Questions:
- How would a conflict theorists explain the reasons why some populations are allowed to be more deviant and criminal than others? (think about race, ethnicity, gender, sex, etc.) How would a conflict theorist critique the fact that certain populations of color are over-represented in the US prison system? How could you apply this logic to the recent ‘Anti-Social Distancing’ ‘protest’ that have occurred around the US in recent days?
- Marijuana use represents a type of contested deviant behavior. Some people feel that using marijuana is no more deviant than smoking cigarettes, while others feel it should be criminalized. The debate surrounding marijuana exemplifies how what is considered deviant can change over time and also how deviance varies based on the context. Create two lists, one with reasons why marijuana use should not be considered deviant and another listing reasons why marijuana should remain a largely criminalized form of deviance (list should include at least 5 reasons for and against). How many of the points you listed relate to ethical, moral, or religious convictions? What about economic or social concerns? Given the opportunity, which side of the debate would you choose to argue and on what basis? (Find one source for support and cite your source using APA Format)
- Read the following scenario and answer the questions below. Your entire response for this question should be about 7 to 10 sentences in length (minimum) not per question.
- As usual, 24-year-old Carla left her apartment around 10:00 p.m. to jog to her boyfriend Casey’s apartment two miles away. She planned to spend the night with him and jog back home the next morning. Carla lived in a fairly safe neighborhood in Centerdale, but Casey lived in a dilapidated apartment complex that was mostly hidden off the main road, between a bar called Bikers-R-Us and a two-story county office complex used by probation officers and drug rehab counselors. Carla usually arrived between 10:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., but when she failed to reach his place by 11:00 p.m., Casey got worried. He started calling Carla on her cell phone, but the calls kept going to her voice mail. He called and informed the police. Before calling the police, however, he hid the methamphetamine that he had already prepared for a couple of Carla’s clients who were supposed to arrive at midnight. He also hid the marijuana that he was planning to smoke with Carla. The police found Carla’s body within ten minutes in an area covered with trees, between the main road and the apartment complex where Casey lived. An investigation showed that Carla had been sexually assaulted. She had died of strangulation. Task: What theories of victimology relate to Carla’s case of victimization? Use at least 2 different theories in critically analyzing Carla’s experience. According to you, which victimization theory is most relevant to this case and why? Do you feel that Carla precipitated or was partially to blame for the crime? Give reasons for your answer. How might a structural functionalist analyze Carla’s experience? (Use one structural functionalist theory in your answer)
