Edgar Degas,
Portrait de M. Durante

Summary - Response & Discussion Topics

Unit 9: Deviance and Crime in America

Summary - Response Papers:

You will complete four (4) brief summary-response papers during the semester – due dates are listed on the course calendar. Your paper should be roughly 750-1,000 words – three typed double-spaced pages (12 point font). You may only choose 1 assignment from each "batch/block of units" of the class: one SR paper from units 1 through 3; one SR paper from units 4 through 6; one SR paper from units 7 through 10; one SR paper from units 11 through 14.

These writing assignments are to be submitted through Canvas. Click on "Assignments" located in the left hand panel on the course page. Next, click on the appropriate Unit - i.e., if you are choosing to submit a paper from this unit - click on unit 9 under Assignments. After clicking on Unit 9 you will see a Turnitin Assignment Inbox where you will submit/upload your paper.

Discussion Topics

Taking part in class discussions, though not mandatory, will let you earn "bonus points" that can add up to a full letter grade to your final grade for the course.

To contribute, click on "Discussions" located in the left hand panel on Canvas. Next, choose a discussion topic for this unit, click on it, read the prompt, and click on "Reply." Be sure that you add your name. For more sinformation on how to submit your comments and/or engage in the online class discussion, go to the "Frequently Asked Questions" page.

 

Unit 9: Deviance and Crime in America

You may choose one of these options as one of your four required summary-response papers:

A. The Social Foundations of Deviance

John Macionis (the author of your textbook) argues on page 158 that “although we tend to view deviance as the free choice or personal failings of individuals, all behavior – deviance as well as conformity – is shaped by society.” He then lists three “social foundations of deviance”: (1) Deviance varies according to cultural norms, (2) People become deviant as others define them that way, and (3) Both norms and the way people define rule breaking involve social power. Drawing upon the assigned readings, critically examine these three ideas.

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B. Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance

Each of the main theoretical perspectives in sociology – structural-functional analysis, symbolic interaction, conflict theory, and feminist theory – focuses upon different aspects of deviance and crime. Briefly outline the main questions each one addresses and then indicate which of these leads most to a deepening of your understanding of the issues involved.

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C. The Criminal Justice System

Critics argue that our criminal justice system systematically privileges people in the upper classes while treating people in the lower classes and people of color more harshly.

Assess this claim, making specific reference to (1) materials provided in the chapter, (2) Michele Alexander's interview on The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, (3) the film ‘The Central Park Five,” (4) the assigned article on racial profiling ("Racial Profiling Lives On"), (5) information provided on the use of the death penalty (Does a Person's Income Level Affect the Likelihood of Him/Her Receiving the Death Penalty?, and Does a Person's Race Affect the Likelihood of Him/Her Receiving the Death Penalty?), and (6) information on white-collar and “suite” crime ("Glaxo in $3 Billion Settlement,"  Corporate Crime Reporter: The Case for a Corporate Homicide Law,  "Top 100 Corporate Crime Stories of 2011".

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D. The Innocence Project

Go to The Innocence Project   Scroll down the front page and, first, read the information provided under the heading “About Us." Next, scroll down further and click on and read each of the links under the heading "The Causes."   Summarize this information and discuss the implications of the materials presented. How, for example, does social class, race, and other social factors affect the operation of our criminal justice system?

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E. Gun Control

The issue of gun control has become increasingly debated this past year. Examine the data provided by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press ("In Gun Control Debate, Several Options Draw Majority Support") and the article by Howard Schuman and Stanley Presser, "The Gun Control Paradox." What social factors seem to be affecting the position people take on this issue and the way that Congress is confronting this issue?

 

 

Discussion Topics
These are posted in the "Discussions" Section in Canvas

1. Do you think that racial and other types (i.e., religious) of profiling is a serious problem in our criminal justice system, simply a necessary evil, or not a problem at all?

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2. The FBI estimates that while burglary and robbery – so called “street crimes” – costs the nation $3.8 billion a year, hundreds of billions of dollars are stolen from Americans each year as a result of corporate and white-collar fraud – so called “suite crimes.” Moreover, while the FBI estimates that between 16,000 and 19,000 Americans are murdered every year, more than 50,000 Americans who die every year on the job or from occupational diseases such as black lung and asbestosis and the tens of thousands of other Americans who fall victim to the silent violence of pollution, contaminated foods, hazardous consumer products, and hospital malpractice. Why, then, when people think about the serious issue of crime, do they focus on street rather than suite crime.

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3. Have you ever been guilty of labeling another person in a negative way, only to find out later that the label didn’t accurately apply? Have you ever been labeled incorrectly and, if so, how did that affect your future behavior? Have you ever been labeled in a positive way and, as a result, benefitted from the labeling process? If so, how did you benefit?

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