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7.5: Key Terms

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    172091
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    conflict theory
    a theory that examines social and economic factors as the causes of criminal deviance
    control theory
    a theory that states social control is directly affected by the strength of social bonds and that deviance results from a feeling of disconnection from society
    corporate crime
    crime committed by white-collar workers in a business environment
    corrections system
    the system tasked with supervising individuals who have been arrested for, convicted of, or sentenced for criminal offenses
    court
    a system that has the authority to make decisions based on law
    crime
    a behavior that violates official law and is punishable through formal sanctions
    criminal justice system
    an organization that exists to enforce a legal code
    cultural deviance theory
    a theory that suggests conformity to the prevailing cultural norms of lower-class society causes crime
    deviance
    a violation of contextual, cultural, or social norms
    differential association theory
    a theory that states individuals learn deviant behavior from those close to them who provide models of and opportunities for deviance
    formal sanctions
    sanctions that are officially recognized and enforced
    hate crimes
    attacks based on a person’s race, religion, or other characteristics
    informal sanctions
    sanctions that occur in face-to-face interactions
    labeling theory
    the ascribing of a deviant behavior to another person by members of society
    legal codes
    codes that maintain formal social control through laws
    master status
    a label that describes the chief characteristic of an individual
    negative sanctions
    punishments for violating norms
    nonviolent crimes
    crimes that involve the destruction or theft of property, but do not use force or the threat of force
    police
    a civil force in charge of regulating laws and public order at a federal, state, or community level
    positive sanctions
    rewards given for conforming to norms
    power elite
    a small group of wealthy and influential people at the top of society who hold the power and resources
    primary deviance
    a violation of norms that does not result in any long-term effects on the individual’s self-image or interactions with others
    sanctions
    the means of enforcing rules
    secondary deviance
    deviance that occurs when a person’s self-concept and behavior begin to change after his or her actions are labeled as deviant by members of society
    self-report study
    a collection of data acquired using voluntary response methods, such as questionnaires or telephone interviews
    social control
    the regulation and enforcement of norms
    social disorganization theory
    a theory that asserts crime occurs in communities with weak social ties and the absence of social control
    social order
    an arrangement of practices and behaviors on which society’s members base their daily lives
    strain theory
    a theory that addresses the relationship between having socially acceptable goals and having socially acceptable means to reach those goals
    street crime
    crime committed by average people against other people or organizations, usually in public spaces
    victimless crime
    activities against the law, but that do not result in injury to any individual other than the person who engages in them
    violent crimes
    crimes based on the use of force or the threat of force

    7.5: Key Terms is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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