CRIM 1650 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Travis Hirschi, Labeling Theory, Edwin Sutherland

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

Document Summary

Limitations of individual theories and the shift to sociological theories: society rather than the individual is the appropriate unit of analysis (society used to understand behaviour, sociological theories of crime focus on two key sets of variables: 1. Underlying principles: everyone has the potential for criminal behaviour, question: why is it that more people do not commit crimes, response: most people have attachments and commitments which bond them to conventional society. Crime is an outcome of either the failure to develop these social bonds or their weakening over time (ex. Mc question - which of the four elements of the social bond is being addressed through that strategy (ex. Recreational programs involvement: suspension and explosion becoming less, peer group programs like big sisters and big brothers help children. White collar crimes, sexual assault connection to society: neglect of structural variables and their impact on social bonds (unstable employment from parents, housing struggles)