Sociology of Deviant Behavior Study Guide Exam 2 Chapters 6 10 Chapter 6 Nonviolent Crimes Introduction The Internet is being used to commit nonviolent crimes such as identity theft and credit card theft Early efforts by President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno brought federal attention to the seriousness of cybercrimes Criminals differ on How they identify with crime and other criminals The strength of their commitment to crime as behavior The extent to which they progress in acquiring ever more sophisticated criminal norms and techniques Occasional Property Offenders Occasional offenders do not see themselves as criminals and try to rationalize their offenses to convince themselves that they have not committed criminal acts What Are Occasional Property Offenders Occasional property offenses Illegal joyriding check forgery shoplifting employee theft or vandalism This criminal behavior is typically infrequent and occurs when situations are favorable Definitions of Occasional Offenders Auto Theft The taking of another individual s vehicle with the intent to keep it or its parts For example A youth may decide to steal a car for the purpose of joyriding while an adult my decide to steal a car to sell its parts as a means to make money Definitions of Occasional Offenders Check Forgeries 75 are committed by offenders with no previous pattern in such behavior Offenders generally do not come from areas of high delinquency have clean criminal records no contact with delinquents and criminals Definitions of Occasional Offenders Shoplifting and Employee Theft Closely related crimes sometimes combined into a broader category labeled inventory shrinkage Denotes a business s loss of merchandise from illegal activities as well as honest unintentional mistakes such as bookkeeping errors Definitions of Occasional Offenders Shoplifting and Employee Theft Employee Theft When an employee uses his or her store discount for a family member or friend to use on their purchase Shoplifters come from all groups in society but generally fall into two categories Youths Respectable employed members of the middle class including Respectable individuals include middle class members Cameron housewives 1964 Klemke 1992 These individuals can afford to purchase things they steal Vandalism Often a crime of juvenile offenders who generally target similar property such as schools and their contents Public properties such as park equipment road signs fountains cars vacant houses and other buildings and public necessities such as toilets and telephones Society s Reaction to Occasional Offenders Occasional offenders seldom experience severe reaction to their crimes unless their crime causes serious damage or results in large thefts Punishment for vandals may include cleaning or repairing the damage they committed These juveniles may also be candidates for diversion programs or probation Conventional Criminal Careers Conventional criminals are often described as serious criminals who have progressed from violence and theft as juveniles into more serious adult criminal behavior Youth gangs more sophisticated criminal techniques Conventional Criminal Careers Conventional criminals experience frequent interactions with police courts juvenile authorities youth detention centers probation and prison Most conventional offenders steal small amounts and do not lead comfortable lifestyles Self Conception of Conventional Offenders Conventional offenders develop self conceptions through their interaction with others of similar criminal backgrounds Offenders who are employed find it easier to maintain non criminal self concepts Society s Reaction to Conventional Offenders Society s response to conventional criminality has resulted in an increase in penalties and alternative forms of punishment such as Boot Camps Society s Reaction to Conventional Offenders Problems with increasing penalties Overpopulated prison population Mandatory prison sentences determinate sentencing requirements and increased severity of penalties for popular crime trends i e methamphetamine use and manufacturing Florida s 10 20 Life law has led to the imprisonment Gun Rules Felon possessing a gun 3 years Pulling a gun to commit a crime 10 years Puling the trigger during a crime 20 years Injuring or killing a victim by firing a gun during a crime 25 years to life Political Criminal Offenders Political crimes are Crimes against the government include crimes against the state such as protests expressions of beliefs contrary to accepted 1 Crimes against the government 2 Crimes by the government standards or attempts to alter current social and political structures Political Criminal Offenders Crimes against governments include treason sabotage assassination hijacking violation of draft laws and illegal civil rights protests Political offenders perceive themselves as revolutionaries who pursue ideological goals rather than personal ones Crimes by governments include corruption obstruction of justice conspiracy perjury and bribery Political crimes by local and state governments Police officers commit acts of misconduct such as brutality illegal use of force illegal searches an seizures and violating citizens civil rights Organized Crime and Criminals Organized criminal syndicates Earn their living from criminal activities such as controlling prostitution selling pornography making loans with usurious terms loan sharking running illegal gambling selling illegal narcotics racketeering and reselling stolen goods Organized Crime is defined as A series of illegal transactions between multiple offenders some of whom employ specialized skills over a continuous period of time for purposes of economic advantage and political power when necessary to gain economic advantage Rhodes 1984 4 Organized criminals Most syndicate members are from inner cities and committed a number of juvenile crimes Includes bookmakers who take bets on sporting events Criminal history reflects Gambling Numbers games Racketeering Programs of systematic extortion that demand money from individuals and organizations in forced purchases of services loans or simply permission to continue controlling their own activities Block and Chambliss 1981 Illegal drugs Importing and distributing illegal drugs Usury Lenders offer money at interest rates far above the legal limit to borrowers in desperate need of cash but lacking the required collateral and financial reputations to secure it through