SOC 371 Study Guide - Summer 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Uniform Crime Reports, Sutherland, Social Science
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
SOC 371
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
SOCIOLOGY 371 - CRIMINOLOGY
Dr. Amie Nielsen
121C Merrick; telephone: (305) 284-6158
Office: T 12:00 - 1:00, Th 11:00-12:00, and, by appointment.
JUNE 3, 2018
Different types of crimes
Categorizing every group of different offenses
o White collate crime – occupation/high level dollars / corporate crimes (the
number of people that dies in here is higher than in homicide)
INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS OF CRIME
Crime: an act (or omission) that violates criminal law and is punishable by the
state, ex: is someone shot somebody, if you are aware of a felony and you don’t
tell the police, someone acting or doing something that is problematic. The Gov.
is the injured body in this state
o Can be the omission or commission of an act
o No act us a crime until define as such by law
o Definitions change over time and place
o Criminal law are enacted at state and federal levels
o Each state has a different set of criminal laws
o Local areas (municipalities) may pass local ordinances
o Crimes may be felonies or misdemeanors
▪ Felonies: more serious; incarcerations for 1 year or more in prison;
fines
▪ Misdemeanors: less serious; incarceration for less than 1 year in
jail; fines
o Victim is the state, not individual
Criminology: the scientific study of the nature of the extent , cause, and control
of crime behavior
o Process of making laws
o Process of and reasons for breaking laws
o Societal reactions to crime
o Is a social science discipline (see Miller, reading 1) – often linked
o Closely tied to criminal justice
▪ Criminology is more theoretical, CJ is more applied
Criminal laws: one of the types of laws we have
o Pass by the legislature
o Courts interpret laws
o May or may nor be enforced
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
JUNE 5, 2018
Ideal Characteristics of Crime
(Sutherland and Cressey, Ch.3)
o Harm: always involve harm
o Harm must be forbidden prior to behavior
o Action or inaction, intentional or reckless, that causes harm
o Criminal intent (mens rea) must be present
o Criminal intent and conduct must overlap
o Causal relationship b/w forbidden harm and voluntary misconduct
o Legally prescribed punishment for behavior
Criminal v Civil Law
o Civil laws regulate non-criminal relationships among
▪ Persons
▪ Businesses
▪ Government agencies
o Do not involve punishment but compensation
o Concerned with liability not intent
o Examples:
▪ Corporate polluting
▪ Marriage/Divorce
▪ Unfair hiring practices
Four characteristics distinguish criminal from civil law
(Sutherland and Cressey Ch.3)
o Politicality: laws are created by constitutionally authorized body
(state)
o Penalty: state imposed punishment for crime
o Specificity: strict, specific definition of crime and penalty
o Uniformity: applied equally to everyone in jurisdiction
Theories of Criminal Law Creation
o Conflict
▪ Laws reflect the interests of powerful groups in society
▪ Crime is a product of class structure
• ‘Target’ members of less powerful groups
• Laws are not passed or enforced which would impact
powerful (e.g., corporate crimes)
• Chambliss (ch.4) is conflict theorist
o Pluralistic
▪ Laws result from struggle b/w competing groups
▪ Groups seeking legal protection of their interests
▪ Sometimes one group wins, other times other groups
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Office: t 12:00 - 1:00, th 11:00-12:00, and, by appointment. Categorizing every group of different offenses: white collate crime occupation/high level dollars / corporate crimes (the number of people that dies in here is higher than in homicide) Criminal laws: one of the types of laws we have: pass by the legislature, courts interpret laws, may or may nor be enforced. Criminal v civil law: civil laws regulate non-criminal relationships among, persons, businesses, government agencies, do not involve punishment but compensation, concerned with liability not intent, examples, corporate polluting, marriage/divorce, unfair hiring practices. Theories of criminal law creation: conflict, laws reflect the interests of powerful groups in society, crime is a product of class structure. > mothers against drunk driving pushed for stricter laws on drunk driving: roe v wade, triggering events, megan"s law: sex offender registration, megan khanka was raped and killed by neighbor, 100:1 policy. 5g of crack = 500g of cocaine pedophile.
