Sociology and Criminal Justice

Sociologists use the term social construction to refer to the processes by which people as- sign meaning,to their world. This paper argues that numeracy,education needs to address social construction. In particular, thinking critically about the statistics the news media report regarding social issues requires understanding the competitive nature of the social problems marketplace, and the social forces that allow

Sociologists use the term social construction to refer to the processes by which people as- sign meaning,to their world. This paper argues that numeracy,education needs to address social construction. In particular, thinking critically about the statistics the news media report regarding social issues requires understanding the competitive nature of the social problems marketplace, and the social forces that allow

... as being labeled and adopting a deviant identity, and the deviant's interpretations of these moments (Goffman, 1963; Lofland, 1969; Matza, 1969 ... return for payment (Hepworth, 1975), while in kidnapping the deviant returns a human hostage in exchange for a ransom (Alix, 1978 ...

References to gang initiation rites are common in contemporary discourse about crime. Contemporary legends claim that gangs require initiates to commit horrific crimes, social science researchers depict initiations as brief tests of character, and newspaper accounts use initiation rites to explain unsolved crimes. The motif of gang initiation resembles claims about other deviant conspiracies. Its use illustrates how existing cultural

The history of capital punishment in the USA reveals a cyclical pattern: critiques of existing methods of execution inspire the adoption of a new method that is presented as more humane and less problematic; this in turn leads to a new round of criticism. The historical shift from hanging to death by electrocution, gas chamber, and — most recently — lethal injection reflects an institutional fad cycle.

... 4. Again: ???. . . sociologists are clothing a paucity of thought in a smokescreen of verbiage or putting a Prussian hel-met, greatcoat, and cavalry boots on a pip-squeak of an idea, the object being intimidation rather than elucidation??? (Middleton 1975:59). Page 3. ...

Claims-making about social problems is a persuasive activity, subject to rhetorical analysis. I use Toulmin's categories, which classify statements as grounds, warrants, and conclusions, to examine the rhetoric of claims made about the missing children problem. In particular, the ...

... 2006. “Credit Card Owners' Average Balance Is More than $3,000,” Gallup. Retrieved April 22, 2011 (http://www.gallup.com/poll/22879/Credit-Card-Owners-Average-Balance-More-Than-3000. aspx). ... Find more content: like this article. Find more content written by: Joel Best. ...

... his valuable insights; Stanford M. Lyman and his work on the assumptions of everyday life; Arthur J ... As widespread and ingrained in daily living as any part of culture, the nature and impact ... later, it was reported that a $100,000 reward was being offered for information leading to ...

Sociologists tend to be defensive about our discipline. I don't know that this has always been the case, but it has been true for the 35 years I have been following the sociological literature. When I entered the trade, it was common for introductory sociology classes to ...