CRM 1300 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - W. M. Keck Observatory, Witch-Hunt, William Shakespeare
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
CRM 1300
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY
➢ “Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes
within its scope the process of making laws, of breaking laws, and of reacting toward the
breaking of laws. … The objective of criminology is the development of a body of general and
verified principles and other types of knowledge regarding this process of law, crime, and
treatment.” - Sutherland and Cressey
➢ Sutherland believed the main reason for crime was differential association. Criminality is a
learned behaviour (role models, peers)
HOW DO WE DEFINE CRIME?
➢ Legal: Crime is that behaviour prohibited by the Criminal Code. Crime is defined by the laws
dictating behaviour. Focuses on the act itself.
➢ Social norms: Crime is that behaviour that violates social norms. (Focus on undesirable effects of
certain behaviours). Moral values, community standards. Ex. anti-social behaviours (causing
physical or emotional damage such as bullies, graffiti, sexual violence). Focuses on the effects of
crime. More interested in street crime.
➢ Social constructionist: Crime is that behaviour so defined by the agents and activities of the
powerful. The law being used to disadvantage certain groups. There is no such thing as crime; it’s
created by powerful people who have certain interests they want to protect by implementing these
kinds of laws. More interested in white collar crime. Focus on who decides what is “crime.”
○ Occupy Wall Street. Indigenous Pipeline.
➢ These definitions of crime suggest something important: Our ideas about what crime is change
over time and in different places; crime is not universal.
○ Soon to be decriminalized: assisted dying, marijuana use, prostitution (coming back to
that)
➢ Morgan Taller performed abortions when it was illegal, was arrested, took it to court, Supreme
Court struck down abortion laws, Parliament let it go. There are no laws or restrictions on
abortions. Unusual.
➢ University student wrote his thesis on assisted dying before euthanasia was decriminalized. He
would visit and spoke with the ill who wanted to die. Got into ethical trouble because he was
witnessing a crime.
➢ “If I cannot give consent to my own death, whose body is this? Who owns my life?” - Sue
Rodriguez (refer to textbook)
➢ Sparked a free debate.
➢ R. Lattenburg killed his severely ill 12 year old daugher. She was in constant pain, could not take
pain meds stronger than Tylenol, suffered from the most severe type of Cerebral Palsy.
➢ Charged with 1st degree murder (minimum life sentence) because he intended to kill her and did
kill her. Convicted of 2nd degree murder (given minimum of life, eligible for parole in 10 years).
Refer to textbook.
➢ Supreme Court restored original life sentence because they didn’t want to denounce the crime and
the punishment thereof. Did not want to give leeway for others to commit similar acts.
➢ Sue had a say, whereas Tracey did not.
find more resources at oneclass.com
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HOW DO WE RESPOND TO CRIME?
➢ If criminals learn criminal behaviour, then how does one respond to crime? Re-educate criminals
(rehabilitation) through positive peer groups/positive examples. Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
➢ Where to look for signs of potential criminality? Poor family environment (mother put in jail,
etc), “bad apple” schools/classes, criminal or delinquent groups. At-risk people, particularly
youth.
➢ Consensus: Laws are the only fair way to respond to crime. We all agree about the laws, and
because we all agree we should all follow them and be punished by them. The law is fair (people
are treated fairly under it).
➢ Interactionist: Laws are constantly changing. Laws result from interactions between individuals
and groups (ex. When a moral entrepreneur tries to convince others to believe his/her values).
Would be concerned that being labeled as a deviant creates stigma. Stigmatizing people limits
their opportunities; causes people to make untrue assumptions.
➢ Conflict: Skeptical of law as a response to crime because laws protect the interests of the
powerful and is directly in opposition of the lower classes. The law is used to increase the power
of the higher up while criminalization of the poor. (ex. Ontario Safe Street Act outlawed squeegee
kids, affected their source of income). White collar crime.
○ White collar crime (Westray Mine Disaster, Nova Scotia). 26 people were killed, but the
case against two head honchos never lead anywhere. Nothing happened. No one was
convicted.
○ Deep-Water Horizon + Lac Mégantic. When such incidents occur, they are referred to as
disasters or accidents rather than crimes. Serial killings or spree killings are associated
with adjectives like: evil, terrorist, deplorable, etc. Different language is applied when
corporations are involved in crime. The powerful are treated differently than the
individual.
HOW DO WE STUDY CRIME?
➢ Laws: formal social control
○ Criminal code
○ Parliamentary rules
○ etc
➢ Norms: informal social control
○ Rules and expectations by which society guides the behaviour of its members
○ May be prescriptive (shouldn’t do) or proscriptive (should do)
○ If we violate norms, we feel ashamed or guilty. Social pressure dictating what we should
or shouldn’t do
➢ What do Criminologists study?
○ Abolitionism and Alternatives to Criminal Justice
○ Crimes of the Powerful
○ Criminological Theory and Socio-legal Studies
○ First Nations, Racism and Injustice
○ Gender, Sexuality and Injustice
○ Policing Governance and Insecurity
○ Popular Culture, Media, and Technology
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes within its scope the process of making laws, of breaking laws, and of reacting toward the breaking of laws. The objective of criminology is the development of a body of general and verified principles and other types of knowledge regarding this process of law, crime, and treatment. - sutherland and cressey. Sutherland believed the main reason for crime was differential association. Criminality is a learned behaviour (role models, peers) Legal: crime is that behaviour prohibited by the criminal code. Social norms: crime is that behaviour that violates social norms. (focus on undesirable effects of dictating behaviour. Ex. anti-social behaviours (causing physical or emotional damage such as bullies, graffiti, sexual violence). Social constructionist: crime is that behaviour so defined by the agents and activities of the. The law being used to disadvantage certain groups.
