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Crime And Violence

Drew Hurley
Santa Fe Community College

For Use With: Mooney, Knox & Schacht, Understanding Social Problems, West Publishing Co., 1997.

The Social Context: International Crime and Violence

Crime is the violation of law.

Sources of Crime Statistics

Official Statistics
Victimization Surveys
Self-Report Offender Surveys

Consider:

Self-Report surveys reveal that virtually all adults have engaged in some illegal behavior. Why then is only a fraction of the population labeled as criminal?

Sociological Theories of Crime and Violence

Structural Functional Perspective

Crime is functional. It strengthens group cohesion and reinforces institutions and jobs.

Robert King Merton's Strain (Anomie) Theory

Strain --------> Adaptive Behavior

Mode ............... Means ............ Goals

Conformity ....... Old ................ Old
Innovation ........ New .............. Old
Ritualism ......... Old ............... None
Retreat ............ None ............ None
Rebellion ......... New ............. New

Behavior is chosen based upon the expectation of probable success. If an individual believes that criminal behavior is more likely to be successful than straight behavior, society plays a role shaping that perception, however, accurate or inaccurate, it may be.

Strain Theory Applications

Strain -----> Adaptations
Mode The Poor Middle Class Rich

Conformity Working Poor Suburban Family Civic Leader

Innovation Mugger Embezzler Stock Manipulator

Ritualism Chronic Welfare Recipient Uncommitted Bureaucrat Hedonist

Retreatism Wino or Junkie Social Alcoholic Bohemian

Rebellion Outlaw or Criminal Anarchist Facist

Strain -----> Adaptations
Mode	The Poor	Middle Class	Rich
Conformity	Working Poor	Suburban Family	Civic Leader
Innovation	Mugger	Embezzler	Stock Manipulator
Ritualism	Chronic Welfare Recipient	Uncommitted Bureaucrat	Hedonist
Retreatism	Wino or Junkie	Social Alcoholic	Bohemian
Rebellion	Outlaw or Criminal	Anarchist	Facist

Subcultural Theories

Walter Miller: Trouble, Toughness, Smartness, Excitement, Fate, and Autonomy
Elijah Anderson: 'Survival Toughness'

Travis Hirschi's Control Theory
Attachment -- Commitment -- Involvement -- Belief

Conflict Perspective

The greater the social inequality the greater the crime rate.

Those in power define criminal behavior to protect their interests and property.

Law enforcement serves those in power.

Consider: By focusing on street crime and violence, the public is diverted from corporate crime and institutional violence.

Michael Milken was convicted of stock fraud which costs investor $600 million; but served half his sentence performing community service, such as tutoring children at this neighborhood center.

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

How do people create their Reality? What is the basis for socially constructing deviance?

Howard becker's Labeling Theory:
Primary Deviance -- Secondary Deviance -- Career Deviance
Status Degradation Ceremony

Edwin Sutherland's Differential Association Theory
Age -- Ratio -- Intensity
Learn criminal skills and the values and beliefs that support criminal acts.

Types of Crime

Violent Crime

Homocide -- Aggravated Assault -- Acquaintance Rape

Property Crime
Vice Crimes
Organized Crime

John Gotti

Corporate Crime

William Aramony (United Way) and Michael Milken

Love Canal, Ford Pintos, Haagen-Daz, Phar-Mor

Computer Crime

Crashed Airliner, Rounded off Paychecks, Corporate Spying, ATM Rip-offs, Theft of Credit Card numbers

Juvenile Delinquency

Gangs

Demographic Patterns of Crime

Female Members of Gangs

Gender and Crime

Age and Crime
Race, Social Class and Crime

Consider: Stereotyping groups as prone to crime may contribute to violence among those groups.

Based on Arrest Records, the typical criminal is:
Sex = Male -- Age = 21.6 -- Social Class = Lower Working Class -- Ethnicity = White

Region and Crime

Urban Areas and the Southeastern U.S.
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Cost of Crime and Violence

Economic Cost of Crime and Violence

George Conklin's Cost Categories:
Direct Costs
Associated Transfer Costs
Loss of Productivity Costs
Cost of Illegal Expenditures
Criminal Justice System Costs

Social and Psychological Cost of Crime and Violence

If frightened citizens remain locked in their homes instead of enjoying public spaces, there is a loss of public and community life, as well as a loss of 'social capital.' NRC

Consider: The fear of crime sometimes leads to tragedy....

Responses to Crime and Violence: Policies and Programs

Youth Programs: Abolish Chronic Truancy, Boys Clubs, Girls Clubs
Community Programs: Mad Dads
Dispute Resolution Centers

Media Violence

A child can see 20,000 murders by the age of 13. This leads to increased aggressiveness and decreased sensitivity.

Criminal Justice Policy

General and Specific Deterrence
Capital Punishment: Nationally, almost half of those on death row are minorities

Witness to an Execution:

Consider: Most Western Nations have abandoned the death penalty; it is now practiced most by countries which routinely violate human rights.
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Rehabilitation and Incapacitation
Recidivism Versus 'Three Strikes and You're Out'

Gun Control
The Brady Bill Versus The National Rifle Association

Understanding Crime and Violence

The only effective way to curb crime is to prevent the criminal act in the first place. Our youngsters must be taught to handle disputes without violence.

Send Your Comments or Questions To:
drewhurl@sprynet.com

Produced at Bits & Bytes Farm, 1997

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