to the police). The stronger our bond to society, the more effective are our inner controls. Basic self-control develops during childhood.
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Explain control theory.
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We use techniques of neutralization to reject negative labels. Some groups, such as teenagers and outlaw bikers, seek specific negative labels.
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Explain labeling theory.
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we are thinking beings who act according to our definition of the situation
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This is a basic principle of symbolic interactionism a. juvenile delinquents don't have a realistic view if their acts b. unless people change, deviance will increase and threaten society c. those in control of society force their rules (norms) onto others d. we are thinking beings who act according to our definition of the situation
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differential association
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When she entered college, Betty had a hard time making friends. Finally, she found a group of girls who accepted her. The girls shoplifted on a fairly regular basis. Betty had never shoplifted before, but she began to do so. This statement best matches this theoretical perspective a. labeling theory b. control theory c. differential association d. conflict perspective
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half
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The term differential association applies to all groups we associate with, including our family. Different families have different effects on their children. One of the most remarkable statistics that demonstrates how differential association applies to the family is this: Of all prion inmates across the united States, about how many have a father, mother, sister, or spouse who have served time in prison? a. one of ten b. two of ten c. one-third d. half
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control theory
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Hank could hardly stand the temptation. The teacher had left her purse on her desk, and he knew she had just cashed her check. Hank needed the money, but he heard his conscience shouting at him, and he didn't go near the purse. This statement best matches the theoretical perspective a. labeling theory b. control theory c. differential association d. conflict perspective
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inner and outer controls
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Control theory stresses that you have two control systems that work against your motivation to deviate. These are you a. inner and outer controls b. basic and complex controls c. early and later controls d. fast and slow controls
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is using techniques of neutralization
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Angela is a member of a girl's gang. She steals, fights, and sells drugs. Angela thinks of herself as a good citizen, and in her best moments, as a model for other girls. It is likely that Angela a. does not know what a role model is b. will change her mind as she matures c. is using techniques of neutralization d. has been rejected by her mother
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differential association
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Ricardo's parents were upset by the neighborhood they were living in. They were especially bothered by Ricardo's friends. When Ricardo's dad received a promotion at work and a higher salary, the family moved to a better neighborhood. This statement best matches this theoretical perspective a. labeling theory b. sociobiological theory c. differential association d. conflict perspective
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a technique of neutralization
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Philomena was defiant when she was accused of letting a friend copy her sociology paper. She said, "Who really got hurt? I had to help my friend." Philomena is using a. a technique of neutralization b. her friend as an excuse c. reverse psychology d. the offensive challenge
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labeling theory
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The girls gossiped about Annette, shaking their heads at the way she dressed. They began to call her a ***** behind her back. Gradually, her reputation spread throughout the school. This statement best matches this theoretical perspective a. labeling theory b. conflict theory c. differential association d. conflict perspective
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The Functionalist Perspective
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Unit 6.4
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crimes committed by executives in order to benefit their corporation
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Corporate Crime
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the objectives held out as legitimate or desirable for the members of a society to achieve
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Cultural Goals
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opportunities for crimes that are woven into the texture of life
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Illegitimate Opportunity Structure
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approved ways of reaching cultural goals
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Institutionalized Means
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Robert Merton's term for the strain engendered when a society socializes large numbers of people to desire a cultural goal (such as success), but withholds from some the approved means of reaching that goal; one adaptation tot he strain of crime, the choice of an innovative means (one outside the approved system) to attain the cultural goal
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Strain Theory
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Edwin Sutherland's term for crimes committed by people of respectable and high social status in the course of their occupations; for example, bribery of public officials, embezzlement, false advertising, and price fixing
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White-Collar Crime
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Deviance clarifies moral boundaries, affirms norms, encourages unity, and promotes social change.
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Explain how deviance can be functional for society.
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Socializing everyone into wanting success encourages people whose legitimate means to success are blocked to take deviant paths to success.
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Explain how strain theory illustrates how mainstream values produce deviance.
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Innovation, ritualization, retreatism, and rebellion.
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List four deviant paths highlighted by strain theory.
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This term refers to the opportunity to commit different types of crime, a door that social class opens and closes. Gender also holds a key to this door.
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Explain illegitimate opportunity structures.
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provides a better future
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Functionalists say that deviance is functional for society. Which of these is not one of the functions they identify? a. clarifies moral boundaries b. encourages unity c. promotes social change d. provides a better future
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strain
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The term cultural goals refers to the goals held out for people. The term institutionalized means refers to the legitimate (or acceptable) ways to reach these goals. When people who try to reach cultural goals find their legitimate means blocked, they feel frustration. In strain theory, what is this frustration called? a. illegitimate means b. deviant paths c. strain d. motivators
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innovation
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Frankie's job didn't pay enough to buy the things he saw on television - things that many of his friends had, and that he felt he deserved. He began to steal from his employer. In strain theory, Frankie is following this deviant path a. innovation b. ritualism c. retreatism d. rebellion
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ritualism
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The job that Hortense (yes, this is a woman's name) had didn't pay enough to buy the things she saw on television - things that many of her friends had, and that she felt he deserved. Out of frustration, she gave up trying to get ahead at work. She showed up each day, but she did only what she had to, making sure she followed the rules so she wouldn't be fired. Hortense is following this deviant path a. innovation b. ritualism c. retreatism d. rebellion
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retreatism
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Manny felt more and more frustrated at school. No matter how hard he tried, the teachers always seemed negative. When Manny used drugs, he forgot about his frustrations. Using drugs more and more frequently, Manny dropped out of school and began to build his life around drugs. Manny is following this deviant path a. innovation b. ritualism c. retreatism d. rebellion
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rebellion
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Clarissa grew increasingly upset about what she saw as the control of society by the wealthy, their corruption, and the lack of opportunities for the poor. Clarissa joined an underground group that wants to overthrow what its members see as the government of the wealthy, by the wealthy, and for the wealthy and replace it with one that offers equal opportunities for all. Clarissa is following this deviant path a. innovation b. ritualism c. retreatism d. rebellion
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an illegitimate opportunity structure
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Even though Sam dropped out of school, he had no trouble finding "work." A local drug dealer gave him a job selling drugs. Sam's underground opportunity for financial success is part of what sociologists call a. an underground movement b. an illegitimate opportunity structure c. an alternative financial structure d. social change
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white-collar crime
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Henrietta worked her way up to vice-president of financial affairs. In this position, she saw how sloppy the record keeping was. As she tried to straighten things out, she saw an opportunity to direct money into her personal account, a way that she was sure could not be detected. She did so. Sociologists use this term to refer to what Henrietta did a. white-collar crime b. employee advantage c. street crime d. gender change
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corporate crime
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Henry worked his way up to vice-president of financial affairs. In this position, he experienced intense pressure to show high profits for the corporation. To produce a better report for the stockholders, Henry devised a plan to hide some of the corporate debt. What Henry did was a crime. Sociologists use this term to refer to what Henry did a. misplaced goals b. gender crime c. street crime d. corporate crime
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committing crime
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Just as social class opens and closes doors of opportunity - to both legal and illegal activities - so does gender. As ideas of gender changed, opening education, business, and the professions to women, it also brought this new opportunity to women, which they seized a. making better marriages b. retiring early c. committing crime d. having more children
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The Conflict Perspective
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Unit 6.5
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the system of police, courts, and prisons set up to deal with people who are accused of having committed a crime
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Criminal Justice System
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The wealthy control the criminal justice system (the police, courts, and prisons designed to deal with law breakers). Because the poor pose the threat of rebellion, overthrowing the elite from their positions of privilege, the law comes down hard on the crimes of the poor, while the wealthy get a slap on the wrist.
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Explain the conflict view of class, crime, and the criminal justice system.
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a cultural myth promoted by the capitalist class
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According to conflict theorists, the idea that the law operates impartially to bring justice is a. true in the United States and most of the West, but not true in most Asian countries b. the basic principle on which freedom rests c. an idea that has to be interpreted according to changing historical situations d. a cultural myth promoted by the capitalist class
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are the least rooted in society
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The working class and those below it pose a special threat to the power elite because they a. don't like the wealthy b. have little education c. are the least rooted in society d. are more likely to commit crimes
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keeping itself in power
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According to conflict theorists, the power elite uses the legal system to control workers and to stabilize the social order, all with the goal of a. creating a fairer society b. keeping itself in power c. increasing opportunities for the poor d. making the police more efficient
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if they become too outrageous or oppressive they might encourage the working class to revolt
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According to conflict theory, the criminal justice system does not focus on the executives of corporations and the harm they do through manufacturing unsafe products, creating pollution, and manipulating prices. Yet the violations of the capitalist class cannot be ignored totally because a. if they become too outrageous or oppressive they might encourage the working class to revolt b. the quotas (the allotted spaces by social class in our jails and prisons) must be met c. reporters are always snooping around and looking for a good story d. of recent laws passed by Congress
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Reactions to Deviance: Prisons
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Unit 6.6
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the proportion of released convicts who are rearrested
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Recidivism Rate
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Since 1970, the number of prisoners has increased roughly from 200,000 to 2 million. Most prisoners are under age 35, never married, and with low education. African Americans make up 38% of prisoners but only 13% of the population.
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Discuss the increase in imprisonment and who the prisoners are.
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Some states require a set prison term after conviction of a third felony. Some people who have committed small offenses end up with harsh penalties, even life imprisonment.
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Explain the "three-strikes" laws and their dysfunctions.
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The common assumption is longer prison sentences, but other explanations include abortion, higher employment, and less drug use.
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Summarize suggested reasons for the drop in violent crime.
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Measured by rearrest of former prisoners within three years, recidivism is high - from 41% for murder to 79% for car theft.
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Give basic statistics on recidivism.
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a sharp increase since 1970, from about 200,000 to almost 2 million
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Which of these descriptions best summarizes the trend in the number of U.S. prisoners? a. an increase until about year 2000, and a sharp drop since then b. flat - about the same number for the past 30 or 40 years c. an almost continual decline since 1970 d. a sharp increase since 1970, from about 200,000 to almost 2 million
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38%
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African Americans, who make up 12.8% of the U.S. population, make up this percentage of prisoners a. 13% b. 20% c. 38% d. 72%
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marriage
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Many "anchors" tie people into mainstream norms and behaviors. Most prisoners are missing this "anchor" a. goals b. marriage c. relatives d. divorce
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dropped out of high school
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Which of these characteristics would best predict that someone will go to prison? a. dropped out of high school b. married before age 21 c. started college after age 20 d. has no brother or sister
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given a mandatory prison sentence
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The "three-strikes" laws are modeled after baseball. After being convicted of a third felony, an individual is a. sent home b. forced to do long-term community service c. ordered to report to a parole officer d. given a mandatory prison sentence
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less drug use
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The rate of violent crimes has dropped drastically since some states passed the three-strikes laws and more offenders have been put in prison. Some sociologists disagree with this common-sense explanation for the decrease in violent crimes. Among the explanations they suggest is a. more education b. a decrease in employment c. less drug use d. more police
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are colossal failures
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If a goal of prisons is to teach their clients to stay away from crime, U.S. prisons a. could serve as a model for other countries b. are colossal failures c. have improved during the past 20 years d. are worse now than they were 20 years ago
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62%
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Try to recall the recidivism rate of former prisoners who had served time for crimes of violence. Within three years of their release from prison, this percentage had been rearrested a. 12% b. 22% c. 42% d. 62%
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Reactions to Deviance: The Death Penalty
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Unit 6.7
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There are no statistics on this, so the answer is unknown. But it is likely.
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State if serial murder has become more common.
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Geography: Only some states have the death penalty. Social Class: The uneducated are more likely to be on death row. Gender: Women are less likely to be sentences to death or to be executed. Race-ethnicity: African Americans and Latinos who killed whites are more likely to be executed.
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Summarize geographical, social class, gender, and race-ethnic biases in the death penalty.
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the death penalty
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Capital Punishment
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the killing of several victims in three or more separate events
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Serial Murder
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serial killers
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Opponents and proponents of the death penalty are passionate about their positions. One argument of those who support capital punishment concerns a. bias in the penalty b. the equality of death c. the inevitability of death d. serial killers
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bias in the death penalty
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A major argument of those who oppose capital punishment concerns a. bias in the death penalty b. the equality of death c. the inevitability of death d. serial killers
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technological change makes it easier to detect serial killers
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The author says that even though serial killers receive more publicity today than in the past, this is not because serial killing has become more common. Rather, it is because a. there used to be more people like Jack the Ripper b. people today are more interested in serial killers c. technological change makes it easier to detect serial killers d. today's newspapers place more focus on lurid and startling news events
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social class
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Although not stated in the text, killers with less education are more likely to receive the death penalty. And on death row, those with less education are lore likely to be executed. These findings are examples of what kind of bias in the death penalty? a. gender b. social class c. race-ethnicity d. geography
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gender
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Men who kill are more likely than female killers to receive the death penalty. On death row, men are also more likely than women to be executed. These findings are examples of what kind of bias in the death penalty? a. gender b. social class c. race-ethnicity d. geography
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race-ethnicity
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Those on death row most likely to be executed are African Americans and Latinos who killed whites. This finding is what kind of bias? a. gender b. social class c. race-ethnicity d. geography
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On Laws and Crime Statistics
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Unit 6.8
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a crime that is punished more severely because it is motivated by hatred (dislike, hostility, animosity) of someone's race-ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin
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Hate Crime
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the practice of the police, in the normal course of their duties, to either arrest or ticket someone for an offense or to overlook the matter
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Police Discretion
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What crime is varies from one society to another (women driving cars in Saudi Arabia) and in the same society from one time period to another (passage of new laws).
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Discuss the relativity of crime.
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Hate crimes carry extra penalties because they are motivated by hate or dislike. You should have applied your social location to try to understand whatever position you took on hate crimes.
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Take and explain a position on hate crimes.
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Unlike oranges, crime statistics do not have an objective existence. They depend on the classifications being used, how acts are fit into the classification, and police discretion.
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Summarize the problem with official crime statistics.
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the relativity of crime
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It is a crime in Saudi Arabia for a woman to drive a car. (Technically, this is not a crime, but you can't drive without a driver's license - and women cannot get driver's licenses!) It is legal for women to drive cars in Canada. This is an example of a. discrimination against women b. the backwardness of laws in some places c. customs not catching up to changing technology d. the relativity of crime
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a hate crime
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Hazel was harassed by her classmates because she was a Muslim. One of her classmates became so angry when Hazel defended her religion that the classmate hit her. Hazel is a victim of a. a mob b. peer punishment c. a hate crime d. legal discrimination
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police discretion
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The police saw Johnny urinating against a building. They ignored the matter because they thought Johnny was dealing drugs and if they kept observing him they would see a drug deal go down. They didn't, so they had to call it a night, but they still watched Johnny from time to time, hoping to catch him with drugs. This is an example of a. good police work b. police discretion c. police discrimination d. the war on drugs
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The Medicalization of Deviance
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Unit 6.9
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to make deviance a medical matter, a symptom of some underlying illness that needs to be treated by physicians
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Medicalization of Deviance
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To medicalize deviance is to say that the behavior is a sign of mental illness and needs to be treated by a physician. Thomas Szasz's position is that problem behavior is behavior. It is not mental and it is not illness. People have learned ways of coping with problems in such a way that their coping behavior is a problem to others. It is problematic, but it remains behavior.
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State what the medicalization of deviance is and summarize Szasz's objection on it.
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Being mentally can lead to someone losing a job and home and ending up on the streets. But being on the streets, with all of its problems, can lead to bizarre thinking and withdrawal into a private mental world.
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Explain how being homeless can lead to "mental illness."
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the medialization of deviance
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Cindy was caught shoplifting. The school counselor told Cindy's parents that their daughter has a problem identifying with her mother and that Cindy is "acting out." The counselor recommends that Cindy see a psychiatrist for treatment. This is an example of a. schools taking over functions of the family b. middle-class paranoia c. the results of the no-spanking movement d. the medialization of deviance
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a sign of mental illness
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The author interviewed family members and friends of a teenage serial killer who participated in the rape and murder of numerous teenagers. According to the medicalization of deviance, the crimes of this killer are a. deserving of the death penalty b. a sign that society is getting worse c. a sign of mental illness d. an example of why we need more psychiatrists
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problem behaviors
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A renegade psychiatrist, Thomas Szasz, challenges the medicalization of deviance. He says that problem behaviors, including crime, are not a sign of mental illness. They are neither mental nor illness, he claims. Instead, they are a. a cry for help b. problem behaviors c. not crimes d. transfers of inappropriate affection into misguided behavior
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people's experiences
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In his challenge to the medicalization of deviance, Szasz says that the problem behaviors usually taken as a sign of mental illness are not caused by an illness in people's minds. Instead, he says they come from a. people's experiences b. internal desires, sometimes called the id c. bad parenting d. the suppressive nature of contemporary society
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to expand their territory
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The reason that the medical profession pushes the medicalization of deviance, says Szasz, is a. to try to help more people b. because more and more people are mentally ill c. because the influence of the family and religion has declined d. to expand their territory
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homelessness can cause mental illness
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The author claims that just as mental illness can cause homelessness so a. problem behavior can cause both homelessness and mental illness b. the involvement in the medical profession in homelessness can cause mental illness c. homelessness can cause mental illness d. psychiatric treatment can cause mental illness
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The Need for a More Humane Approach
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Unit 6.10
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Actually the need for a humane approach to deviants has run through the chapter. This section just reinforces it. Our court system and prisons are in special need of overhaul.
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Explain why we need a more humane approach to deviants.
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deviance is inevitable
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The quote from Emile Durkheim about norm violations in a society of saints was intended to illustrate that a. there aren't many saints in this life b. deviance is inevitable c. even in Durkheim's time there were deviants d. we have come a long way since Durkheim's time
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the homeless
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The author uses this example to indicate that we need a more humane approach to deviants a. the homeless b. shoplifters c. drug use by celebrities d. car theft by teenagers
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positive sanctions
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Smiles, congratulations, awards, and applause are all examples of _____. a. positive maintenance b. positive progress c. positive sanctions d. positive approach
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conflict
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A _____ theorist is likely to be interested in studying the ways that the powerful are able to bypass the courts when they commit a crime. a. control b. conflict c. functionalist d. symbolic interactionist
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functionalist
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The argument that deviance promotes social change is an example of which sociological perspective? a. conflict b. functionalist c. symbolic interactionist d. feminist
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differential association theory
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Which of the following theories is an example of the symbolic interactionist perspective? a. conflict theory b. differential association theory c. strain theory d. neighborhood theory
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bias in the death penalty
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Th fact that it is almost unheard of for a woman to be sentenced to death is an example of _____. a. gender equality b. execution rates c. bias in the death penalty d. social class bias
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relativity
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The variation of definitions of criminal behavior over space and time is an example of the _____ of crime. a. sociability b. relativity c. unpredictability d. variability
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the primary factor that determines if a behavior is deviant is the act itself
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Which statement is LEAST accurate regarding deviance and conformity? a. deviance is a violation of social norms b. the primary factor that determines if a behavior is deviant is the act itself c. what is deviant to one social group may be considered normal to another d. society often conveys conflicting messages of what constitutes deviance
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is culturally relative
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The fact that the same behavior regarding mate selection can be defined as rape in Nebraska and marriage in Iraq illustrates the sociological fact that deviance _____. a. is widespread in Islamic countries b. is illegal in Nebraska c. is culturally relative d. is synonymous with crime
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crime
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A specific form of deviance that involves the violation of rules that have been written into law is called _____. a. shunning b. shaming c. crime d. a morals violation
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The Theory of Differential Association
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Brad has developed an "excess of definitions" that support his rationalization to sell marijuana in his dormitory. He feels marijuana is "a safe drug," considers himself as only providing his fellow students a product they demand, and saves money in the process for his own marijuana needs. Brad's behavior can best be explained by which theory of deviance? a. Personality Theory b. The Theory of Differential Association c. Social Control Theory d. Labeling Theory
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inner and outer controls
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The main idea of control theory is that most people have strong desires to be deviant, but two systems work against their motivation to deviate. These two systems are termed _____. a. the courts and prisons b. conscience and the criminal justice system c. inner and outer controls d. outer and formal controls
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help the community
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According to sociologist Martin Jankowski, one of the reasons boys in the urban areas of the United States were motivated to join gangs was to _____. a. escape broken homes b. seek a substitute family c. help the community d. get back at their parents
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labeling
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The significance of names or reputations given to people when they engage in certain types of behavior is the focus of _____ theory. a. strain b. control c. labeling d. differential association
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by the reaction of others to the behavior
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Sociologist Howard S. Becker notes that deviance is defined _____. a. by the reaction of others to the behavior b. by the nature of the behavior c. by how common the behavior is among members of society d. by the government
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Erving Goffman
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Sociologist _____ used the term stigma to refer to characteristics that discredit people. a. Howard S. Becker b. Robert Merton c. Travis Hirschi d. Erving Goffman
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symbolic interactionist
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The relativity of deviance is best explained by the _____ perspective. a. structural functionalist b. conflict c. symbolic interactionist d. neo-conflict
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perceived to be more common now, but this is not necessarily the case
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Serial killing is _____. a. more common now than it was at an earlier time b. less common now than it was at an earlier time c. perceived to be more common now, but this is not necessarily the case d. not as bad as some other crimes
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the proportion of offenders who re-offended
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The recidivism rate itself gives us information about _____. a. the proportion of offenders who re-offended b. why offenders re-offended c. those who commit crimes against criminals d. why the offenders who do not reoffend are able to keep from re-offending
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how descriptive statistics are computed
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Which of the following is NOT identified by the text as a factor affecting statistics on crime? a. how crimes are classified b. how many crimes are committed c. how descriptive statistics are computed d. how police think and behave
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problem behaviors
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Thomas Szasz believes mental illnesses should more appropriately be classified as _____. a. physical illnesses b. problem behaviors c. craziness d. ADD
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three or more
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Serial killing by definition involves killing on _____ distinct occasions. a. three or more b. four or more c. five or more d. ten or more
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Any crime that can be considered a felony
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_____ can be counted as a third strike. a. Any crime b. Only a personal crime c. Any crime that can be considered a felony d. No minor crime
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has usefulness for society as a whole
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Durkheim's point is that deviance _____. a. destroys friendships b. is always bad c. helps only deviants d. has usefulness for society as a whole
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Joe does not have enough inner or outer controls
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Joe steals some tires. How would control theory likely explain this? a. Joe does not have enough inner or outer controls b. Joe does not know anyone who does not steal tires c. Joe is being a ritualist d. Joe is being an innovator
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social order
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Norms provide us with _____. a. more bad than good b. social order c. chaos d. milk
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negative
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Norm violations are met with _____ sanctions. a. legal b. positive c. natural d. negative
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sociological
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Which approach would you be using if you were examining how neighborhood influences were affecting residents' behaviors? a. classical b. sociological c. psychological d. sociobiological
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Reputation
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_____ is an important component in labeling theory. a. The death rate b. The birth rate c. Self-control d. Reputation
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control us
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We are kept in line through processes that _____. a. are unpredictable b. deviate c. control us d. keep us happy