Sociology of Crime

This document explores the sociology of crime, focusing on topics such as the impact of media, social conflict theory, knowledge about crime, classical criminology, biological and psychological positivism, anomie and strain theories, and social learning theories. It provides insights into the theories and concepts related to crime and deviance.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology of crime
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Part 1 (Week 1- Week 4)
Week 1: Introduction
Surette on Predatory Criminality
As per the arguments of Surette, predator criminality adversely affects the attitudes,
notions and beliefs about crime. The psychologists are of the opinion that predator criminals
govern the Criminal Justice Policies. However, they assure that public that they are not to
worry, as predator criminal events rarely occur. Surette upholds the falsification of the real
and true nature of the crime (Surette, 2015). This is a matter of serious concern, as it makes
media the social offenders, driving the social reality into darkness. The way in which the
media covers a crime story blurs the reality. This issue is crucial, as it is interplay with the
social security. In the postmodern society, people tend to believe in objective reality rather
than observational learning.
Social Conflict Theory on Predatory Criminality
Surette’s views on predatory crime reality best matches with the paradigm of social
conflict theory. This is because of the confrontation between the public domain and the media
regarding the portrayal of criminal events. According to the theory, it is a human nature to
collect information from the trusted sources, among which media is the one. This is because
of the hope and assurance that exact event would be reported. Surette, (2015) is of the view
that falsification of the events destroys the trust. This destruction adds negative shade to the
propositions related to objective reality. This destruction, in turn, generates conflict between
the individuals and groups. At this stage, the humans find a comfort zone, who would
understand their mindset. In search of a comfort zone, their perceptions regarding the right
and wrong fade away. Depression, isolation grips them, generating the feeling of causing self
harm or harm to others. Typical example of this can be a revolting mentality against the
media. Based on these aspects, it can be said that it a conflict with the inner self of the

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individuals. According to the opinions of Surette, (2015), this characteristic shade makes the
personality criminal like, indicating disobedience towards the cultural norms.
Week 2: Knowledge about crime
1. Homelessness and addictions are the results of poverty, improper care, education and
nourishment since childhood. The authors William and Carach, are of the view that if the
children view their parents leading a life of indiscipline, they try to adopt this life. Here, the
surrounding plays an important role in the predicament of the characters, Frank and Felix.
Herein lays the appropriateness of the social learning theory, which indicates grouping of the
individual and groups on the basis of the actions they perform (Gerth & Mills, 1953). Friends
circle plays an important role in shaping the habits of the individuals. Seeing the friends
indulging in addictions to smoking, criminal activities generates the interest to experiment
with this. The major drive behind this is the interest to go beyond the cultural norms. On the
other hand, society does not accept this behaviour, compelling the individuals to experience a
meaningless existence through homelessness.
2. One of the historical forces behind the homelessness and addictions of Frank and Felix is
Apartheid. This situation led to racial discriminations among the individuals and groups.
Felix points out the inhuman brutality exposed by the whites on blacks. However, he thinks
that he is safe, as he is the only Latino in the camp. As per the arguments of Adams, (2015),
the assemblage of the homelessness in the streets of Central America reflects the ethical
hierarchies within the society. This issue broadened the gap between the rich and poor, based
on the necessities of everyday life. Intervention of the outsiders led the natives to revolt. In
this, most of the middle aged men were compelled to leave their homes. Incapability to take
care of the families resulted in addictions to alcohol, smoking and criminal activities.

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3. According to the arguments of Bourgois, Bourgois and Schonberg, (2009), ethnography
plays an important role in sociology of crime and deviance. The participants’ claim consists
of the authenticity and exactness of the events in which they occur. For example, the
homeless people, assembled on the streets, enhanced the ethnographic diversity of San
Francisco. As a matter of specification, it represented the grouping of these homeless
creatures. This is due to their tragic fate of belonging to the race of blacks. Frank reports that
as he is the only Latino, he is exempted from the injustices of the Whites. On the contrary, if
media reported these instances, they would makeup stories, aggravating the concerns and
worries of the people about their security (Bourgois, Bourgois & Schonberg, 2009).
Week 3: Classical Criminology and Social Logics of Punishment
1. Panopticism is a thought of Micheal Foucault, stating the experimental authority presented
to the individuals regarding the modification of their behaviour. He presented this theory in
his masterpiece, Discipline and Punish (1975). According to the viewpoints of Foucault,
panopticon is one of the disciplinary symbols of social surveillance (Lyon, 1991). Jeremy
Bentham, the founder of modern utilitarianism, proposed panopticism as a circular building
with an observation tower at its centre. This was usually an open space surrounded by an
outer wall covering. Typical example can be the Perth city on which he applied the concept
of panopticism. In this application, he considered panopticon as a machine for segregating
something from its parts (Brandley, 1996).
2. Be it a prison or workplace, surveillance is a common factor. This is in terms of governing
the people and their performance. If Bentham’s prison architecture is considered, surveillance
is not always strong and flexible. This situation allows the criminals to flea and continue with
their activities. On the contrary, in the workplace, the managers rebuke the supervisors for
not monitoring the performance of the workers. In these concepts, Foucalt overpowers
Bentham in the connotations for social surveillance. This is in terms of the experiments for

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modifications in the behaviour (Lyon, 1991). One of the related aspects in this is the
consciousness of the people regarding “being watched”, which generates within them the
urge to expose tactful behaviour.
3. In my workplace, the supervisors monitor our performance. We are asked tp prepare
reports on out research and send it through emails. Feedbacks are sent to us on the quality of
the reports. Modifications are made and the reports are resent for gaining the final approval.
Sometimes, live checking is conducted for ensuring whether we are making the modifications
according to the feedbacks. I think this is an intervention into our individual talents.
Throuygh live checking, the supervisors make us feel that we are not capable of producing
good quality reports. However, I feel that live checking is beneficial, as we can ask the
supervisors about the doubts, which we encounter while making the corrections.
Week 4: Biological and psychological positivism
1. According to the observations of National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI),
mental health is elusive in terms of violence. However, cultural norms specify certain
harmful stereotypical notions regarding criminal psychology as a mental illness (Webermann
& Brand, 2017). These notions add to Rosenhan’s concept of insanity in the sane places,
which is the society. However, with advancement of science and technology, many diagnosis
have evolved, which specifically demarcates between the mental illness and criminal
psychology. Researchers have found the equation between psychopathology applied on the
violent offenders and the mental illnesses on violent perpetration and victimization.
According to Rosenhan, (1973), when the individuals do not get the required care,
nourishment and support for achieving the goals, they indulge in addictions, which are
restricted according to the cultural norms. Considering this as insane behaviour is the
tendency of the society. The curse mocks and taunts grips the individuals to such an extent

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that they become victims of the mental illnesses. At this stage, diagnosis is necessary in terms
of restoring the normalcy and balance in their life.
2. One of the major flaws in Rosenhans’ study is the lack of proper evidences about the
existence of sanity and insanity. Along with this, the parameters of normality and
abnormality attach hypothetical perspective to the behaviours. Typical evidence of this lies in
the citations of the examples on murder and hallucination. Behaviours in both of these
instances deviate from the usual social constructs of identity formation. Murder can be a
deliberate act out of revenge on somebody (Rosenhan, 1973). On the contrary, hallucination
can be considered as victimization of the individuals towards the illusion of a utopian world.
One of the other flaws can be the designation of normal people in the sane settings. Rosenhan
is of the view that in spite of exposure of sanity, the pseudo-patients are difficult to detect.
This aggravates the complexities towards gaining an insight into the proper behavioural traits
of pseudo-patients.

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References
Adams, M. (2015). The Criminologists’ Imagination: C. Wright Mills and the Legacy of
Subjectivity. Academic Questions, 28(2), 195-206. doi: 10.1007/s12129-015-9488-x
Bourgois, P., Bourgois, P. I., & Schonberg, J. (2009). Righteous dopefiend (Vol. 21). Univ of
California Press.
Brandley, A. C. (1996). Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon Design in Practise [sic] Within the
City of Perth.
Gerth, H., & Mills, C. W. (1953). Character and social structure: The psychology of social
institutions. New York: Harcourt Brace
Lyon, D. (1991). Bentham's panopticon: From moral architecture to electronic
surveillance. Queen's Quarterly, 98(3), 596.
Rosenhan, D. L. (1973). On being sane in insane places. Science, 179(4070), 250-258.
Surette, R. (2015). Measuring copycat crime. Crime, Media, Culture: An International
Journal, 12(1), 37-64. doi: 10.1177/1741659015601172
Webermann, A. R., & Brand, B. L. (2017). Mental illness and violent behavior: the role of
dissociation. Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation, 4(1), 2.

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Part 2 (Week 6- week 9)
Week 6: Anomie and Strain theories
1. The strains identified through Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST) can be categorized
into- failure to achieve the identified goals; demarcation between expectation and reality;
removing the positive stimuli and penetration into the negative stimuli. These categories
include gender specifications regarding the behaviour towards criminal activities. According
to the psychologists, criminal psychology is lower in case of the females than the males, as
they prefer close knit bonding (White, Haines & Asquith, 2017). Emotional responses also
govern the strains. Poor nourishment leads to addictions in case of both males and females. In
order to sustain their living, prostitution is one of the preferred means, which is looked down
by the society.
2. Lack of proper care, support and nourishment deviates the males and females from their
goals. It is human tendency to imagine certain things. In the process of leading their life in
the society, they realize that the reality is much harder than their expectations. This
realization compels them to indulge in addictions like smoking, alcohol, prostitution and
others. Cloward, Richard and Ohlin, (1960) are of the view that these are the malice within
the society, which are not acceptable. Human like to experiment most with the things, from
which they are restricted. This intention adds to the negative stimuli, indicating the negative
shade of the individuals. The outcomes of these are isolation, marginalization, curse, taunts
and mocking.
3. General Strain Theory is fruitful in terms of exaplaining the reason behind participating in
prostitution. Claims of the current and former prostitutes provide a practical experience into
their tragic predicament. According to Bucher, Manasse and Milton, (2015), in these
responses, a revolting mentality is projected against the society, which has inflicted injustices

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in the form of a life filled with poverty, scarcities in the basic necessities among others. The
application of GST is assistance in terms of detecting the strengths and weakness in terms of
social identity formation for the samples, who have been forced to adopt prostitution for
safeguarding their daily bread. The strains give rise to emotional outburst in the form of
criminal psychology (Pfohl, 1994).
Week 7: Social learning theories
1. Albert Bandura in his Social Learning Theory states that observational learning brings
noticeable changes in the attitudes and reactions of the individuals. Becker’s article upholds
the aspect of observational learning through the assessment of the impact. This is through the
example of smoking and drug use. Bandura opined that learning is a difficult task, if the
individuals are concerned and rely only about the effects of their own action. Becker states
that if the individuals learn the art of smoking and consumption of drugs, they would attain
the status of “marihuana” (Becker, 1953). Along with this, Becker’s article also sheds light
on Bandura’s concept of emotional responses, which arises upon learning new things.
2. Becker’s article emphasizes on psychological traits behind the addictions to drug use. This
behaviour is deviant in terms of the social constructs and norms, within which they are
bonded. On the contrary, Control theory and Adolescent Drug use points to the adolescent
addiction towards drugs. In these cases, the behaviour contradicts the usual conventions
related to behaviour as pointed out by Freud in his Stages of Human Development. Becker’s
article considers smoking and drug use as an experiment to attain pleasure. On the other
hand, Marcos and Bahr, 1988) argue that these addictions in case of the adolescents need
control in terms of safeguarding them from going into the wrong paths.
Week 8: Labelling/Societal Reaction Theory

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1. Bernburg and Krohn, through their study, intend to map the changes, which come in the
life of the people after indulging in criminal activities. In this, they consider the kind of
upbringing, which the people have received since their childhood. In this process, they try to
figure out the presence of crime records in their adolescent period. Along with this, Bernburg
and Krohn also attempt to assess the impact of the changes, which the adult crimes have
brought on the lifestyle of the public domain. One of the main activities of Bernburg and
Krohn is the application of labelling theory on development of the individuals (Bernburg &
Krohn, 2003). Based on this application, criminal activities deconstruct the social hierarchies,
which is to be followed for leading a meaningful life in the society. Mention can be made of
the official external interventions, which have negative consequences. These influencers are
mainly the surroundings, in which the individuals attaining their physical, emotional and
mental development.
2. As per the results of Bernburg and Krohns’ study, criminal psychology in adolescents is
higher if they do not get basic and elementary education along with the care, nourishment and
support. This incapability further leads to unemployment, stalling both the personal and
professional development. Labelling has been adequately done in case of the sample urban
males. This resulted in the detection of high criminal rates due to the official intervention of
bad friends’ circle in the adolescent period (Bernburg & Krohn, 2003). This is mainly due to
the aggressive nature towards going against the restriction and the socio-cultural norms.
However, in case of females, the criminal rates are much lower, as they prefer close knit
bonding and fear isolation and marginalization. This is in terms of the mocking, taunts and
the curses, entrapping them within the society bounded by harsh orthodox cultural norms like
that of the patriarchy. These aspects reflect the validity and authenticity of Bernburg and
Krohns‘study.
Week 9 (Marxist and critical theories)

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1. According to Christie’s views, conflicts are an inevitable aspect within the society. He
cites the example of industrialized societies, where there are fewer conflicts. Based on their
inevitable nature, Christie tags the conflicts are properties, which common people use for
fulfilling their basic necessities. According to Christie, (1977), the power and authority to
conflict have been misutilized by the professionals. Herein lays the appropriateness of the
adjectives in case of the conflicts: “taken away, given away, melt away and made invisible”.
This has adversely affected the victims in terms of their fundamental rights. Christie refers to
the verdicts by the courts, which helps the victims to restore justice and lost honour.
2. Christie, in his article, critiques the power and authorities of the professionals in terms of
handling the conflicts. Typical evidence of this is the act of stealing the fines by the
governmental agencies. In this, Christie brings the alarming situation of the poor, who act as
slaves to the government for getting the basic amenities (Christie, 1977). In this sense, it is
not the property, which is taken away from the victims. Instead, it is the self respect, which is
lost. In the postmodern societies, conflicts are less than the properties. This is because the
people are mostly concerned about material success, which results in the loss of their
properties.
3. “Own their conflicts” reflects Christie’s assumptions regarding the allowance towards
concentrating on the systems. This suggests the nullification towards interventions. In this,
assurance is attached that the events, which are happening are no events at all. For example,
the location of the administrative centres outside the towns and complex buildings, adding to
the difficulties of getting to the respective departments. Along with this, Christie, (1977) is
also of the view that the view of the courtroom affects the impressions of the people
regarding disinterest towards getting legal support. Apart from this, distinction between civil
and criminal conflicts influences the decision making power of the people regarding proper
handling the conflicts.

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References
Becker, H. S. (1953). Becoming a marihuana user. American journal of Sociology, 59(3),
235-242.
Bernburg, J. G., & Krohn, M. D. (2003). Labeling, life chances, and adult crime: The direct
and indirect effects of official intervention in adolescence on crime in early
adulthood. Criminology, 41(4), 1287-1318.
Bucher, J., Manasse, M., & Milton, J. (2015). Soliciting strain: examining both sides of street
prostitution through General Strain Theory. Journal of Crime and Justice, 38(4), 435-
453.
Christie, N. (1977). Conflicts as property. The British journal of criminology, 17(1), 1-15.
Cloward, Richard., & Ohlin, L. (1960). Illegitimate means, differential opportunity and
delinquent subcultures. Juvenile Delinquency: A book of Readings: Newyork: Wiley,
77.
Marcos, A. C., & Bahr, S. J. (1988). Control theory and adolescent drug use. Youth &
Society, 19(4), 395-425.
Pfohl, S. J. (1994). Images of deviance and social control: A sociological history (p. 2). New
York: McGraw-Hill.
White, R., Haines, F., & Asquith, N. L. (2017). Crime & criminology.