Sociology Lecture 12: Incarceration & Health Disparities

The idea that social problems are not inherent but defined and shaped by social processes, beliefs, and interactions.

Individuals or groups who try to persuade others that a particular issue is a social problem and needs attention.

A perspective that sees society as a complex system with interconnected parts that work together to maintain stability and order.

This theory argues that social problems arise when individuals are blocked from achieving culturally valued goals through legitimate means.

This perspective emphasizes power struggles, inequality, and conflict between different social groups.

The number of suicides per 100,000 people in a year, adjusted for age differences in the population.

The rate of suicide is significantly higher for men than women. In 2020, men were 3.88 times more likely to die by suicide.

Research shows that higher rates of incarceration are associated with higher suicide rates across all groups.

Suicide rates among Black youth under 24 have risen significantly in recent years, about double the national average in urban areas.

This theory suggests that understanding the overlapping social factors (like race, gender, and socioeconomic status) that contribute to suicide risk is essential for effective prevention.

In 2013, approximately 47,352 people were diagnosed with HIV infection in the United States.

In 2013, approximately 26,688 people were diagnosed with AIDS in the United States.

As of a certain point in time, an estimated 1,194,039 people in the United States have been diagnosed with AIDS.

An estimated 39.9 million people worldwide are living with HIV.

In 2012, an estimated 13,712 people with an AIDS diagnosis died.

Approximately 658,507 people with an AIDS diagnosis have died in the United States.

The definition of AIDS was expanded in 1993 to include HIV-positive individuals with severe immunosuppression, pulmonary tuberculosis, recurrent pneumonia, and invasive cervical cancer.

The 1993 expansion of the AIDS definition resulted in an 111% increase in the number of people diagnosed with AIDS.

A measure of the number of CD4 cells in a cubic millimeter of blood. CD4 cells are a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection. A low CD4 count indicates a weakened immune system and increased risk of opportunistic infections.

Opportunistic infections that occur in people with weakened immune systems due to HIV infection. These infections are often rare and severe, and they are a defining characteristic of AIDS.

Factors in society that influence a person's health, including socioeconomic status, education, access to healthcare, and living conditions.

The accumulation of disadvantages over a person's life course, resulting in greater health disparities.

The negative impact of discrimination on a person's health. It can lead to stress, psychological distress, and reduced access to resources.

An individual's subjective experience of discrimination, regardless of whether it is objectively true.

The specific pathways through which discrimination affects health. These can include stress, social isolation, and lack of access to resources.

Differences in health outcomes among different populations, often linked to social determinants of health.

A significant increase in the number of people imprisoned, particularly in the United States, starting in the 1970s. This trend is characterized by racial disparities and a focus on punishment over rehabilitation.

This perspective views mass incarceration as a product of social forces, such as policy changes, social movements, and media narratives. It highlights the influence of legal reforms and events like the Polly Klass case, which led to stricter legislation and increased incarceration.

This perspective sees mass incarceration as serving a function in society, contributing to public safety by removing criminals from the community. However, it also acknowledges latent consequences like political disenfranchisement and collateral damage to individuals and families.

This perspective views mass incarceration as a tool used by dominant groups to maintain social control and suppress marginalized populations. It points to monetary sanctions, legal inequalities, and the use of racialized language as evidence of this power dynamic.

A statistical measure that quantifies income inequality in a society. A value of 0 indicates perfect equality, while a value of 1 represents perfect inequality.

The sociological perspective on HIV/AIDS considers not just the medical aspects but also its social implications, including stigma, discrimination, access to treatment, and its impact on vulnerable populations.

This theory suggests that as a minority group's size grows, the dominant group perceives a threat to their power and resources, leading to increased prejudice and discrimination.

This theory proposes that poverty creates a unique culture with its own values, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuates poverty across generations.

This theory describes a set of informal rules and norms that emerge in high-crime, impoverished neighborhoods, often prioritizing respect and violence as a means of survival and social control.

These are informal, community-based financial systems where members contribute money to a pool and take turns receiving loans, building trust and economic support within the group.

This approach examines how race and racism are embedded in social institutions and structures, challenging dominant ideologies and promoting social justice.

This framework recognizes how various social identities, such as race, class, gender, and sexuality, intersect and interact, leading to overlapping and complex systems of oppression.

This emphasizes the value of lived experiences and perspectives of marginalized groups in understanding and addressing social inequalities.