CRIM 1650 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Surplus Labour, Financial Crimes, Consumerism

• School: York University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 1650
• Professor: James Williams

Document Summary

Lecture 7: sociological theories ii: structural and conflict. Goals that emerge within our culture which are reinforced by media such as the newspapers: merton argues that cultural goals are universal. The u(cid:374)i(cid:448)e(cid:396)sal goal is to pu(cid:396)sue fi(cid:374)a(cid:374)(cid:272)ial/(cid:373)ate(cid:396)ial su(cid:272)(cid:272)ess (cid:271)ased o(cid:374) the (cid:862)a(cid:373)e(cid:396)i(cid:272)a(cid:374) d(cid:396)ea(cid:373)(cid:863: legitimate means of obtaining these goals are unequally distributed through society and thus are not available to everyone. Can be obtained through job, inheritance, education: disjuncture between cultural goals and legitimate means of obtaining those goals creates strain, criminal behavior is an adaptation (response) to strain. Emphasize the importance of religious and spiritual development. Encouraging societal goals that are not tied to financial wealth and encouraging pursuit of other goals in their place: increase legitimate opportunities. Lack of education for example is a contributing factor to crime. Create conditions that allow students to succeed especially students that struggle to su(cid:272)(cid:272)eed (cid:271)e(cid:272)ause they do(cid:374)"t ha(cid:448)e suppo(cid:396)t o(cid:396) fa(cid:272)e fi(cid:374)a(cid:374)(cid:272)ial diffi(cid:272)ulties.