Question 1

Who are the bourgeoisie?

Accepted Answer

The bourgeoisie are the class that owns the means of production in a capitalist society, including factories, businesses, and capital. This term is often used in Marxist contexts to describe the social class that is in contrast to the proletariat, or working class.

Question 2

Carol owns several stores, and lives a life of luxury, supported by the rents she is paid by the people using the stores. In Marx's social structure, what class is Carol?

Accepted Answer

Carol belongs to the bourgeoisie class according to Marx's social structure because she owns the means of production (in this case, the stores) and lives off the rents paid by others, rather than selling her own labor.

Question 3

What is the primary difference between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat?

Accepted Answer

The primary difference between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, as defined in Marxist theory, is that the bourgeoisie own the means of production and do not need to sell their labor to survive, whereas the proletariat must work for wages to live, as they do not own means of production.

Question 4

What do the theorist of Thorsten Sellin, Austin Turk, and Richard Quinney have in common?

Accepted Answer

These theorists are all associated with the conflict perspective in criminology, which suggests that crime arises from the conflicts in society among different social groups, such as those based on class, race, or gender. This perspective emphasizes the social and economic forces that shape law and criminal behavior.

Question 5

The ______ focuses attention on how the political and economic elite identify certain behaviors as criminal and the inevitability of involvement in criminal activities by the disadvantaged.

Accepted Answer

The "social reality of crime" theory emphasizes how societal elites define what is considered criminal behavior, often in ways that reflect and reinforce their own interests. This perspective also highlights how systemic inequalities can make involvement in crime a more likely outcome for disadvantaged groups.

Question 6

Thio's ______ of deviance suggests that deviance may be viewed along a range of lower to higher consensus acts.

Accepted Answer

Thio's power theory of deviance suggests that deviance can be understood along a continuum from acts that have lower consensus on their deviance to those with higher consensus, emphasizing the role of power in defining what is considered deviant.

Question 7

Dr. Griffiths seeks to understand crime and deviance by studying how crime occurs against the background of a patriarchal society. What perspective is she using?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Griffiths is using a feminist perspective, which focuses on understanding social phenomena, including crime and deviance, in the context of gender relations and the structure of a patriarchal society.

Question 8

How are manifest functions different from latent functions?

Accepted Answer

Manifest functions are the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern, while latent functions are those unrecognized and unintended consequences.

Question 9

According to Durkheim, ______ refers to the extent to which individuals are required to follow the guidelines for their behavior established by the group.

Accepted Answer

Social regulation, according to Durkheim, refers to the degree to which the behaviors of individuals within a society are constrained by societal norms and rules. This concept is key in understanding how societies maintain order and cohesion.

Question 10

Keisha accepts the socially approved goal of attending college in order to achieve the socially approved goal of finding a respectable career. In which category of Anomie Theory does Keisha belong?

Accepted Answer

Keisha is exhibiting conformity by accepting and striving to achieve socially approved goals through socially approved means, which is the essence of the conformity category in Anomie Theory.

Question 11

Murphy accepts the socially approved goal of obtaining wealth but is unable to access the educational system that is the traditional path to achieving that goal. Instead, he begins stealing cars to make money. In which category of Anomie Theory does Murphy belong?

Accepted Answer

Murphy's actions fall under "innovation" in Anomie Theory because he accepts societal goals (wealth) but uses illegitimate means (stealing cars) to achieve them, which is characteristic of the innovation adaptation.

Question 12

In anomie theory, what category would described White nationalists who seek to overthrow the government of a democratic state founded on the principles of equality for all and replace it with a government dedicated to fostering racial inequality?

Accepted Answer

Rebellion in anomie theory refers to individuals who reject both the societal goals and the institutionalized means of achieving them, and instead advocate for a new set of goals and means. White nationalists seeking to overthrow a democratic government to establish one based on racial inequality are rebelling against the established societal goals and means.

Question 13

According to Cloward and Ohlin, where do violent subcultures develop?

Accepted Answer

Cloward and Ohlin argue that violent subcultures develop in areas that lack opportunities for profitable criminal activities, as individuals in these areas turn to violence as a form of expression and status when legitimate and illegitimate means to achieve success are blocked.

Question 14

Richard knows no violent criminals. He is not particularly strong and has no desire to fight anyone. He could not steal a car, and if he did steal a car, he would not know what to do with it. What he does like to do is inject heroin with his friends. According to Cloward and Ohlin, what kind of subculture is Richard a part of?

Accepted Answer

Richard's behavior aligns with the retreatist subculture as described by Cloward and Ohlin, which involves withdrawal from both conventional society and the criminal activities associated with achieving success through illegitimate means, often turning to drug use as an escape.

Question 15

What provides the conceptual foundation of Robert Agnew's strain theory?

Accepted Answer

Robert Agnew's strain theory, which is an extension of Robert Merton's theory of anomie, posits that individuals experience strain or stress when they are unable to achieve socially accepted goals through legitimate means. This strain then leads to deviant behavior or crime as a way to cope with the inability to achieve these goals. Anomie, a concept originally introduced by Emile Durkheim, refers to a state of normlessness or a breakdown in the social fabric, which Merton and subsequently Agnew argue can lead to strain and deviance.

Question 16

According to Shaw and McKay, what is the root cause of persistent criminal and deviant behavior in some neighborhoods?

Accepted Answer

Shaw and McKay attributed persistent criminal and deviant behavior in some neighborhoods to social disorganization, emphasizing that such conditions are characteristics of neighborhoods rather than individuals. They argued that high rates of crime and deviance were due to the breakdown of social institutions such as family, school, and community organizations in certain areas, leading to a lack of social control and the transmission of criminal values from one generation to the next.

Question 17

According to Albert Cohen, which two concepts account for delinquency among lower class boys?

Accepted Answer

Albert Cohen's theory on delinquency among lower-class boys emphasizes "status frustration" and "reaction formation" as key concepts. He argued that these boys experience status frustration due to their inability to achieve success through conventional means, leading them to form subcultures where values are inverted through reaction formation, thus valuing what mainstream society does not.

Question 18

What is a major implication of Edwin Sutherland's theory of differential association?

Accepted Answer

Sutherland's theory of differential association suggests that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others in intimate personal groups, implying that criminal subcultures, where norms and values conducive to crime are prevalent, play a significant role in perpetuating criminal behavior.

Question 19

According to ______, the more Jennifer hangs out with a group of people who are comfortable breaking the law, the greater the likelihood that Jennifer will learn how to break the law, how to justify breaking the law, and rationales explaining why the law should be broken.

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory posits that individuals learn values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior through their interactions with others. According to this theory, the more someone associates with others who engage in or justify criminal behavior, the more likely they are to adopt these behaviors and justifications themselves.

Question 20

Differential association theory suggests that the process of learning criminal behavior ______.

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory, proposed by Edwin H. Sutherland, posits that the process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves the same mechanisms as learning any other type of behavior, indicating no fundamental difference between how criminal and noncriminal behaviors are learned.

Quiz 3: Theories of Deviant Behavior: II Contemporary Perspectives