Sociology Now, Census Update

202 CHAPTER 6DEVIANCE AND CRIME

The difference in arrest rates between Whites and minori-

ties is huge. African Americans and Hispanics are far

more likely to be arrested for crime and also more likely

to be the victims of crime. Individuals who are arrested

are also more likely to be young than old.

6.What types of crimes are there? Crimes occur

against people or against property. The FBI categorizes

crimes as violent crimes or as property offenses; the

difference is force or threat of force. Some crimes are

workplace crimes, including white-collar, consumer,

and occupational crimes, which benefit the individual.

Organizational crimes benefit an organization as a

whole.Cybercrimes use the Internet, either for personal

gain or to cause trouble, as with viruses. Crimes are clas-

sified as hate crimes when the act was motivated by bias

based on one’s social group membership.

7.What role does the criminal justice system play?

Police are responsible for fighting crime, protecting

citizens, and serving their communities. The court sys-

tem is responsible for prosecuting crimes. Jails and pris-

ons are responsible for punishment and correction. The

United States has a higher incarceration rate than the rest

of the world. Incarceration is used for restitution, deter-

rence, protection of potential victims, and rehabilitation.

The criminal justice system is the main mechanism for

social control in any society.

KeyTerms

Broken windows theory (p. 180)
Conflict theory (p. 182)
Consumer crime (p. 183)
Control theory (p. 176)
Crime (p. 178)
Cybercrime (p. 185)
Deviance (p. 168)
Differential association (p. 175)
Folkways (p. 170)

Hate crime (p. 186)

Labeling theory (p. 177)

Mores (p. 170)

Occupational crime (p. 183)

Opportunity theory (p. 181)

Organizational crime (p. 183)

Primary deviance (p. 177)

Property crime (p. 183)

Secondary deviance (p. 177)

Social controls (p. 176)

Stigma (p. 170)

Strain theory (p. 179)

Subculture (p. 172)

Taboos (p. 170)

Tertiary deviance (p. 177)

Violent crime (p. 183)

White-collar crime (p. 183)

6.1 Censoring Perceived Deviance

This is actual survey data from the General Social Survey, 1972–2004.

1.There are always some people whose ideas are considered bad or dangerous by

other people. For instance, somebody who is against all churches and religion...

Should such a person be allowed to teach in a college or university?Data from

2004 show the following: 65.1 percent said yes, 34.9 percent said no. The percentage

of people saying yes has steadily increased from 1972, when data showed 41.9 per-

cent of respondents saying yes and 58.1 percent saying no. The current percentage of

65.1 is the highest it has been since the survey started in 1972.

2.What about a man who admits that he is a homosexual? Should such a person be

allowed to teach in a college or university?Data from 2004 show the following:

80.1 percent said yes, 19.9 percent said no. The percentage of people who agree that

a homosexual should be allowed to teach has been steadily increasing from 1973,

when 49.4 percent of the respondents said yes, and 50.6 percent said no.

3.Should a person who believes that Blacks are genetically inferior be allowed to

teach in a college or university?Data from 2004 show the following: 47.8 percent

said yes, 52.2 percent said no. There has been very little variation in responses since

the question was first asked in the 1976 survey.

What

does

America

think

?