Crime/Assumptions of Social Order
Definition of crime
Violation of social rules of conduct, interpreted and expressed by a written criminal code, created by people holding social and political power.
Theory
A theory is a set of interconnected statements of propositions that explain how two or more events or factors are related
Rationality of individuals is limited by the information they have, the cognitive limitations or their minds, and the amount of time they have to make a decision
Concordance
The degree to which related pairs exhibit a particular trait, behavior, or characteristic (i.e., how similar are they).
Code of the street
informal rules governing interpersonal public behaviour (respond with violence when disrespected)
Criminology
the body of knowledge regarding the social problem of crime (the study of crime!)
What is the most important criteria for theory evaluation?
Empirical validity
Hedonism
Assumption that all humans are inherently self-interested. Want to maximize benefits to self, relative to costs
Neurotransmitter associated with impulsivity and aggression
Low serotonin
Broken windows theory
Idea that an unfixed broken window leads to decay and disorder, which in turn leads to increased criminality (take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves)
Conflict Perspective
Parsimony
Deals with the simplicity of the theory. Use as few concepts and propositions as possible to explain the widest range of phenomena.
General and specific deterrence
General: preventing crime among those who have not yet committed crime.
Specific = preventing a specific individual from engaging in crime again
Name Sheldon’s 3 somatotypes and identify the one most associated with criminal behavior.
Endomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph
Most likely to be criminal = Mesomorph
Decent and street families
Decent = accept mainstream values and attempt to install them in children. Civilly disposed, socially conscious, self-reliant.
Street = lack consideration for others, ignorant, and desperate.
Normative consensus
Assumes that there is an agreed upon moral order. Everyone in society believes that some behaviours are wrong.
Logical consistency
The theory must make sense! The central ideas must be clear and concise, and they must be consistent with one another.
What three factors need to converge in time and space for a crime to occur according to Routine Activities Theory?
A motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian
Monozygotic and dizygotic twins
MZ: result from a single fertilized egg and share 100% of the 1% of DNA that explains variation in characteristics.
DZ: result from two fertilized eggs and share 50% of the 1% of DNA that explains variation in characteristics
Collective efficacy
Founded on trust among neighbours (social cohesion) as well as a willingness to work together to solve problems (informal social control).
What are the three assumptions of human nature (identify and briefly explain)
2) Rousseau and the Natural State of Man - humans are naturally good & conforming
3)Locke - people are born as "blank slates"
Define macro/structural and micro/processual theories
1) Macro/structural - Tries to explain differences in crime rates across places, spaces, and groups.
2) Micro/processual - Tries to explain why certain individuals are more likely to commit crime.
Crime generator and crime attractor
Crime generator: A location that attracts a large number of people without any premeditated intention to commit a crime but the opportunity is too good to pass up, for example a shopping mall.
Crime attractor: A place that attracts offenders because of its known opportunity/reputation for crime
Phrenology
The idea that the sizes of brain areas were meaningful and could be inferred by examining the skull of an individual
Name the 5 concentric zones and identify the one most associated with crime
central business district, zone in transition, working class, residential, commuter.
The zone in transition is the one most associated with crime.