SOC 2700 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Cesare Beccaria, Metatheory, Etiology

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2700
• Professor: Stephanie Howells

Document Summary

Macrotheory: broad explanations of social structure effects with emphasis on rates of crime (epidemiology) Bridging theory (meso-theory): looks at how both social structure operates and how individuals become criminal. Con ict theory: based on the idea that people disagree and only powerful groups bene t from the law. Microtheory: etiological explanations for individual and small groups criminal behaviour. Positivist theory: focus on pathology using scienti c methods to treat and prevent crime. Criminal behaviour is rational, and most people have the potential to engage in such behaviour. People may choose to commit a crime after weighing the costs & bene ts of their actions (free will). Fear of punishment is what keeps most people law abiding; severity, certainty and speed of punishment affect the crime rate. Punishment should t the crime rather than the offender. The criminal justice system must be predictable, with laws and punishments known to the public.