SOC 2700 Chapter 1: chapter 1
21 Dec 2011
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Document Summary
Self report surveys: individuals report crimes they have committed. This book explores the context, content and consequences of crime. Most people have skewed views of why crime occurs. Attitudes come from: parents, church, tv, experiences, historically, crime was attributed to demons, sinfulness of humans, inferior people, our social experiences shape how we view crime. Theories help shape policies since lawlessness poses major problems. Understanding why crime occurs is necessary to prevent it. As theories of crime change, so do criminal justice policies. Mass immigration, great depression, post world war 2. Deterrence, rational choice, broken windows, moral poverty, routine activity, environmental. Classical school: emphasized the rejection of spiritual and religious explanations. Belief that offenders use reasoning and look at costs and benefits of committing crimes. Positivist school: emphasized the scientific study of criminals with the assumption that there was something different about offenders vs. non offenders.
