A bank president is found guilty of tax evasion. In addition to paying the government all the money he owes with substantial interest, he is sentenced to three years' probation and a $50,000 fine. At the same time, a female teller at the same bank is found guilty of stealing $500. The teller is sentenced to a prison term of no less than four years. This differential treatment would be of particular concern to sociologists using the
A) functionalist perspective.
B) conflict perspective.
C) interactionist perspective.
D) global perspective.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The differential treatment of the bank president and the female teller suggests a power and status differential that is consistent with the conflict perspective. This perspective examines how power differentials can lead to social inequalities and injustices. The different sentences for the two individuals suggest that their social positions within the bank influenced how they were treated by the criminal justice system.

A Bank President Is Found Guilty of Tax Evasion