Sociology Chapter on Crime

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Questions and Answers

According to Durkheim, what is the role of crime in societal development?

  • Crime plays a necessary role in highlighting societal values and prompting change. (correct)
  • Crime is a symptom of social breakdown and indicates a failing society.
  • Crime is a natural part of human nature and cannot be prevented.
  • Crime is a negative force that disrupts social order and should be eradicated.

Why does Durkheim believe that a society devoid of crime is an impossibility?

  • Human nature is inherently criminal, making crime inevitable.
  • Crime is a necessary part of social progress, driving innovation and change.
  • Social norms are constantly evolving, making it impossible to prevent all deviant behavior. (correct)
  • Crime is a useful tool for social control, ensuring conformity.

What is Durkheim's perspective on the criminal?

  • A criminal is a parasitic element that disrupts societal harmony.
  • A criminal is an individual capable of moral degeneration and must be punished.
  • A criminal is a contributing member of society, performing a necessary role in social change. (correct)
  • A criminal is a manifestation of social pathology and needs correction.

How does Durkheim challenge the traditional view of crime?

<p>By highlighting the role of crime in solidifying social norms. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Durkheim's main argument regarding the relationship between crime and social change?

<p>Crime is a necessary catalyst for social change. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the author mean by 'Crime...consists of an act that offends certain very strong collective sentiments'?

<p>Crimes are defined by their impact on the moral feelings of a society. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one way crime can change form within a society?

<p>All of the above. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does the author suggest that a society without crime is impossible?

<p>Social norms and values are constantly evolving, leading to new forms of deviance. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author argue that crime can be beneficial to society?

<p>Crime serves as a catalyst for social change by challenging existing norms and values. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's main point about the relationship between morality and crime?

<p>Morality determines the definition of crime, and both are subject to change over time. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author use the example of a society of saints to illustrate his point?

<p>To demonstrate that even a perfectly moral society would have its own forms of deviance. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the intensity of collective sentiments influence the definition of crime?

<p>Stronger collective sentiments lead to less tolerance for deviance and a broader definition of crime. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the author mean by saying 'Every pattern is an obstacle to new patterns, to the extent that the first pattern is inflexible'?

<p>All of the above. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's argument about individual originality and crime?

<p>Individual originality is essential for social progress, even if it sometimes manifests in criminal behavior. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, what is the indirect utility of crime?

<p>It forces society to re-evaluate its values and adapt to changing social conditions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the author mean by 'the authority which the moral conscience enjoys must not be excessive'?

<p>All of the above. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main point of the text?

<p>Crime is a necessary evil that plays a crucial role in social evolution. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author's perspective on crime differ from traditional views?

<p>All of the above. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's tone in the text?

<p>Thoughtful and analytical, offering a nuanced and complex perspective on the role of crime in society. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?

<p>To provide a sociological explanation for the existence and persistence of crime. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's position on the relationship between law and morality?

<p>Law is a reflection of the prevailing moral values of a society. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Durkheim, what is the relationship between crime and society?

<p>Crime is a necessary component of a healthy and functional society. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Durkheim's perspective on crime challenges which common belief?

<p>Criminals are inherently evil and should be punished severely. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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"?

<p>Crime is a universal phenomenon that transcends cultural boundaries. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Durkheim view the notion of an "unusually high rate" of crime?

<p>It is a sign of societal dysfunction and requires intervention. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it significant that Durkheim classifies crime as a phenomenon of "normal sociology"?

<p>It implies that crime is a natural and inevitable part of social life. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about Durkheim's view of the role of the legal system based on the text?

<p>He recognizes that the legal system plays a part in maintaining social order. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key argument made by Durkheim about crime?

<p>Crime is primarily a product of individual pathology. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main conclusion drawn by Durkheim regarding the role of crime in society?

<p>Crime is a necessary and functional element of a healthy society. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Crime as Normal

Durkheim suggests crime is a normal aspect of society's evolution and moral development.

Role of the Criminal

In society, criminals may play important roles that contribute to social change and coherence.

Anticipation of Morality

Crime can reflect emerging moral standards, serving as a step towards future societal norms.

Collective Sentiments

Society's shared feelings and morals are adaptable, influenced by occurrences of crime.

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Impossibility of Crime-Free Society

Durkheim asserts that a society without crime is unattainable, as crime plays a vital functional role.

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Deviance

Behavior that violates social norms or expectations.

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Emile Durkheim

Sociologist who viewed crime as a normal part of society.

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Functions of Crime

Crime serves essential functions for societal cohesion and order.

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Social Morbidity

Viewing high crime rates as unhealthy for societies.

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Criminality Exists Everywhere

All societies face issues of crime, not just specific ones.

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Public Health and Crime

Durkheim claimed crime contributes positively to social health.

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Abnormal Crime Rates

Unusually high crime rates are seen as pathological or morbid.

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Normality of Crime

Crime is an inherent part of social life and cannot be eliminated.

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Transformation of Crime

In a crime-free society, crime may change form rather than disappear.

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Social Strata and Crime

Different social layers react differently to crime and its values.

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Severity of Sentiments

Stronger community feelings lead to harsher judgments of actions.

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Bad Taste vs. Robbery

Bad taste offends less than robbery, leading to varied reactions.

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Criminal Definition Expansion

Acts once considered minor may be criminalized as societal standards change.

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Sociological Utility of Crime

Crime contributes to the evolution of society’s laws and morals.

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Law and Morality Variation

Laws and moral standards differ across societies and over time.

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Plasticity of Collective Sentiments

Feelings must be adaptable for societal changes to occur.

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Critique and Authority

Healthy critique of moral authority leads to societal improvement.

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Interconnected Originality

Originality in thought and crime must coexist for societal evolution.

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Role of Crime in Evolution

Crime plays a useful role in societal evolution despite its negative connotations.

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Intensity of Moral Conscience

Excessive moral authority can stifle criticism and change.

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Emotional Respectability

Society respects strong sentiments that are consistently upheld.

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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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