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According to Durkheim, what is the role of crime in societal development?
According to Durkheim, what is the role of crime in societal development?
Why does Durkheim believe that a society devoid of crime is an impossibility?
Why does Durkheim believe that a society devoid of crime is an impossibility?
What is Durkheim's perspective on the criminal?
What is Durkheim's perspective on the criminal?
How does Durkheim challenge the traditional view of crime?
How does Durkheim challenge the traditional view of crime?
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What is Durkheim's main argument regarding the relationship between crime and social change?
What is Durkheim's main argument regarding the relationship between crime and social change?
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What does the author mean by 'Crime...consists of an act that offends certain very strong collective sentiments'?
What does the author mean by 'Crime...consists of an act that offends certain very strong collective sentiments'?
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What is one way crime can change form within a society?
What is one way crime can change form within a society?
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Why does the author suggest that a society without crime is impossible?
Why does the author suggest that a society without crime is impossible?
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How does the author argue that crime can be beneficial to society?
How does the author argue that crime can be beneficial to society?
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What is the author's main point about the relationship between morality and crime?
What is the author's main point about the relationship between morality and crime?
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How does the author use the example of a society of saints to illustrate his point?
How does the author use the example of a society of saints to illustrate his point?
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How does the intensity of collective sentiments influence the definition of crime?
How does the intensity of collective sentiments influence the definition of crime?
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What does the author mean by saying 'Every pattern is an obstacle to new patterns, to the extent that the first pattern is inflexible'?
What does the author mean by saying 'Every pattern is an obstacle to new patterns, to the extent that the first pattern is inflexible'?
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What is the author's argument about individual originality and crime?
What is the author's argument about individual originality and crime?
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According to the author, what is the indirect utility of crime?
According to the author, what is the indirect utility of crime?
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What does the author mean by 'the authority which the moral conscience enjoys must not be excessive'?
What does the author mean by 'the authority which the moral conscience enjoys must not be excessive'?
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What is the main point of the text?
What is the main point of the text?
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How does the author's perspective on crime differ from traditional views?
How does the author's perspective on crime differ from traditional views?
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What is the author's tone in the text?
What is the author's tone in the text?
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What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?
What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?
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What is the author's position on the relationship between law and morality?
What is the author's position on the relationship between law and morality?
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According to Durkheim, what is the relationship between crime and society?
According to Durkheim, what is the relationship between crime and society?
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Durkheim's perspective on crime challenges which common belief?
Durkheim's perspective on crime challenges which common belief?
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What is the significance of Durkheim's statement that "crime is present not only in the majority of societies of one particular species but in all societies of all types"?
What is the significance of Durkheim's statement that "crime is present not only in the majority of societies of one particular species but in all societies of all types"?
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How does Durkheim view the notion of an "unusually high rate" of crime?
How does Durkheim view the notion of an "unusually high rate" of crime?
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Why is it significant that Durkheim classifies crime as a phenomenon of "normal sociology"?
Why is it significant that Durkheim classifies crime as a phenomenon of "normal sociology"?
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What can be inferred about Durkheim's view of the role of the legal system based on the text?
What can be inferred about Durkheim's view of the role of the legal system based on the text?
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Which of the following is NOT a key argument made by Durkheim about crime?
Which of the following is NOT a key argument made by Durkheim about crime?
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What is the main conclusion drawn by Durkheim regarding the role of crime in society?
What is the main conclusion drawn by Durkheim regarding the role of crime in society?
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Flashcards
Crime as Normal
Crime as Normal
Durkheim suggests crime is a normal aspect of society's evolution and moral development.
Role of the Criminal
Role of the Criminal
In society, criminals may play important roles that contribute to social change and coherence.
Anticipation of Morality
Anticipation of Morality
Crime can reflect emerging moral standards, serving as a step towards future societal norms.
Collective Sentiments
Collective Sentiments
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Impossibility of Crime-Free Society
Impossibility of Crime-Free Society
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Deviance
Deviance
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Emile Durkheim
Emile Durkheim
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Functions of Crime
Functions of Crime
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Social Morbidity
Social Morbidity
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Criminality Exists Everywhere
Criminality Exists Everywhere
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Public Health and Crime
Public Health and Crime
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Abnormal Crime Rates
Abnormal Crime Rates
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Normality of Crime
Normality of Crime
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Transformation of Crime
Transformation of Crime
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Social Strata and Crime
Social Strata and Crime
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Severity of Sentiments
Severity of Sentiments
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Bad Taste vs. Robbery
Bad Taste vs. Robbery
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Criminal Definition Expansion
Criminal Definition Expansion
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Sociological Utility of Crime
Sociological Utility of Crime
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Law and Morality Variation
Law and Morality Variation
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Plasticity of Collective Sentiments
Plasticity of Collective Sentiments
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Critique and Authority
Critique and Authority
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Interconnected Originality
Interconnected Originality
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Role of Crime in Evolution
Role of Crime in Evolution
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Intensity of Moral Conscience
Intensity of Moral Conscience
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Emotional Respectability
Emotional Respectability
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Study Notes
Durkheim's View on Crime
- Crime is a normal and necessary part of all societies, not a pathological deviation.
- Crime exists in all societies, differing only in form and the acts deemed criminal.
- Absence of crime would signify a society with extremely strong, inflexible collective sentiments, hindering societal progress and evolution.
Functions of Crime
- Crime is integral to a healthy society, serving as a catalyst for social change and moral evolution.
- Criminal acts challenge established norms, prompting greater collective sentiment intensity around them.
- This heightened sentiment solidifies norms, creating a stronger moral foundation and more rigid legal frameworks.
- Changes in collective sentiments are the foundation of societal development and legal changes.
Crime and Collective Sentiment
- Strong collective sentiments are necessary but must be adaptable for societal progress.
- Crime is a result of differing interpretations of these collective sentiments.
- Acts viewed as trivial in a society can become criminal if collective consciousness around them grows stronger.
- Changes in sentiment can result in previously acceptable behavior being classified as criminal violations.
Crime and Societal Progress
- Crime is essential for evolving moral and legal codes.
- It creates the necessary flexibility in collective sentiments, allowing for societal change.
- Crime can be a precursor to evolving moral foundations.
Examples of Societal Shifts
- Historical changes in the classification of certain acts as criminal reveal changes in societal values and perceptions of acceptable behavior.
- Acts like violence against individuals were, in the past, more common given weaker concepts of individual dignity. As respect for personal dignity increased, these acts diminished.
- Criminal acts can be anticipatory steps towards future moral changes (ex. Socrates' independent thought).
Critique and Paradox
- Crime is viewed as paradoxical – a social detriment in appearance and beneficial in function.
- Labeling crime as pathological is akin to labeling morbidity a defining element of the living organism.
- Crime's presence signals the dynamism inherent to all societies, indicating that societies are in a constant state of change.
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Description
Explore Durkheim's perspective on crime and its fundamental role in societies. Understand how crime can act as a driver for social change and the evolution of collective sentiments. This quiz dives into the significance of crime in maintaining societal function and progress.