Criminal Justice 205 study guide Chapter 1 Sociological perspective emphasizes the relationship between social forces and personal characteristics Inequality is based on socially constructed meanings based on those different places Assumptions stereotypes inequalities The term Diversity assumes a deviation from a cultural norm thus instantly creating a culture of inequality in a society as imbalanced as America Stratification is the ranking of individual that gives special treatment to some while not offering the same for others Ascribed status things that you cannot change race sex ethnicity family status etc Achieved status a status that you can get education relationship employment etc Structural functionalism Social phenomena must either advance or maintain the existing society through crime inequality and other social constructs Conflict perspective due to class struggle and economic stratification Also due to unequal balance of resources and power Max Weber Prestige power and economic struggles stratification NEWAN CHAPTER 2 Identities categories we use to specify ourselves and others Essentialism focuses on what are believed to be universal inherent and unambiguous essences that distinguish one group from another When they are different it produces inequality Constructs What we know to be true is always the product of social historical or cultural contexts Anything that deviates this are human constructs Identifiers to constructs are social meanings that have psychological and structural meanings Race is a category of individuals who share a common inborn trait such as skin color hair texture or facial features Ethnicity refers to non biological traits such as culture language behaviors or history As a society we set up many different boundaries for race and ethnicity Social Class refers to a group of people who share a similar economic position in society based on wealth or income Caste System is a social classification system though which social position is determined at birth non moveable between classes The American class system is based on movement The middle class is the largest class Moral Boundaries are based on assumptions regarding abstract ideals such as honesty or work ethic Cultural Boundaries are based on things like education taste and mannerisms and lifestyle A family of 4 is at the poverty line if they are at 22k a year Socialization is a learning process which provides guidelines for behaviors and perceptions The sexual dichotomy The division of sex in to two categories Male and Female Sexual Orientation Indicates the sex for whom one feels erotic and romantic desire Heternormativity being straight is the norm in that society CHAPTER 3 NEWMAN Symbol used to stand or have a meaning for something social interactionism is the human interaction and social constructs Panethnic labels General terms that are applied to diverse groups that are assumed to have something in common Assimilation The process of conforming to a dominate culture Multiculturalism Maintaining cultural identify a celebrating cultural differences Political Correctness An attempt to give voice to or increase the visibility to those groups that have been marginalized in society Marginalization The social process similar to stratification that gives privilege to the mainstream culture BARAK CHAPTER 1 Positivism A scientific approach Methodology observations analysis Biological Psychological and Social Extended across all frameworks Critical criminology Skeptical of rational and positivist criminology Class Social and economic class are discussed more often than race or gender Class is related to power influence and law making Social location is determined by a combination of race class and gender Race Class Gender provides the most complete picture of a person s social location Feminism assumes white middle class experience is the same gendered experience of all women Race theorists assume that all minority experiences are the same regardless of gender Madriz 1997 Fear of crime and victimization among women of different ages races and classes Totten 2000 Gender construction among both heterosexual and homosexual men of different races Miller 2008 Sexual victimization among disadvantaged African American females Criminal Justice Issues Incarceration rates arrests statistics capital punishment Broader social issues Poverty education opportunities social mobility Policy issues Immigration social welfare women s rights BARAK CHAPTER 2 Lack of standardization of law enforcement Variations in Quality Lack of Professional Standards Cost Fluctuation Low hiring standards 1 of local agencies require a BA BS 9 of local agencies require an AA Federal agencies require BA BS Prosecutors Most powerful law enforcement agent Prosecutors make charging decision Discretion and inequality Plea Bargaining Indigent defense Felony courts are known as superior or circuit courts 4 important changes in the criminal justice enterprise Globalization Privatization Militarization Homeland Security Globalization the growing interdependency among events people and governments around the world ICE Militarization a set or beliefs values and assumptions that stress the use of force or threat of violence as the most appropriate means to solve problems SWAT Privatization the process of government outsourcing certain tasks to for profit businesses prisons guards etc President Bush Department of Homeland Security Combined 22 agencies Restructuring and Refocusing Terrorism in the eyes of criminal justice is mass murder Increased diversity in criminal justice Increases legitimacy Broadens the view Strengthen community policing Promotes equality