social problems exam 2

Justifications for punishment

1. Retribution (oldest justification for punishment) 2. Deterrence—crime doesn't pay 3. Rehabilitation—reforming the offender 4. Societal Protection—protection of law abiding citizens

Fear of crime

55% of people in the U.S. think dealing with crime is a "top priority" for our society. Fear of crime is itself a social problem because it limits the things people do and the places they go Shapes structure of people's daily lives 1/3 of Americans report they are afraid to walk in their own communities at night (Smith et al 2013) Fear of crime is associated with feelings of vulnerability Social vulnerability Physical vulnerability

Strain theory example

A widely accepted goal in society is to be successful Success is defined as being able to financially support one's self How do we achieve this goal? Good education = good job According to Merton, pursuing our education positions us to be competitive in the job market and to get the kind of job that will enable us to be financially stable Thus, when we accept a valued cultural goal (belief in the value of an education) and we have access to the means to achieve these goals (attending a good school/affording a college education) we engage in conformity

use or abuse?

Abuse: use on any illegal substance or the use of a legal substance in any way that violates standard medical protocol This way of thinking about abuse is based on law and other social norms Another way of distinguishing use from abuse is to focus on the effect of the drug People who use a drug may function well in everyday life People who abuse a drug suffer physical, mental, or social harm Thus, any drug (legal or illegal) can be used or abused

Addiction and dependency

Addiction refers to a physical or psychological craving for a drug Dependency refers to a state in which a person's body has adjusted to regular use of a drug Most serious drug problem today?

Aggravated assault

Aggravated assault accounts for 63% of all reported violent crime. The majority of both victims and offenders are men. Arrests are made in 51% of the reported cases

Definition of norms, law, and crime

All societies make rules that define what people should and should not do One type of rule is a social norm Rules and Expectations that guide the behavior of a society's members Laws are stricter social norms Formally created through a society's political system such Two types of laws Civil law Defines rights/responsibilities between individuals and businesses Criminal laws Defines everyone's responsibility to uphold public order Crime: Violations of criminal laws enacted by federal, state, or local governments Misdemeanor Less serious crime punishable by less than 1 year in prison Public drunk Disorderly conduct Prostitution Felony Serious crime punishable by at least 1 year or more in prison Murder Aggravated assault Rape

Facts on needle exchange programs

Approx 185 needle exchange programs operating nationwide 97% provide a range of public health services Costs approx. $160,000 annually ($20 per user per year) *costs about $120,000 per year in public health services to treat one AIDS patient Federal law prohibits use of federal funds to support needle exchanges—despite this obstacle, exchanges operate in 38 states—THIS WAS CHANGED IN JANUARY OF 2016 Funding cannot be used for purchase of needles but can be used to pay costs associated with needle exchange programs (salaries, counseling etc)

Profile of a criminal

Based on FBI arrest data Young - 15 to 24 Males Lowered social status but most crimes are committed by repeat offenders Whites (both property and violent crimes) In terms of actual numbers, whites commit more crimes African Americans are disproportionately arrested

Child prostitution

Global problem Child prostitution includes both male and female children who see sex in order to survive Majority of children involved in child prostitution live in dire poverty

What is violence?

Behavior that causes injury to people or damage to property Claims that mass media has desensitized us to violence Today, increasing focus on gun violence School shootings Gang violence Use of guns to resolve conflict in everyday situations

Organized crime

Business that supplies illegal goods and services Grew significantly during the early 1920s and 1930s (Prohibition) Gambling, sex, drug trafficking Mafia crimes Today, organized crime is multi-national in scope Fraudulent passports/driver's licenses Credit card fraud

Pros and cons of needle exchange programs

Con: IV drug users should be punished (punishment provides a stronger incentive for quitting) Pro: Addicts will find a way to get high; needle exchange programs offer harm reduction during active addiction Con: Needle exchange programs encourage IV drug use Pro: Needle exchange programs decrease the risk of contracting a blood borne disease and needle exchange programs offer addicts access to HIV/AIDS education, condoms distribution, access to drug rehab centers, HIV and STD testing, counseling, and safe disposal of needles and syringes

The pornography and violence link

Concerns that pornography causes sexual arousal, increases people's sexual activity, and encourages men to be aggressive and more accepting of sexual exploitation including rape Although the availability of pornography has increased significantly with the internet, critics argue the incidence of rape has not increased.....however, others argue that pornography depicts women in subordinate roles and reinforces an imbalance of power between men and women (justifying the subordination of women)

Politics and crime

Conservatives argue crime reflects social permissiveness Weakening religious values Declining importance of tradition Fractured sense of community Weakening of family structure Emphasis on strengthening the family and re-establishing traditional values Liberals argue crime reflects a social environment that is characterized by increasing poverty Changing economy and increasing unemployment Access to good jobs is key to strong families

Abortion as a social problem

Conservatives argue that abortion is the deliberate killing of an unborn child Liberals argue abortion should be part of comprehensive reproductive health care and only by allowing women control over their lives can women achieve social equality with men

Community based corrections

Correctional programs located in communities rather than prison walls Probation Parole Shock Probation

Types of crime

Crime against property is crime that involves theft of property belonging to others. burglary, larceny-theft, motor-vehicle theft, arson Crime against persons is crime that involves violence or the threat of violence against others. murder and manslaughter, aggravated assault, forcible rape, and robbery

Frequency of crime

Crime is both common and widely reported—10 million crimes reported to police annually Nearly everyone in the US is or will be victimized by a crime Classification of crimes—2 broad categories Violent crimes Property crimes

Hate crimes

Criminal offense against a person, property or society motivated by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ethnicity/national origin People with multiple disadvantages (gay men of color or lesbians with disabilities) are especially at risk Goal of hate crime laws is to protect categories of people who are susceptible as targets of hostility and violence Majority of hate crimes are not reported—fear of victimization and some police organizations do not collect or report hate crime data

Burglary

Decline in burglaries over last 10 years 2.1 million burglaries annually (as of 2012) Every 15 seconds 4.7 billion dollars in loss (average loss is 2,200) Overwhelmingly committed by males under the age of 25 (US Dept of Justice)

Arson

Deliberate burning or setting fire to structures (homes or businesses), fences, or crops Average dollar amount of loss is greater than all other types of property crimes ($12,796) Males under the age of 25 most likely to commit *Some investigators argue arson should be considered a violent crime since it involves the deliberate or intentional destruction of property belonging to another and reflects a lack of respect for others and their property

Courts

Determine guilt or innocence Majority of cases are negotiated Known as plea bargaining State reduces charge in exchange for a guilty plea Saves time and expense of trials Violations of due process

Drugs and social problems

Drug abuse is closely linked to family problems Reduction of inhibitions Affect judgment Together, this can increase the risk of abusive behaviors Codependency Refers to behavior on the part of others that helps a substance abuser continue the abuse Family members change their behavior to compensate for the short-comings of the drug abuser Homelessness Linked to drug abuse Historical background Crime Drug economy linked to crime

Central nervous system depressants

Drugs that slow the operation of the central nervous system Used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders Valium, Xanax, Ambien, Sonata, and Lunesta Continued use can lead to dependency - withdrawal symptoms if abruptly stopped and tolerance

Durkheim: functions of crime

Every society is characterized by crime Crime has 4 functions 1. Crime clarifies social norms and values 2. Crime distinguishes right from wrong 3. Crime brings people together 4. Crime encourages social change

Opportunity structure

Extension of Merton's Strain Theory Richard Clower and Lloyd Ohlin Patterns of conformity and criminality are a consequence of people's relative opportunity structure Do you have greater opportunity to legitimate opportunities or illegitimate opportunities (criminal activity)?

extensiveness of drug use today

Extensiveness of drug use today depends on how we define drugs (do we include aspirin and caffeine?) Most people define a "drug problem" as use of illegal drugs Approximately 9.2% of the population 12+ have used some illegal drug in the past 30 days Most widely used drug is alcohol Illegal drug use is related to age—peaks during late teens and declines as people grow older and take on greater responsibilities

Police

First responders to crime Responsible for assessing and intervening 2 changes in police policy Community policing—designed to make police more visible (visibility and community cooperation is a strategy to reduce crime) Zero tolerance policies—response to all offenses, even minor ones Lack of consensus on whether these policies reduce crime or result in harassment

Conflict theory: crime and inequality

Focus is on social inequality (groups in society that have power; groups in society that do not have power) Laws are written to protect the most powerful in society WHO is defined as criminal WHAT behaviors are defined as criminal WHICH categories of people are more likely to be arrested

Sweden and prostitution

For decades prostitution and sex work was legal In 1999, law passed that allows people to sell sex but makes it a crime to buy sex From the Swedish perspective, prostitution is not a social problem; the social problem lies with men who buy sex What's the rationale? - Feminist theory argues that prostitution is a form of male violence against women - Swedish government argues that equality between the sexes can only be achieved when men do not exploit women sexually - The law enacted in 1999 ended criminal prosecution for selling sex and created a wide range of social services available to women who wish to stop working as sex workers Criticisms of the policy Critics argue that the new law encourages men cruising for sex to get women into a car quickly (preventing women from assessing possible danger to themselves). As a result of the law, prostitution sites have moved from visible city streets to more remote areas (where women may be more vulnerable to violence). Outcome of the law? Number of women working as prostitutes has fallen by nearly half (sex trafficking is also down significantly).

Linkages between race and crime

High rates of poverty High arrest rates among people of color—increased police presence in minority neighborhoods Racial profiling High number of single parent families Consequence: Children who grow up in poor families without fathers are at higher risk for criminality

definitions of drugs linked to race/ethnicity

How people define drugs varies according to which categories of the population are using the drug Opium linked to Chinese immigrants Concerns over cocaine and African Americans led to the Coca Cola company eliminating cocaine from it's popular coca cola products in 1903

Restrictions on abortion

Hyde Amendment—prohibited use of Medicaid funds for abortions except when necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman Harris v McRae—state and federal governments need not provide poor women with taxpayer funded abortions Webster v Reproductive Health Services—banned employees or public facilities from performing abortions except to save a pregnant woman's life; upheld state laws that require doctors to conduct medical tests on the fetus to determine viability Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v Casey—reaffirmed that states could set abortion policy, allowing states to impose parental consent requirements and banning abortion after 22 weeks in 13 states

White collar crimes

Illegal activities conducted by people of high social position during the course of their employment Banks Corporations Investments Fraud, insider trading, embezzlement Typically handled in civil court (fines rather prison or being labeled a criminal)

opioid addiction

Includes addiction to heroin, morphine and prescription pain killers Between 24.6 and 36 million people worldwide 2. 1 million people in the US are addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers (2012) and 467,000 addicted to heroin The sheer magnitude of opioid addiction has had and continues to have devastating consequences Unintentional over dose deaths from prescription pain relievers Quadrupled since 1999 Increasing evidence to suggest a relationship between non-prescription use of opioid analgesics and heroin abuse

Other strategies to reduce the use of drugs

Interdiction Preventing the movement of drugs across a country's borders DEA US Customs US Border Patrol US military Limited success as a drug control strategy 12,000 miles of coastline and 7500 miles of land borders Prosecution Arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of drug dealers Requires giving police more power to stop and search—threatens our basic freedoms? Disproportionately punishes the poor and minorities Crack sentences - 28 grams/5 years Cocaine sentences—500 grams/5 years 2010 Fair Sentencing Act to address imbalances in sentencing but disparities remain Treatment Drug treatment programs that incorporate drug replacement therapy (methadone), counseling, and group support Limitations Not enough treatment programs Programs do little to change the environment that pushed a drug abuser toward drugs in first place Risk of relapse Public sentiments favor prosecution over treatment Education Proactive policy to discourage people from using illegal or prescribed drugs in non-medical ways DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) uses police officers to teach kids about the dangers of drugs DARE program operates in about 75% of elementary schools in US today Research has raised doubts about the effectiveness of education programs—today, new strategy is to implement more interactive programs targeting middle school and high school students

Robbery

Involves stealing and threatening another person; a property and a violent crime Least likely of all violent crimes to result in an arrest Offenders: 87% male 62% under age 25 55% African American 43% white

Prostitution in the US

Majority of sex workers are female Hierarchy of sex workers Call Girls—most advantaged Young, attractive, well educated, and highly paid Women who work for massage parlors, brothels, escort services Under supervision by others Half of their earnings are turned over to their employer Streetwalkers Lower class women Most numerous form of sex workers Least paid and under control by pimps Risks of sex work Violence and other forms of abuse Transmission of sexually transmitted diseases

Mass shootings in the US 2015

Mass shooting refers to a shooting incident in which 4 or more people were killed or wounded 372 mass shootings in the US in 2015 475 killed 1870 wounded In the US, a mass shooting, on average, occurs 5 out of every 6 days

Physical vulnerability

Members of specific social categories who are more vulnerable than members of other groups Women The elderly Those living in poverty

Shock probation

Mixture of probation and parole Offender is convicted of a crime Sent to prison for a brief time (3 to 6 months) Released on probation and returned to community (must obey terms of probation) Goal of shock probation is to provide offender with a "dose" of prison life in hopes of turning the offender around Usually reserved for first time offenders Shock probation mimics military boot camp (regimented and highly disciplined)

Stimulants

Most often prescribed to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder) Increase alertness, attention, energy, as well as elevate blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta Critics suggest the increase in ADHD diagnoses had resulted in millions of American children being given prescription medication simply because they are not performing as well in school as parents believe they should

Property crimes: patterns and trends

Most prevalent type of crime committed (88%) Property crimes occur every 4 seconds in the US Less than 1 in 5 property crimes results in an arrest Crimes against Property (Uniform Crime Report FBI) Burglary Larceny-Theft Motor vehicle theft Arson

Needle exchange programs promote public safety

NEPs remove nearly 25 million used syringes from communities CDC reports the one-time use of sterile syringes remains the most effective way to limit HIV transmissions associated with injection drug use NIH study finds that NEPs show a reduction in risk behaviors as high as 80% in injecting drug users NEP participants have been found 5 times more likely to enter drug treatment than those who had never used an exchange NEPs have reduced HIV transmission by 1/3 to 2/5 Injection drug users who are afraid of being arrested while carrying drug paraphernalia are 1.74 times more likely to share syringes and 2.08 times more likely to share injection supplies than other users

Forcible rape

Nationally, only 28% of women who are raped make a report to the police Most attackers know their victims, but arrests are made in 1 out of 5 cases (21%) Statistics exclude sex with a minor

Probation

Offender is convicted of a crime Judge places offender on probation (offender is convicted but allowed to remain in the community supervised by a probation officer) Offender must meet specific terms Violations of probation result in offender being sent to prison

Parole

Offender is convicted of a crime Offender is sent to prison to serve a sentence Parole is a form of early release from prison While on parole, offender must report to a parole officer and obey specific conditions Subsequent crimes or violations result in being returned to prison to serve remainder of a sentence

Victimless crimes

Offenses that directly harm only the person who commits the crime Also known as "public order crimes" Crimes violate conventional norms/values although many violators do not consider these crimes as wrong Gambling, prostitution, public drunkenness, drug use, vagrancy

Link between opiates and heroin

Shift from opiates to heroin over last several years Shift is due, in part, to a number of factors Chemical tolerance to opiates Increased difficulty in obtaining opiates illegally Increasing difficulty in obtaining prescription opiates Transition to heroin is cheaper and more readily available in many communities

our perceptions of alcohol have also changed over time

Once seen as acceptable, views on alcohol changed as rates of immigration increased in the late 19th century Stereotypical links between alcohol and immigrant population Germans and beer Irish and whiskey Italians and wine As opposition to immigration increased, so did support for the temperance movement (social movement seeking to ban alcohol) By 1920, Congress passed the 18th amendment which outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcohol in the US Ban was known as prohibition Although goal was to completely ban alcohol, prohibition only ended the legal supply of alcohol while creating a demand to illegal booze Provided a huge boost to organized crime 1933 21st amendment was passed which repealed Prohibition

Social vulnerability

People who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods reports higher levels of fear of crime (Hale and LaGrange What are disadvantaged neighborhoods? Neighborhoods characterized by chaos and disorder Rowdy teenagers running the streets Lack of neighborhood cohesion and support Littered streets Dilapidated housing Disorder and neighborhood instability are related to increased fear of crime, regardless of chances of victimization

perceptions of drugs are linked to culture

Perceptions of drugs vary from culture to culture Early Europeans enjoyed drinking alcohol but Native Americans, when first introduced to alcohol, drank too much (no cultural customs for alcohol) Native American use of peyote in religious rituals—frightened Europeans who had no experience with the hallucinations associated with peyote use Definitions of drugs also vary over time

Scope and impact of abuse of prescription opioids

Prescription opioids are 1 of 3 main broad categories of medications that present the potential for abuse Stimulants Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants Factor associated with the severity of the prescription drug abuse problem Drastic increases in the number of prescriptions written and dispensed Increased social acceptability for using medications for different purposes Aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies Together these factors are responsible for creating a broad "environmental availability" of prescription drugs in general and opioid pain relievers in particular

Needle exchange programs

Program that allows drug users to turn in their used syringe for a clean syringe Sharing needles increases the risk of HIV and Hepatitis C transmission Program is controversial On one side critics claim that providing clean needles encourages drug use On the other side, advocates argue that a needle exchange program is key to a reduction in harm approach to drug use/abuse Idea is to reduce the risks associated by intravenous drug injection Program is part of a comprehensive drug abuse program

Murder

Rate has been falling since 1993 Murder victims: 78% are male 51% are African American 46% are white Arrests made in 63% of all murders 78% of all murder victims knew the offender; in 23% of the cases, they were related. Many cases of homicide include a history of the killer stalking the victim. Stalking is defined as repeated efforts by someone to establish or reestablish a relationship against the will of the victim. 75% of stalking victims are women

Heroin addiction

Rates of addiction doubled between 2005 and 2012 Like prescription opioid abuse, heroin is highly addictive and users are at a high risk of overdosing Risk of overdosing is compounded by the following facts: Lack of control over purity Possible contamination with other drugs such as fentanyl (high addictive alone)

general definition of drugs

Refers to any chemical substance other than food or water that affects the mind or body Drugs can have positive or negative effects I need coffee to get going in the morning.....positive effects on my ability to get up and go! Illegal or dangerous drugs are perceived as negative

Abortion

Refers to the intentional termination of a pregnancy 1.2 million abortions in the US (approximately 25% of all pregnancies) 1973 US Supreme Court ruling in Roe v Wade legalized abortion Greatest support historically has been for abortion in the case of risk of maternal death or severe fetal abnormality Since 1973, several Supreme Court rulings have limited women's access to legal abortion

Does punishment deter crime?

Retribution condones violence Deterrence largely a failure—high recidivism rates Rehabilitation—largely a failure—You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink Societal protection—short term success but no data on longer term effects

Social problems connected to sexuality

Sex Workers (prostitution) Pornography Abortion

Sex and gender

Sex refers to the biological, chromosomal, and genetic differences between males and females Gender refers to social or cultural distinctions linked to masculinity and femininity Sexual attitudes and practices vary from one cultural setting to another This means sex is both a biological and a cultural issue

Conflict explanations of sexuality

Sexuality is linked to social inequality Domination of women by men Patriarchy contributes to social problems of sexuality (prostitution and pornography) by devaluing women Privileges heterosexism while subordinating other forms of sexuality including homosexuality

Larceny-theft

Shoplifting, pick pocketing, purse snatching, stealing property from a vehicle, stealing bicycles Crimes typically committed in public spaces without force or violence Most common of all serious crimes tracked by FBI Occurs every 5 seconds Males are slightly more likely than females to commit this crime (57%)

Merton: strain theory of crime

Society sets up certain goals but not everyone has the means to achieve these goals Rulebreaking (crime) depends on: Whether or not people accept society's goals Whether or not society provides people with the opportunity to reach these goals Merton argues that when there is a disconnect between cultural goals and the means to achieve those goals, STRAIN results

Motor vehicle theft

Stealing cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and snow mobiles (last year an ambulance was stolen from campus!) Occurs every 44 seconds Most likely committed by males under the age of 25

Structural functionalism and sexuality

Structural Functionalism Sexuality is necessary for human reproduction Control of sexuality is necessary in order to maintain social stability All societies regular reproduction through incest taboos To ensure that parents care for children and ensure the right of offspring to inheritance, many societies distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate birth

Criminal justice system

System of police, courts, and punishment responsible for enforcing laws CJ system must operate within the bounds of the law (known as due process) Persons charged with a crime have rights Police Courts Punishment Corrections

Reasons people use drugs

Therapeutic use—drugs that offer medical benefits Recreational use—use of drugs (alcohol, beer, wine, marijuana) to relax Spiritual or psychological use—use of drugs to alter human consciousness and/or to deepen spiritual experiences Escape—form of escape from everyday life Social conformity—use of drugs to fit in socially Factors often operate in tandem with each other

Control theory

Travis Hirschi Strong attachment to others (high social integration) discourages people from engaging in crime and encourages conformity to social norms. Strong ties to others means we are more likely to resist criminal activities/behavior Weak ties associated with greater likelihood to engage in deviant or criminal behavior. 4 types of social control Attachment to others Parents, teachers, coaches, and friends Access to conventional opportunity Encourages us to "play by the rules" Involvement in conventional activities Jobs, playing team sports, religious participation Belief in the moral rightness of cultural norms and values Respect for authority, positive view of society

Juvenile delinquency

Violation of laws by young people Some laws only pertain to young people (truancy, curfews, school attendance laws) Criminal cases involving juveniles are handled by the juvenile court system Juvenile courts focus on helping kids straighten out rather than simply punishing them Goal of the juvenile justice system Protect the community Serve the best interests of youthful offenders)

Violent crimes: patterns and trends

Violent crimes rose between 1960 and 1990 Declining number of violent crimes since 1990 Stronger economy in 1990s Policies related to Reagan's War on Drugs Zero tolerance policies Increased funding for police departments Tougher sentencing laws for drug offenses Violent crimes account for 12% of all serious offenses Arrest rates slightly under 50% (43%)

Prostitution

While we tend to think of sex as the companionship and intimacy between two people, sex work refer to the selling of sexual services (prostitution) Oldest profession in the world In the US offering to sell or to buy sexual services is against the law everywhere but in rural Nevada In the US, about 9% of men and a very small share of women reports paying someone to have sex or report they have been paid for sex at least once From a global perspective, prostitution is most common among low income countries This means prostitution is linked to the following factors: Women's lowered status in society Limited economic opportunities available to women

Popularity of child prostitution

Why is child prostitution popular? Child prostitutes are seen as less risky Believed to be less risk in terms of sexually transmitted diseases (particularly AIDS) However, this is not necessarily true since girls and women working as prostitutes are at high risk for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases Child prostitution is at the heart of sex tourism in Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand (key factor driving sex tourism is poverty)

Porn: a social problem?

Widespread opposition to pornography involving children under age of 18 In general, pornography is seen as a social problem because of the belief it exploits women, depicts women as sexual objects, and places women in a vulnerable position in which they are subjected to the potential for violence Conservatives view pornography as a social issue because it threatens conventional morality and encompasses risks of addiction Liberals are divided on the issue—some liberals argue porn is an individual choice and defend freedom of expression and support people's rights to privacy; others oppose pornography because it demeans women and typically depicts women as objects and/or playthings of men

What is the most accurate predictor for fear of crime?

Women fear crime at much higher levels than men even though women are less likely to be victims of crime ( known as Gender fear paradox) Fear of sexual assault results in heightened and generalized fear of crimes Women's smaller physical size increases their chances of victimization Socialization process encourages women to fear strangers at night and reinforces their fear they will not be able to ward off an attack

Pornography

Words or images intended to cause sexual arousal Erotica Soft core pornography Hard core pornography

This crime receives greatest public attention

street crimes

Every crime has two parts

the act and the intent