Sociology of Crime Problems: Answered
Answer all questions in 250 words each
Weekly Review 1
1. What are the primary factors in the lives of the people in this chapter that have led to their addictions and homelessness? You don’t have to cite every possible reason. Instead try to summarize what you see as the most primary or common reasons, and provide a few examples.
2. What in your estimation would be the most effective and cost-effective approaches to addressing the factors you have cited. Please explain your approaches or provide justification.
Weekly Review 2
1. Attempts have been made at replicating the panopticon model set out by Bentham and others in Australia and other parts of the world. Explain the intention of the panopticon-style prison and provide one example of a panopticon-style prison that has been built.
2. David Lyon’s article was written over 26 years ago. However, many of the principles discussed resonate with our current experience of what Lyon and others have called a “surveillance society.” Identify one example of this “surveillance society” in Australia and discuss how panopticism enforces social control and policing of social behaviour.
Weekly Review 3
1. Examining Rosenhan’s (1973) article “On Being Sane in Insane Places,” what issues does this study raise regarding the validity and reliability of psychological disorder diagnosis?
2. Later studies have identified some methodological concerns (see video with Susannah Calahan below) with Rosenhan’s research. What are some of these and, in your opinion, do they significantly undermine Rosenhan’s study? Why or why not?
Weekly Review 4
1. Identify some of the theoretical and methodological issues the authors raise in examining western and urban theories in non-western and non-urban spaces such as aboriginal communities in Australia.
2. Shaw and McKay describe three indicators of social disorganization that lead to juvenile delinquency. Sampson and Groves extend this research by identifying three mediating factors between these indicators and crime. Identify the indicators of social disorganization measured in McCausland and Vivian’s study, remark on how they are similar or different from these traditional measures and discuss their findings in relation to these indicators.