Sociology 2259 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Critical Thinking
22 Oct 2014
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The definition of crime and criminals: the origins and role of the law, the social distribution of crime, the causation of crime, patterns of criminal behaviour, societal reactions to crime. Criminology: the body of knowledge viewing and analyzing crime as a social phenomenon. Strict legal definition: an act that violates the criminal law. Acts of deviance and crime on a continuum (minor serious) definition: Making, breaking, and reacting to the breaking of laws. Body of general and verified principles and knowledge regarding law, crime, and treatment. Harmlessness, criminal status, appropriate social response: consensus crimes, conflict crimes, social deviations, social diversions, degree of consensus that an act is wrong, severity of society"s response to the act, amount of harm caused by the act. Legal definition of crime: an act that violates the criminal law and is punishable. White-collar crime: crime committed by middle-upper class in the course of legitimate business activities (non-violent) Herman and julia schwendinger human rights violations as crimes.
