Crime Statistics, Stain Theory, Control Theory - Notes | SOC 270, Study notes of Conflictology

Download Crime Statistics, Stain Theory, Control Theory - Notes | SOC 270 and more Study notes Conflictology in PDF only on Docsity! Section Week 3 I. Important Terms a. Decriminalization : The removal or reduction of the criminal classification or status of an offense, while still keeping it under some form of regulation. (Merriam-Webster) b. Status Offense : Behavior that is unlawful only when committed by juveniles. For example: running away from home, curfew violations. (Stafford) c. Recidivism : A relapse into delinquency or repeat offending. (Stafford) II. Crime Statistics a. Official data (compiled by FBI and law enforcement officials) i. Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) 1. Limitations: underestimation and bias (those arrested not representative of offenders – e.g. racial profiling) b. Unofficial data i. Self-report surveys 1. Limitations: difficult to remember, may conceal or exaggerate experiences ii. Victimization surveys (NVCS) 1. Limitations: difficult to distinguish adult from juvenile, deal only with criminal offenses (not status offenses) III. Theories of Juvenile Delinquency a. Strain Theory (Merton): suggests that delinquency results from a strain or pressure to violate the law. i. Status Frustration Theory (Cohen): a delinquent subculture develops among adolescent boys because of their inability to achieve social status. Delinquency is: 1. non-utilitarian: “for the hell of it” 2. malicious: delinquents enjoy the pain and suffering of others. ii. Differential Opportunity Theory (Cloward, Ohlin): identifies three subcultures which lack access to conventional opportunities : 1. criminal: commit property offenses for economic gain, occurs in neighborhoods with well-organized adult crime. 2. conflict: delinquency involves fighting with rival gangs, occurs in neighborhoods without adult criminal traditions. 3. retreatist: “double failures” in school and gangs, so withdraw into drugs and alcohol. iii. Revised Strain Theory (Agnew): an alternative to classical strain theories that suggests delinquency stems from strains or pressures, such as divorce or negative school experiences, on juveniles in all social classes. iv. Policy implications 1. increase access to occupational and educational opportunities for juveniles. b. Control Theory (Hirschi): asks the question, “why do people conform?” instead of “why do people deviate?” Posits that people obey the law because of their bonds to society. i. Elements of bonds 1. attachment: refers to the ties between juveniles and key people such as parents, teachers and peers. 2. commitment: refers to the extent to which individuals have an investment in conventional activities. 3. involvement: has to do with the amount of time spent on conventional activities. 4. belief: refers to the acceptance of the legitimacy of conventional norms, values and laws. ii. Self-Control Theory (Gottfredson, Hirschi): states that low self- control (traits such as impulsiveness, risk-taking, volatile temper), in combination with opportunities to commit crimes, is the cause of delinquency. iii. Policy implications 1. strengthen or increase juveniles’ conventional bonds with society. c. Differential Association/Social Learning Theory (DAT/SLT) i. DAT (Sutherland): delinquency occurs because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of the law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law.