5.11 Review
Key Terms
Critical Thinking Questions
- How does the concept of deviance vary across different cultures and time periods, and what factors contribute to these variations?
- In what ways does the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. illustrate the social construction of deviance?
- How is deviance and crime related?
- Compare violent and property crime in terms of their size.
- Identify and explain one form of violent crime.
- Identify and explain one form of property crime.
- How is gender correlated with violence?
- What factors contribute to the prevalence of intimate partner violence, and how can society address these issues effectively?
- How do the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) differ in their approach to collecting crime data?
- Given the decline in crime rates since the 1990s, why do most U.S. adults believe that crime is worse now than it was before?
- What are the potential benefits and limitations of using both the UCR and NCVS to provide a comprehensive picture of crime in the United States?
- How does Durkheim’s concept of anomie contribute to our understanding of deviance in modern society, and can you identify any contemporary examples where this concept is applicable?
- How might structural strain theory explain the rise of white-collar crime in corporate environments?
- How can communities strengthen social bonds to reduce crime rates?
- How might labeling theory explain the stigmatization of mental health issues, and what steps can be taken to mitigate such stigmatization?
- How does critical race theory help us understand the disproportionate incarceration rates of racial minorities?
- How do informal and formal sanctions differ in their effectiveness at maintaining social order, and what are some examples of each?
- In what ways do agents of social control, such as teachers and police, influence societal norms and behaviors, and how might their roles vary across different cultures?
- How does the stigma associated with a criminal record impact employment opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups, and what measures can be taken to mitigate this discrimination?
- What are the social and economic implications of the high incarceration rates in the U.S., especially for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and how has the “war on drugs” contributed to these trends?
- How does surveillance, as described by Michel Foucault, affect individual behavior and societal conformity, and what are the ethical considerations of using surveillance as a means of social control?
- How do the legal and health systems differ in their approach to substance use disorders, and what are the implications of prioritizing one system over the other?
- What factors have contributed to the decline in cigarette smoking among U.S. adults?
- Contrast the challenges in addressing illicit drug use as a public health issue and a legal issue.
Data Analysis Questions
Answer each question for each figure in this chapter.
- What is this figure trying to tell me?
- What is the pattern in this data?
- Where do the data come from?
- Why does this data matter?