Violence, Crime and Criminal Justice

Michael ItagakiSociology 102

Violence in the Sociological Perspective

Violence Use of force to injure people or

destroy their property Social context Sociological question of

violence What is it about a society that

increases or decreases the likelihood of violence?

Violence in the Sociological Perspective

Types of Violence Individual (personal) violence

Violence in the Sociological Perspective

Types of Violence Group (collective) violence

Situational group violence

Violence in the Sociological Perspective

Types of Violence Group (collective) violence

Organized group violence

Violence in the Sociological Perspective

Types of Violence Group (collective) violence

Institutionalized group violence

The Scope of the Problem

Violence A personal or social problem? Must be a widespread

subjective concern to be a social problem.

What is a Social Problem?

Review: Something in society that

concerns people to the point they would like to change it.

Social problems are relative Social problems are dynamic

The Scope of the Problem

Violence A personal or social problem? Must be a widespread subjective

concern to be a social problem. Subjective concerns about violence

Amount of violence (objective condition) leads to subjective concerns

Fear of violence

Figure 5.1a (p. 129)“Is there any area right around here—that is, within a mile—where you would be afraid to walk alone a night?”

The Scope of the Problem

Subjective concerns about violence Amount of violence (objective

condition) leads to subjective concerns Fear of violence

Objective conditions about violence Crimes of violence have decreased Still a lot of violent crime

Figure 5.2 (p. 131)The Rate of ViolenceSource: Various editions of FBI Uniform Crime Reports, including 1997, 2001, and 2003.

Figure 5.1 (p. 130)The Clock of ViolenceThese totals are U.S. national averages. Crimes do not occur with this regularity. As the text indicates, crimes vary by time of day and by seasons. The FBI also counts armed robbery as a violent crime, whether or not anyone is hurt during the crime. Armed robberies, occurring on average every 1.2 minutes, are included in the total.Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reports, 2002.

The Scope of the Problem

Subjective concerns about violence Objective conditions about violence Violence varies with social location

Race: African American males seven times more likely than white males to be murdered

Country you live in

Theories of Violence—Nonsociological Theories

Frustration-Aggression (Dollard) Violence built into our nature Frustration, when strive for a goal but

can’treach it

Relieve frustration by striking out at others

Theories of Violence—Nonsociological Theories

Learning (Skinner) If rewarded for violence, person

will be violent again Rewards vary

Modeling (Bandura & Walters) Copying another’s behavior Experiment of children hitting

dolls

Theories of Violence/Crime—Differential Association

Differential Association Edwin Sutherland Deviate or conform to norms

becauseof different groups we associate

with Deviance/crime is learned

Theories of Violence/Crime—Differential Association

Differential Association (Sutherland)Violent behavior is learned

Associations with significant others… who define some behavior favorablyThe frequency of associationsThe duration of associations.

Theories of Violence/Crime:Functionalism

Functionalism and Durkheim Crime is normal (normal

violence) Crime is an integral part of

healthy societies.

Theories of Violence/Crime: Functionalism

Social Control Theory (Reckless, Hirschi) Inner controls Outer controls Stronger bonds with society,

more effective inner controls.

Theories of Violence/Crime: Functionalism

Merton’s Strain Theory (anomie) Cultural goals Institutionalized means What happens when goals…

through approved means? Strain between goals and means

Theories of Violence/Crime: Conflict Theory Conflict Theory

Violence is inherent in society Class opression leads to violence Capitalist class vs. working class

violence

Research Findings: Rape The social patterns of rape

72,000 U.S. women forcibly raped each year (FBI, 2003)

Actual total is three times higher: 200,000 as only 32% of rapes get reported

More likely an acquaintance vs. a stranger

Research Findings: Rape The social patterns of rape

More likely to occur during the summer than winter

Victim: Ages 16 to 19 Four of five rapists use no weapon

Research Findings: Rape The social patterns of rape

Social location

Figure 5.4 (p. 141)Social Map: How Safe Is Your State? Rape in the United StatesSource: By the author, based on Statistical Abstract 2003: Table 307.

Research Findings: Rape The social patterns of rape

Social location Rapists almost exclusively male: young

males Race element Theoretical explanations?

(Conflict? Functionalism/Strain?)

Research Findings: Murder The social patterns of murder

Murder least likely to be committed by a stranger

Table 5.4 (p. 149)How Are Murder Victims Related to Their Killers?

Research Findings: Murder The social patterns of murder

Murder least likely to be committed by a stranger

Poor, young, and males are more likely to kill

Figure 5.6 (p. 149)Killers and Their VictimsSource: FBI Uniform Crime Reports 2003: Table 2.8.

Research Findings: Murder The social patterns of murder

Murder least likely to be committed by a stranger

Poor, young, and males are more likely to kill

Race element

Table 5.5 (p. 150)Race-Ethnicity of Killers and Their Victims

Research Findings: Murder The social patterns of murder

Murder least likely to be committed by a stranger

Poor, young, and males are more likely to kill

Race element Weapon of choice: Guns

Figure 5.7 (p. 151)America's Choice of Murder WeaponsSource: By the author, based on FBI Uniform Crime Reports 2003: Table 2.10.

Research Findings: Murder The social patterns of murder

Murder least likely to be committed by a stranger

Poor, young, and males are more likely to kill

Race element Weapon of choice: Guns Nights, summers, weekends most

dangerous for murders

Figure 5.8 (p. 151)The "Where" of MurderSource: By the author, based on FBI Uniform Crime Reports 2003: Table 5.

Research Findings: Murder

The social patterns of murder Murder least likely to be committed by a

stranger Poor, young, and males are more likely to

kill Race element Weapon of choice: Guns Nights, summers, weekends most

dangerous for murders Cities more dangerous than country

Table 5.6 (p. 152)Murder: The Ten Safest and Most Dangerous U.S. Cities

Research Findings: Murder Social bases for social patterns of

murder Why aquaintances? Why is poverty a factor? Is there cultural meaning in

murder/violence?

Social Policy Preventing violence

Longer prison terms Gun control Culture of violence?

How is violence normalized in our culture?

Future of the Problem Continuing High Rates of Violence

Theoretical perspectives: Conflict Theory Functionalism Symbolic Interaction

To reduce violence, major structural changes are needed

Reduction of inequalities in society

Bowling for Columbine (2002) Look for social problems discussed

in the film Identify objective conditions Identify subjective concerns

Think about how Moore views those social problems What theoretical perspective fits

those views?

Bowling for Columbine (2002) Theoretical Perspectives:

Conflict Theory Functionalism Symbolic Interaction Differential Association Strain Theory Social Control Theory