Exam 5: Deviance and Crime

Which of the following best characterizes the comparison of female and male criminals?

Briefly describe labelling theory, its advantages, and its shortcomings.

Martin is a crime researcher who is interested in creating an accurate picture of sexual assault in Canada, and he is concerned about the inaccuracy of official crime statistics. Which of the following is the best resource for him to use to get a more accurate picture of sexual assault in Canada?

When did crime rates in Canada peak and then begin to fall?

Canada's crime rate of 2.2million Criminal Code violations in 2008 is alarming because it shows how vulnerable Canadians are to being victimized by violent and depraved individuals.

Social definitions of crimes against women have changed with the shift in the distribution of power between men and women.

Labelling theory is a variant of conflict theory.

Define deviance and crime with reference to norms, laws, and sanctions. Provide an example of each.

Seth and all of his close friends are fans of country music, and in part their sense of identity is tied to being fans of that kind of music. When Seth's friends came over to his apartment to visit, they found him listening to one of his mother's jazz albums. They teased him for days afterward. What is the treatment that Seth's friends subjected him to an example of?

Briefly describe some of the current alternatives to incarceration.

According to the textbook, which of the following best describes crimes such as prostitution and illegal drug use?

The term surveillance society was introduced to denote the changes in North American society since the widespread introduction of electronic technology like video cameras. According to the textbook, sociologists argue that this has led to a decrease in some forms of crime.

According to the textbook, sociologists have identified several possible factors to account for the decline in the crime rate in Canada. If these explanations are correct, what impact on the crime rate should Canadians expect if the unemployment rate increased significantly for an extended period of time?

Types of deviance and crime vary independently of the social response given to the deviance.

The medicalization of deviance means that behaviours that were previously defined as "badness" are now defined as "sickness."

Describe the four different responses to the discrepancy between cultural ideals and structural realities according to Merton's strain theory.

Until the 1970s, social scientists rarely collected data on a type of violence that is widely researched today. What is that type of violence?

Research the goals and arguments of the "no prison" advocates. Predict their success in achieving their goals given the current public perception of crime and incarceration.

Research the various positions on capital punishment. Be sure to distinguish between purely philosophical arguments and sociological treatments. What are the pros and cons of reinstating capital punishment in Canada?

You have been elected Prime Minister. Your first campaign pledge was to reduce crime. Using the information from the text, explain what policy initiatives you would favour to reduce crime levels.