I think that it is very interesting how he talks about the media being able to shift the numbers of crime to make it seem as if it is on the rise due to random spikes of crime. This professor makes a very valid point that the way the media can portray things to be might not be how things are actually happening in society. He shows how the numbers are actually declining but that might not mean that crime has necessarily gone down. It through me off a little bit when he says that crime has gone down because in my mind how can you really scale that as an accurate number? The numbers are down yes but that does not mean that the people committing the crimes are just getting away with it now more than ever. Just like how people working within the criminal justice system start learning things that are new the criminals might use another criminal could be learning the next way around that and so forth. I also think that the way that laws are created is a great idea because like the professor in the video said times and things are always changing and with new technology new laws must be created in order to keep that technology in check such as the internet. The problem I see with the way laws are made is who makes the law. Most law makers are rather old in age so they do not see things the way the younger generation does because it is how they were raised. I know if a law maker is over the age of 60 that they were probably taught that being gay was immoral or wrong or goes against god. So for all this time its been against the law for gay marriage to be a thing the reason being that that's just how they were raised to think gay marriage was just terrible. But now that the younger generation sees that it is not as bad as it was portrayed it became legal. it just varies on how you look at it in my opinion.
The crime could also be going down because some crimes that were considered illegal a few years ago such as smoking weed are now becoming legal in several states. I agree with your view on how laws are made and who is making them. I think now that we have the technology that our parents and grandparents didn't have we can see the different sides to a certain story and sympathize and agree with a side the argument. It used to be whatever the media showed us we just thought it was true and we couldn't look into something more deeply and critically. Now with our technology we can find out the real story and create our own opinion even if its not popular.
The professor is right, crime is socially defined. Society/media determines what is considered right or wrong. Ten years ago gay marriage and legalization of marijuana wasn't even thought of as an exceptional act in the United States, but with he help/change in society with the youth stepping in it has pushed for a different outlook on these topics. Education is also very important on preventing crime. If someone has the education they need to support themselves and their family with the job they should achieve with there degree, they wouldn't need to steal, sell drugs, or neglect themselves and family. Not only that, but it allows the younger generation to become more aware or how valuable education really is. Also with education it allows more then just the parents to teach their children about what is considered right and wrong. teachers and other students can help. As the professor said, as times change with the younger generation taking office laws will change with it.
I agree that the media can take a true story twist it so bad that its nothing but lies just to get more viewers on their tv channel. I also agree that with new age coming into office that the laws will change with the new generation taking office. The statement of weather or not crime is caused by not being smart or having enough money is true because if the criminals had something to work for or learn for they wouldn't do the crimes and would be better off then they are now. savage456
I really liked how the professor talked about crime being socially defined. It shows that even crimes as straightforward as murder aren't as straightforward as you think. Killing somebody in self defense is considered to be ok but not randomly off the streets. Or even somebody selling drugs on the streets to support his or her family is socially acceptable but not if the person keeps the money to his or herself. It can essentially show that there are two sides to every story. The way that the media shows stories may not always be correct. You cant always believe what you see on the TV or on the internet. News station like to twist and bend the truth to make it more interesting so more people will watch their news channel. We as people need to realize whats real and whats not in the media. Thats why we need to be educated in how the media portrays crimes and what makes those crimes illegal. The media wants to scare us into thinking the crime rate is going up, but its actually going down. I think they do this to get us to keep watching and they can make more money. Even though the crime rate is going down that doesn't mean there is going to be no crime. There will always be crime and its also a number af recorded crimes, not crimes that people got away with.
I agree that the media uses fear to manipulate viewers and keep them watching. I also agree that a crime can be socially acceptable depending on the circumstance. However, I would say killing someone out of self defense would be more socially acceptable than selling drugs to feed a family. I understand a lot of people do sell drugs for that reason. But self defense is actually legal in a lot of cases and you will be seen as a victim. Selling drugs usually doesn't have its circumstances in any case. Cowboy123
I agree. If someone came into your house to murder your family. What would you do? Would you just sit there and watch it all? No, you wouldn't. You would get up and protect your family. If that's the case then I don't think it is necessary to be sentenced. Also the media does say a lot of stuff that just isn't true. Which is wrong. Bodybuilder 456
I completely agree to your statement. There are definitely two sides to a story all the time. There is your side and there is the "observers" side. Say you were selling drugs on the streets, you are guilty of a crime by the law. But on the other side of things, you were doing it to support your family and you don't even use the drugs. Defining what is crime is different in every situation. It usually relies on the suspects characteristics (black, white, young, old, male, female). It's hard to establish what is a crime today, you just have to look at the details and make a choice.
This was actually one of the better videos I have seen that sums up crime. I like how he mentions the media can play a big role in how we feel about crime. They will neglect to bring up anything that seems to be positive like the decreasing of crime. I also like that he brings the environment factor into the video. He talks about the area's you grow up have something to do with it. Poverty areas tend to have more crime than upper class areas and a lot of people like to try to turn the blind eye to it. I would recommend this video to anyone studying criminal justice. Cowboy123
I agree with what you are saying on how media makes us feel a certain way on the crime that is going on around us and we ignore the positives in society and just look at all of the negative things that are surrounding us. I also feel as if the environment factor was a big point to show because what goes on in society and the crime that is happening has a lot to do with the neighborhood it is in and the things that surround that certain area.
The professor is right. All of these things that used to be able to do you can't anymore because everything is starting to be legal, such as smoking weed and gay marriage. Crime is social defined. I agree that society has changed the way we describe being a criminal and what it is okay to do. (not criminal). Police go threw so much stuff that may be hard for other people to go threw. People look a people a different way now a days just because of their race, their degree, if they even finished high school or not, if they're rich or poor. People should now be judged just because of the way their skin color is or if they graduated college or not. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Having the duty to being a police officer they should not be judging people just because of those things. Bodybuilder 456
You are definitely right about people should not be judged from skin color, class, etc. But how can we as humans not judge a book by it's cover? It is human nature to do this. To me assuming good or bad about someone could help a police officer out. I'm not saying judging is a good thing to do. But I feel as if we always have and will continue to do it. taggswag456
Although it is not socially acceptable to judge, when being a police officer and in other law enforcement careers, I believe judging people is necessary to do your job well (as terrible as that may sound). An officer or agent must be able to judge a character and make an educated prediction on what will happen in the near future. It has been statistically shown that crime is more common in impoverished areas so, to take extra precautions and to ensure the safety of themselves and fellow officers, their guards should be up when in poorer areas. It may not sound like the best thing to do, especially since we are taught from a young age not to judge, but it is what is needed in today's society. If officers no longer judge, then they become naive and more susceptible to violence.
The media controls the scale on weather or not the crime is socally exactable or not. this video was vary informational I have been a police explorer for over a year and a half now and some of the things said in this video were new to me on how crime is actually broken down. The media can take a true story and turn it into something people want to hear instead of telling them what actually happen.They do that to get better news ratings and to get more viewers on their news channels. So the news, media, and the internet aren't always reliable sources because the story gets twisted around and changed all the time to make it sound better to the veiwers, but by doing that sometimes that sparks debates and then those turn into riots that get out of control like what happened in Ferguson Missouri. savage456
I completely agree, I feel as if though these days the public relies on what the media has to say about things and chooses to believe what they have to say instead of giving the chance to hear both sides of the story. For example with the police officer shooting the African American kid in the back in Ferguson. The media blew it way out of proportion and only told one side of the story at first which caused people to riot. However they failed to mention why the officer was forced to shoot the kid. Sparks456
This professor did a very good job of laying down the "basics' about how the types of offenses it takes to commit a crime. I thought the professor brought up a good point about saying, "Whose morals define what is right or wrong?" This brings up a great point, I think at times the criminal justice system can be too "lax" on which crimes they decide to punish or ease up on. As society changes, so do peoples views of right and wrong. For example, if you had mentioned to someone 70 years ago that gay marriage would be legalized, they may look at you with unbelief and disgust. They may even go as far to say that you should be cast out of society for believing in such a way. If we take a look at today, gay marriage is legalized and this ever changing culture will keep shifting for better or for worse. It is the same thing with the ever growing legalization of marijuana, who would have ever believed that it is getting closer and closer to legalization? This brings me back to the whole subject of "what is immoral". With an ever changing society, it is hard to tell. BenRoethlisberger123
The professor briefly explained the United States criminal justice in a great way. He showed the class what one has to do to commit a crime. At the same time he showed some charts about crime decreasing in America. Also, he tries to make you think and second guess your own opinion over certain topics such as same sex marriage. I think that overall the years society as a whole is more acceptable on some crimes over others. For example to me speeding and smoking marijuana is not near as awful as homicide and rape. That is just my perspective though. Ethics can play a huge factor too. When someone is ordered to do something they will first realize if it is ethical or not. In chapter one a police officer was ordered to arrest a homeless man for sleeping on private property. He refused so that resulted in a suspension. Was this the right thing to do even though the homeless man got arrested anyway? Should one man's opinion go above the criminal justice system? These are questions you have to ask yourself. taggswag456
I believe that you can look at the scene from the book where the cop refuses to arrest the homeless man in totally different directions that both make a lot of sense. On one hand the law would want to remove the homeless man not because he himself is doing anything wrong but the thought process would be to other homeless people that if this one guy can randomly sleep in this parking garage then why can't we. So it could potentially bring problems to the table even though just the one homeless guy was staying there. On the other hand if the homeless man is there and causing no harm to anything just sleeping how much damage could he possibly do? He could be a super peaceful law abiding citizen who just is hard on his luck and became homeless via bad life decisions you just never know with people these days. Never judge a book by its cover because the scariest big huge guy or girl with tattoos could be the nicest guy/girl you could ever meet and vice versa the nicest looking guy or girl could be the most evil and hateful person in the world. As for the decision that the officer made, do i think it was a good one? yes, because I believe in standing up for what you believe in. But I also back up the fact that the homeless man should have been removed to keep certain that more and more homeless people do not come as a result. I don't think the officer should have been removed from his position but when you go against your bosses wishes chances are that will happen! But then again that isthe real world for you right there!
The instructor makes a very valid point when talking about the criminal justice system. What exactly classifies as a crime in today's society? There are many things that make up a crime, one major factor is harm. There are various types of harm as well, such as social, physical, reputation, emotional, and material harm. Its hard to really establish what a crime is though. You could bump somebody on the shoulder and unknowingly cause harm to them, this would not be considered a crime but you did cause harm to the other person. On the other hand, you could punch somebody in the face and be arrested for causing physical harm. Both situations you are causing harm to another person, so how can we establish what is a crime and what isn't. Really, in today's society, it depends on the persons characteristics. If a white man was getting into an argument with somebody outside on the street, the cops would take it easy and stop the argument. On the other hand, if a black man was getting into the same argument, cops would over react and blow the situation out of proportion. The characteristics of a person is a huge factor when it comes to establishing what is a crime and what is not. We should not be judging people by what they look like, we need to get a better understanding of who they really are. Such as where they come from, if a person is from Europe and moves to the United States, they are not going to be very familiar with all of the laws and systems here. Another point the instructor brought up was that we shouldn't be so harsh on punishments. We need to start educating these kids and young teens before they end up on the streets or in the wrong crowd of people. The more educated you are, the less likely you are to commit a crime. We need to start building schools and making it more affordable for kids and their parents. The more kids we have in a classroom, the less we have sitting on the streets making bad choices. Society is changing the way it thinks today, we as a people are changing our thought of what makes up a crime. Marijuana is becoming more acceptable in society today. It is legalized in several states now. This just shows that our though process on what is illegal is changing. Several years ago, it was illegal to marry another man, today it is acceptable. My point is that we are changing our laws in the United States and itis hard to really classify what is a crime and what isn't. Especially with all of the new drugs we are being introduced too and scams people come up with, how can we keep up? Some things are just looked down upon because they don't follow our norms in society. This all reflects to my main point of what exactly is illegal and what should or shouldn't be? We shouldn't be deciding what is a crime by who did it and what they look like. We should be deciding what is a crime by the book. Society changes it's mind rapidly, its just the question of how are we going to keep up?
The way the instructor brings society into the picture is really interesting. Society deems what is criminal and what is not. Also the way the media picks and chooses what to bring to the light is also interesting to me. When thinking about the five types of criminal behavior you start to ask why someone would be compelled to commit such meaningless crimes. Education and social class are what changes peoples outlook on life. People with an education are more likely to stay away from committing any criminal acts. If the crime is on the way down why are we spending so much money on prisons? The more schools we have and the more kids we have in those schools getting a good education the less that will end up failing in the future. Creating a better place for our youth instead of creating systems to trap and hold our society down like prisons. When the thought of meaningless crimes comes to mind I think of why people would be compelled to do such things, it all has to do with where you came from and how you were raised. It all comes down to how we decide to deal with what is going on in this society and how we choose to fix the problems.
That's the same way I felt. The media makes the world seem like such a terrible place. The only time you see the criminal justice system on the news is when it is something bad and negative. its almost like the media wants society to look down upon law enforcement. what people want to hear and what people are told through the media are very different. Your point about Ferguson is very true. People get things all twisted around and that causes major problems, especially when the subject is very touchy. Klick456
That professor made a lot of intelligent points. I would have to agree 100% with the more educated people are the more crime rates will go down. If you are educated you can find a decent job and not have to turn to illegal activities that can put you into prison, mess up your life, etc. I think that is what we as a country should be more focused on. Last semester my professor had us look up all of the programs they offer in a prison. There are so many programs that can help a person back onto the right track and not going back after their sentence is over. It also makes sense about the neighborhood you grew up in. But what I have noticed is the people you let influence you. I believe that has a lot to do with it. Hang out with the wrong crowd, you become the wrong crowd. Ibanez123
I agree. I thought the facts he had stated about the crime rate and education was quite interesting. I also agree with what you said about hanging out with the wrong crowd influences you more than where you grew up. My father is from an extremely bad area and because he was determined to not let his kids around that, he did whatever he could to not end up like the people he grew up with. It is really up to the person and how they see their lives in the future and the willingness they have to get themselves out of it.
It is a good theory for us to educate people and crime rates will go down but for that to happen you have to educate the right people. And most of the time they don't have the motivation to learn and educate themselves or have some reason behind why they cant live a better life and do something.
Absolutely! You hit the nail on the head. If you think about those who are in jail majority of them are in due to something that has corrupted them like their environment at home and from their circle of friends. I feel that the US, after watching this should begin to fund more school programs opposed to building more jails and allowing those who have fallen no way out. In our book if you look at page 8 with the Gang Investigator heading, he brings up some valid points. Most of the problems begin with no one really cares about their son or daughter because they are out of touch with their personal life. One thing my grandma made sure of, was meeting my friends parents and getting to know the people I hung around. Most of these kids don't have an adult who cares for them. Teachers don't have the time anymore to help those who are struggling and failing. I do like how you pointed out the programs inside the jail. That for sure is something that can at least be a way out of the lifestyle that put them there in the first place.
The professor did a great job explaining the basics of criminal justice in a short amount of time. A point the I found quite interesting was towards the end when he began explaining how the crime rate and education go hand in hand. How, in some places, they are building more schools rather than more prisons to cut the crime rate. In addition to the rate of crime, in my opinion, he really explained what exactly makes up criminal justice and all of the different aspects of criminal justice. Another topic I found interesting was when he explain how the media is portraying the crime right now. The media is not coming forward with the evidence that crime rate has significantly been decreasing for years, yet jumps at the opportunity to blow little spikes of crime out of proportion. News channels, for example, are not always a reliable source of information. They will tell the people what the want to hear and not what should be told.
I agree with you when you say education has a role in crime. School tends to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble. By building more schools it does give kids a place to go. There are times where schools can also put someone on the right path, rather than being with trouble makers. I 100 percent agree with you when you say media blows things way out of proportion. It isn't right for the media to only cover the spikes in crime and make people feel unsafe. Dance456
In this lecture, the professor did a very good and thorough job on explaining the evolution the basics of criminal justice. In the beginning, he explained that as society changes and evolves, the definition of what is considered to be a criminal act evolves as well. This is very apparent, especially if we compare crime in the 1960s and now. In the 1960s, domestic violence was legal and seen as a social norm. It was not until the 1970s that the criminal justice system became active about the situation of domestic violence. This is a clear example of how crime can transform with society. Later in the video, he explained all of the factors that go into creating a person's status and opinions. The professor listed things such as what neighborhood you grew up in and your economic conditions. These two things are incredibly important when it comes to political opinions. If one grew up in a poor neighborhood, their outlook on life will most likely not be the same as someone who grew up in a more wealthy neighborhood. This is then connected to your schooling, which has a massive effect on everything that happens in life. The direct correlation between education and crime seems to have been looked over in recent years. Although it is acknowledged by most, our system has done little to reverse this correlation. The professor suggested that in order to reduce crime, more schools need to be built. If education is more available, especially in poorer areas of the country, crime rates will go down.
For the professor to say that crime is socially defined he speaks the obvious. But most people don't know that even know it is right in front of your face. For example gay marriage was a huge disappointment and was kind of taboo till pretty recently . And that was coming from enough people for a government to not make it a legal act for them to become married. But that didn't stop people from still living a gay life together. And now its legal due to enough individuals caring for there rights. The way the professor explained criminal justice in my opinion was spot on. The media does twist and warp stories to only get what is considered a good story, them explaining that crime is going up and only showing the muggings and the murders. That's not getting the whole story when those crimes are as common as dropping your phone. The theory of building more schools and less prisons to educate kids is a great idea. But the thing is we have plenty of schools and plenty of help to get your kids in school if you need them. But in my opinion its the parents and the child, the parents don't motivate there kid to go to school or get a education and do something with there life and with that the kid doesn't feel the need to do anything or have any ambition to go get a education. wreked123
I like how you brought gay marriage into this whole situation. And you're right, nobody cared if you were gay or straight until a large amount of people cared. And how if we get enough people together, we can change the world. We need to stop living old fashioned, the world is changing and so should our laws and what is deemed a "crime". rose456
I really enjoyed your take on this lecture. I think your point about gay marriage was spot on. When you feel passionate enough about something we can make it happen. Like the professor said as society changes the norms change, and I think if more people stood up for what they believe in we can change a lot of things in this world. dicaprio456
Society determines what a crime is mainly based on opinion. My opinion on a criminal act can be different than how others view it. So society as a whole comes together and determines what a crime is. Looking through history society has changed, which makes acts of crime change. He is right when he says that media plays a role in crime. It makes random acts of violence seem like it's high. Media's main purpose is to get fear out of the viewers. In reality though these acts of violence take up a very small percentage of crime. Media fails to show that crime does steadily go down. All of crime is based on how it is viewed to an individual. It is show it bits and pieces rather than a whole. Dance456
I like how the professor brings up the point of morals when classifying what a crime is. Society and the morals of lawmakers play a huge role in what is classified as a crime. Also the media plays a huge part in how we as people interoperate how we view a crime. People with a good education will not need to do things that people in poverty will to make a living. I think that also kids can become a product of their environment, if they let it. If someone grows up in a very violent neighborhood that could play a big part in how they act out in the future and into adulthood. But if they're motivated to go to school and get a good education that could decrease their chances of committing pointless crimes. Overall I really enjoyed how this professor explained the criminal justice system and how media/society plays a huge role in the way we view crime. caz456
In my opinion, this professor started his lecture off in the right way. He pointed out the different aspects in the criminal justice system and why people are being punished the way they are. Bringing up social media in his lecture hit the spot for what our society is going through right now. Many people believe that what is going on in the United States today is unnecessary and unrighteous. Media has covered all that has been going on but no one has looked at the statistics. By this professor bringing up statistics in his lecture versus the media proves a huge point that crime has been lowering over time other than at an all time high, which is what many Americans think today. An individuals personal life and what they grew up around is a big factor whether or not they are going to enter into the crime life or not. Individuals who have had a hard life growing up or have family that has been in and out of jail are most likely to enter into the crime life just like their family. Its simply statistics. Individuals who didn't have the best childhood and have seen the worst of the worst know what crime is, most likely crime is like a second nature to them, versus people who had a great childhood and are unsure of people who have entered into the crime life from the family are less likely to become an criminal. Im not saying that people who had a great childhood are not going to become a criminal at all because that is untrue, it can happen, but it is less likely than a person who grew up around crime. The professor hit the spot on this subject because the way the individual portrays' themselves or the family they have or the neighborhood they live/lived in is a huge aspect of the way they will grow up or the person they will become. Concluding this comment, the professor who taught this lecture did a great job on showing different characteristics to criminals and the criminal justice system.
I couldn't agree more with you and what you brought up about media definitely influencing the view of society, crime, and the criminal justice system as a whole. Also your statement about family life is also true. It does have an influence on your life and what you will do with is. While you make yourself yourself family will play a big part in who you are as a person. Craig456
The instructor made some very valid points. For example, no single approach works for defining crime. Defining crime is a very tricky and difficult task because there is so many different cultural societies that except different norms and values. He also mentioned that to understand criminality you can not just look at one angle of perspective. You have to look at almost every angle such as, their race, ethnicity, where they come from, and so on and so fourth. Some people may look at this as judging a book by its cover. I feel that its is needed to be done in order for anyone in the criminal justice system to do there job to the best that they can as well. Anyone can manipulate numbers and that is just what the media is best at doing. The media likes to take minor events and try to blow them way out of proportion. For example, the recent school shootings, they don't happen as often as the media makes it seem. As the instructor said in the video, the media fails to report the decline in crime and only focuses on these random spikes, the random criminal acts.
The professor made some very good points. When he brought up the media focussing on mainly the random acts of violence to put fear into you. The media tells you what they want you to see and hear and believe. The fact that the media can be so bias as to what they show you on tv is insane to me. They shouldn't be able to go and pick and choose what they think is important based on what they think. By only looking at recorded crime, it will change the way you think. Just because numbers are down doesn't mean the crime is down. Maybe it's not all getting recorded, and maybe criminals are getting lucky and getting away with whatever crime they're doing. When the professor went into talking about you level of education and how some countries have been building more schools instead of prisons. That is one of the only ways you are going to get crime to decrease. Make education more accessible for the people that wouldn't have been able to do it before. If America were to start building more schools, and help kids get a better education, there would be no need for new prisons and jails. Fund education, not 3 meals a day and free healthcare for murders and rapists.
I found this lecture to be a little confusing, however maybe that is just me. I did manage to get from this lecture that the criminal justice system in place in the united states, while being fairly straight forward, is definitely not as cut and dry as media makes it out to be. Also I took from this just how easy it is for the media to influence our few. By just changing their words around and showing us just what they want us to see they can influence the communities point of view of a situation to how the media whats us to see it. Take Detroit as an example. What the media shows us is the bad part of the city. However a Google images search of "Detroit Skyline" will bring up many pictures that showcase the cities true beauty. On the opposite side, Google search "Detroit Slums" and you will see the side of the city the media likes to show to us in order to make us believe like the media wants us to believe. Same goes for the criminal justice system. Our vision is skewed to see only what the media and news wants us to see. While in reality it is not that simple. Representation is key to understanding the situation. Craig456
I agree that the media does have to much sway over how we should feel about issues. We should not take what the news on television, internet, or paper say at face value. We should do our own investigating, and hear multiple sides, from multiple sources. This change has to happen to our society or the media will be making our decisions without us even knowing. It would no longer be free will, just the illusion of it.
I agree with many of the points he made. Something I have noticed in my time is that as a society we are very negative. We thrive off negativity for some reason, I am still not sure why or how long it has been like this. The media does not mention how the crime rate has been declining since the 1990's, but what he did not mention is that drug related crime is on the rise. With the crime rate dropping, it makes me wonder if it is due to actual lessening of crime or increased informal discretion of violators. He talks about ethics and the morality of the laws and justice, but I wonder is why cannot the common people have a greater say in laws. We vote for presidents, mayors, and congressman, but why don't we get to vote for what is legal and illegal in our own country. If the law is truly based off the common ethics of the people, should not the laws we decide be, the common ethics.
Earthquake456 made a very precise point. If you listen closely, inferring that the video of the professor is a media source, he chose what statistics to use. Drugs are definitely one of the main issues in the United States, especially now. Cartels are on the rise, as are street related crimes mainly due to drugs, It is difficult to remain focused on the current issues because of the past events. KayaJ456
The professor made so many good points. The point that intrigued me the most was the media focusing only on random acts of violence. As a person that watches the news almost every night i agree with him 100%. The media only tells you what they want to tell you, they don't give you the full story which i think is insanity.When he mentioned looking closer at the criminal, by seeing where they grew up, their race, if they grew up rich or poor, or middle class is a great way for people to understand criminals because statics don't lie. When he started talking about how different countries are building more schools and less prisons, I think more countries should follow in their footsteps. Because when someone grows up in a bad environment, and all around them they see people they know and love committing crimes, at the end of the day that's all they know. We need more people in the world to realize that education could change someones life, could change many lives. Education is very valuable and important. When he brought up social media so many things ran through my mind. Like right now for instance all i see on my Facebook or my twitter is people bashing law enforcement, because some cops are all over the news, which i bring back to my earlier point about how the news only tell you what they wanna tell you. You don't know the full story, you were not there and you didn't see it for yourself? He makes a good point when he says you should look more into a crime, it might change your outlook. Dicaprio456
The video was a great insight to what this class will offer, reading chapter 1 made the video easier to home into with what society and the media offer to the lives of the public. The public deems what is moral through the culture that has been established through consensus or through the conflict model. The conflict model is appointed by the higher standing members of a society typically the upper class while the rest of the members will consent to majority of the laws making the set laws norms. The United States uses the conflict model as there is many different opinions amongst the majority, though the laws are being construct through the other representatives that have been appointed. I found it interesting how the professor mentioned that, laws are crafted from other outlets. International laws for example vary place to place, because the culture and diversified members of that particular society may think and operate in a different way. I also found it interesting how he brought up the media, I was waiting to hear his input on the situation as is controversial, but relevant. Media uses scare tactics as its approach, through stories that make headlines. Majority of these crimes are random and not the everyday crime that law enforcement sees. The common ones are, domestic violence, alcohol related, tax fraud, and work and safety. Majority of these crimes you will not see on headline news and maybe on a local news network. Likewise the media can shorten video's that can leave the public with a mindset that there is a problem with law enforcement. I have seen video's on Facebook that circulate and they show short segments of a dash cam footage. Through searching around for the full footage one can see what really went on and why that force was used. One goal for the media is to as the professor said, "How it is represented is how it will make you feel."
As a former student in Sociology, there are many factors that come into play when viewing the factors of the behavior of the criminal. The professor had stated that the norms of society, the definition of deviance, and their childhood history all come into play, as well as many more factors. It is hard to minimize, or steadily decrease the crime rate, or even the prison population if there is no rehabilitation and the constant acts of recidivism that are present. I believe that one of the most important factor of victimization currently would be race or ethnicity. The media picks and chooses what they think the world will discuss the most. They don't focus on what the criminal did wrong, or their previous history, or even the victim. They are incoherently discriminating others on what they were raised to believe. The prison system could be better reinforced, maybe even harsher sentences, however, as stated, no one wants to pay extra taxes so a convict can have a roof over their head or even have a decent meal. While observing the offender, officials need to focus on why rather than how. I believe that this will help decrease the crime rate more steadily. -KayaJ456
The professor did a fantastic job of describing how crimes are interpreted within society. Societies such as ours in the United States, and those of other westernized countries, such as New Zealand have quite a lot in common. These societies stress individualism and lack social integrity compared to other cultures and societies. Therefor our outlook on crime and injustice are different than some others. We as a society often believe that you take an eye for an eye. With this reasoning, we do not focus as much on improving society to combat these problems but rather lock these problems away to deal with later. Harsher sentences and punishments may dissuade some individuals from committing crimes. The only issue is that since crime rate has been on the fall for quite some time in western nations, this would be more unreasonable to enforce. For one, many more crimes go unreported. This leads us into a false sense of security. The harsher sentences would therefor not even effect many of the individuals who commit the crimes. The only surefire evidence as stated in this video would be to create awareness of crime, dissuade individuals from committing crimes, and create education. By creating awareness, many would realize how to react to crime, and be on the right side of the law. Dissuading individuals could involve harsher punishments, even if not completely effective due to the lack of crime reporting. Another way to dissuade the individual would be to enforce harsher fines or sentences that do not relate to more destructive crimes. Finally if more individuals were educated, they would have no need to commit crimes. They could make more money, provide for themselves and their families, and practice problem solving skills, that would lead to less crime overall. Silverado123
I think that it is very interesting how he talks about the media being able to shift the numbers of crime to make it seem as if it is on the rise due to random spikes of crime. This professor makes a very valid point that the way the media can portray things to be might not be how things are actually happening in society. He shows how the numbers are actually declining but that might not mean that crime has necessarily gone down. It through me off a little bit when he says that crime has gone down because in my mind how can you really scale that as an accurate number? The numbers are down yes but that does not mean that the people committing the crimes are just getting away with it now more than ever. Just like how people working within the criminal justice system start learning things that are new the criminals might use another criminal could be learning the next way around that and so forth. I also think that the way that laws are created is a great idea because like the professor in the video said times and things are always changing and with new technology new laws must be created in order to keep that technology in check such as the internet. The problem I see with the way laws are made is who makes the law. Most law makers are rather old in age so they do not see things the way the younger generation does because it is how they were raised. I know if a law maker is over the age of 60 that they were probably taught that being gay was immoral or wrong or goes against god. So for all this time its been against the law for gay marriage to be a thing the reason being that that's just how they were raised to think gay marriage was just terrible. But now that the younger generation sees that it is not as bad as it was portrayed it became legal. it just varies on how you look at it in my opinion.
ReplyDelete36chambers123
The crime could also be going down because some crimes that were considered illegal a few years ago such as smoking weed are now becoming legal in several states. I agree with your view on how laws are made and who is making them. I think now that we have the technology that our parents and grandparents didn't have we can see the different sides to a certain story and sympathize and agree with a side the argument. It used to be whatever the media showed us we just thought it was true and we couldn't look into something more deeply and critically. Now with our technology we can find out the real story and create our own opinion even if its not popular.
DeleteGodFieri456
The professor is right, crime is socially defined. Society/media determines what is considered right or wrong. Ten years ago gay marriage and legalization of marijuana wasn't even thought of as an exceptional act in the United States, but with he help/change in society with the youth stepping in it has pushed for a different outlook on these topics. Education is also very important on preventing crime. If someone has the education they need to support themselves and their family with the job they should achieve with there degree, they wouldn't need to steal, sell drugs, or neglect themselves and family. Not only that, but it allows the younger generation to become more aware or how valuable education really is. Also with education it allows more then just the parents to teach their children about what is considered right and wrong. teachers and other students can help. As the professor said, as times change with the younger generation taking office laws will change with it.
ReplyDeleteNumber1Whiteguy456
I agree that the media can take a true story twist it so bad that its nothing but lies just to get more viewers on their tv channel. I also agree that with new age coming into office that the laws will change with the new generation taking office. The statement of weather or not crime is caused by not being smart or having enough money is true because if the criminals had something to work for or learn for they wouldn't do the crimes and would be better off then they are now.
Deletesavage456
I really liked how the professor talked about crime being socially defined. It shows that even crimes as straightforward as murder aren't as straightforward as you think. Killing somebody in self defense is considered to be ok but not randomly off the streets. Or even somebody selling drugs on the streets to support his or her family is socially acceptable but not if the person keeps the money to his or herself. It can essentially show that there are two sides to every story. The way that the media shows stories may not always be correct. You cant always believe what you see on the TV or on the internet. News station like to twist and bend the truth to make it more interesting so more people will watch their news channel. We as people need to realize whats real and whats not in the media. Thats why we need to be educated in how the media portrays crimes and what makes those crimes illegal. The media wants to scare us into thinking the crime rate is going up, but its actually going down. I think they do this to get us to keep watching and they can make more money. Even though the crime rate is going down that doesn't mean there is going to be no crime. There will always be crime and its also a number af recorded crimes, not crimes that people got away with.
ReplyDeleteGodFieri456
I agree that the media uses fear to manipulate viewers and keep them watching. I also agree that a crime can be socially acceptable depending on the circumstance. However, I would say killing someone out of self defense would be more socially acceptable than selling drugs to feed a family. I understand a lot of people do sell drugs for that reason. But self defense is actually legal in a lot of cases and you will be seen as a victim. Selling drugs usually doesn't have its circumstances in any case. Cowboy123
DeleteI agree. If someone came into your house to murder your family. What would you do? Would you just sit there and watch it all? No, you wouldn't. You would get up and protect your family. If that's the case then I don't think it is necessary to be sentenced. Also the media does say a lot of stuff that just isn't true. Which is wrong. Bodybuilder 456
DeleteI completely agree to your statement. There are definitely two sides to a story all the time. There is your side and there is the "observers" side. Say you were selling drugs on the streets, you are guilty of a crime by the law. But on the other side of things, you were doing it to support your family and you don't even use the drugs. Defining what is crime is different in every situation. It usually relies on the suspects characteristics (black, white, young, old, male, female). It's hard to establish what is a crime today, you just have to look at the details and make a choice.
DeleteEclipse456
This was actually one of the better videos I have seen that sums up crime. I like how he mentions the media can play a big role in how we feel about crime. They will neglect to bring up anything that seems to be positive like the decreasing of crime. I also like that he brings the environment factor into the video. He talks about the area's you grow up have something to do with it. Poverty areas tend to have more crime than upper class areas and a lot of people like to try to turn the blind eye to it. I would recommend this video to anyone studying criminal justice. Cowboy123
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying on how media makes us feel a certain way on the crime that is going on around us and we ignore the positives in society and just look at all of the negative things that are surrounding us. I also feel as if the environment factor was a big point to show because what goes on in society and the crime that is happening has a lot to do with the neighborhood it is in and the things that surround that certain area.
Delete-bball456
The professor is right. All of these things that used to be able to do you can't anymore because everything is starting to be legal, such as smoking weed and gay marriage. Crime is social defined. I agree that society has changed the way we describe being a criminal and what it is okay to do. (not criminal). Police go threw so much stuff that may be hard for other people to go threw. People look a people a different way now a days just because of their race, their degree, if they even finished high school or not, if they're rich or poor. People should now be judged just because of the way their skin color is or if they graduated college or not. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Having the duty to being a police officer they should not be judging people just because of those things. Bodybuilder 456
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely right about people should not be judged from skin color, class, etc. But how can we as humans not judge a book by it's cover? It is human nature to do this. To me assuming good or bad about someone could help a police officer out. I'm not saying judging is a good thing to do. But I feel as if we always have and will continue to do it. taggswag456
DeleteAlthough it is not socially acceptable to judge, when being a police officer and in other law enforcement careers, I believe judging people is necessary to do your job well (as terrible as that may sound). An officer or agent must be able to judge a character and make an educated prediction on what will happen in the near future. It has been statistically shown that crime is more common in impoverished areas so, to take extra precautions and to ensure the safety of themselves and fellow officers, their guards should be up when in poorer areas. It may not sound like the best thing to do, especially since we are taught from a young age not to judge, but it is what is needed in today's society. If officers no longer judge, then they become naive and more susceptible to violence.
DeleteOldHollywood456
The media controls the scale on weather or not the crime is socally exactable or not. this video was vary informational I have been a police explorer for over a year and a half now and some of the things said in this video were new to me on how crime is actually broken down. The media can take a true story and turn it into something people want to hear instead of telling them what actually happen.They do that to get better news ratings and to get more viewers on their news channels. So the news, media, and the internet aren't always reliable sources because the story gets twisted around and changed all the time to make it sound better to the veiwers, but by doing that sometimes that sparks debates and then those turn into riots that get out of control like what happened in Ferguson Missouri.
ReplyDeletesavage456
I completely agree, I feel as if though these days the public relies on what the media has to say about things and chooses to believe what they have to say instead of giving the chance to hear both sides of the story. For example with the police officer shooting the African American kid in the back in Ferguson. The media blew it way out of proportion and only told one side of the story at first which caused people to riot. However they failed to mention why the officer was forced to shoot the kid. Sparks456
DeleteThis professor did a very good job of laying down the "basics' about how the types of offenses it takes to commit a crime. I thought the professor brought up a good point about saying, "Whose morals define what is right or wrong?" This brings up a great point, I think at times the criminal justice system can be too "lax" on which crimes they decide to punish or ease up on. As society changes, so do peoples views of right and wrong. For example, if you had mentioned to someone 70 years ago that gay marriage would be legalized, they may look at you with unbelief and disgust. They may even go as far to say that you should be cast out of society for believing in such a way. If we take a look at today, gay marriage is legalized and this ever changing culture will keep shifting for better or for worse. It is the same thing with the ever growing legalization of marijuana, who would have ever believed that it is getting closer and closer to legalization? This brings me back to the whole subject of "what is immoral". With an ever changing society, it is hard to tell. BenRoethlisberger123
ReplyDeleteThe professor briefly explained the United States criminal justice in a great way. He showed the class what one has to do to commit a crime. At the same time he showed some charts about crime decreasing in America. Also, he tries to make you think and second guess your own opinion over certain topics such as same sex marriage. I think that overall the years society as a whole is more acceptable on some crimes over others. For example to me speeding and smoking marijuana is not near as awful as homicide and rape. That is just my perspective though. Ethics can play a huge factor too. When someone is ordered to do something they will first realize if it is ethical or not. In chapter one a police officer was ordered to arrest a homeless man for sleeping on private property. He refused so that resulted in a suspension. Was this the right thing to do even though the homeless man got arrested anyway? Should one man's opinion go above the criminal justice system? These are questions you have to ask yourself. taggswag456
ReplyDeleteI believe that you can look at the scene from the book where the cop refuses to arrest the homeless man in totally different directions that both make a lot of sense. On one hand the law would want to remove the homeless man not because he himself is doing anything wrong but the thought process would be to other homeless people that if this one guy can randomly sleep in this parking garage then why can't we. So it could potentially bring problems to the table even though just the one homeless guy was staying there. On the other hand if the homeless man is there and causing no harm to anything just sleeping how much damage could he possibly do? He could be a super peaceful law abiding citizen who just is hard on his luck and became homeless via bad life decisions you just never know with people these days. Never judge a book by its cover because the scariest big huge guy or girl with tattoos could be the nicest guy/girl you could ever meet and vice versa the nicest looking guy or girl could be the most evil and hateful person in the world. As for the decision that the officer made, do i think it was a good one? yes, because I believe in standing up for what you believe in. But I also back up the fact that the homeless man should have been removed to keep certain that more and more homeless people do not come as a result. I don't think the officer should have been removed from his position but when you go against your bosses wishes chances are that will happen! But then again that isthe real world for you right there!
Delete36chambers123
The instructor makes a very valid point when talking about the criminal justice system. What exactly classifies as a crime in today's society? There are many things that make up a crime, one major factor is harm. There are various types of harm as well, such as social, physical, reputation, emotional, and material harm. Its hard to really establish what a crime is though. You could bump somebody on the shoulder and unknowingly cause harm to them, this would not be considered a crime but you did cause harm to the other person. On the other hand, you could punch somebody in the face and be arrested for causing physical harm. Both situations you are causing harm to another person, so how can we establish what is a crime and what isn't. Really, in today's society, it depends on the persons characteristics. If a white man was getting into an argument with somebody outside on the street, the cops would take it easy and stop the argument. On the other hand, if a black man was getting into the same argument, cops would over react and blow the situation out of proportion. The characteristics of a person is a huge factor when it comes to establishing what is a crime and what is not. We should not be judging people by what they look like, we need to get a better understanding of who they really are. Such as where they come from, if a person is from Europe and moves to the United States, they are not going to be very familiar with all of the laws and systems here. Another point the instructor brought up was that we shouldn't be so harsh on punishments. We need to start educating these kids and young teens before they end up on the streets or in the wrong crowd of people. The more educated you are, the less likely you are to commit a crime. We need to start building schools and making it more affordable for kids and their parents. The more kids we have in a classroom, the less we have sitting on the streets making bad choices. Society is changing the way it thinks today, we as a people are changing our thought of what makes up a crime. Marijuana is becoming more acceptable in society today. It is legalized in several states now. This just shows that our though process on what is illegal is changing. Several years ago, it was illegal to marry another man, today it is acceptable. My point is that we are changing our laws in the United States and itis hard to really classify what is a crime and what isn't. Especially with all of the new drugs we are being introduced too and scams people come up with, how can we keep up? Some things are just looked down upon because they don't follow our norms in society. This all reflects to my main point of what exactly is illegal and what should or shouldn't be? We shouldn't be deciding what is a crime by who did it and what they look like. We should be deciding what is a crime by the book. Society changes it's mind rapidly, its just the question of how are we going to keep up?
ReplyDeleteEclipse456
The way the instructor brings society into the picture is really interesting. Society deems what is criminal and what is not. Also the way the media picks and chooses what to bring to the light is also interesting to me. When thinking about the five types of criminal behavior you start to ask why someone would be compelled to commit such meaningless crimes. Education and social class are what changes peoples outlook on life. People with an education are more likely to stay away from committing any criminal acts. If the crime is on the way down why are we spending so much money on prisons? The more schools we have and the more kids we have in those schools getting a good education the less that will end up failing in the future. Creating a better place for our youth instead of creating systems to trap and hold our society down like prisons. When the thought of meaningless crimes comes to mind I think of why people would be compelled to do such things, it all has to do with where you came from and how you were raised. It all comes down to how we decide to deal with what is going on in this society and how we choose to fix the problems.
ReplyDeleteThat's the same way I felt. The media makes the world seem like such a terrible place. The only time you see the criminal justice system on the news is when it is something bad and negative. its almost like the media wants society to look down upon law enforcement. what people want to hear and what people are told through the media are very different. Your point about Ferguson is very true. People get things all twisted around and that causes major problems, especially when the subject is very touchy.
DeleteKlick456
That professor made a lot of intelligent points. I would have to agree 100% with the more educated people are the more crime rates will go down. If you are educated you can find a decent job and not have to turn to illegal activities that can put you into prison, mess up your life, etc. I think that is what we as a country should be more focused on. Last semester my professor had us look up all of the programs they offer in a prison. There are so many programs that can help a person back onto the right track and not going back after their sentence is over. It also makes sense about the neighborhood you grew up in. But what I have noticed is the people you let influence you. I believe that has a lot to do with it. Hang out with the wrong crowd, you become the wrong crowd.
ReplyDeleteIbanez123
I agree. I thought the facts he had stated about the crime rate and education was quite interesting. I also agree with what you said about hanging out with the wrong crowd influences you more than where you grew up. My father is from an extremely bad area and because he was determined to not let his kids around that, he did whatever he could to not end up like the people he grew up with. It is really up to the person and how they see their lives in the future and the willingness they have to get themselves out of it.
DeleteTiger345
It is a good theory for us to educate people and crime rates will go down but for that to happen you have to educate the right people. And most of the time they don't have the motivation to learn and educate themselves or have some reason behind why they cant live a better life and do something.
Deletewreked32
Absolutely! You hit the nail on the head. If you think about those who are in jail majority of them are in due to something that has corrupted them like their environment at home and from their circle of friends. I feel that the US, after watching this should begin to fund more school programs opposed to building more jails and allowing those who have fallen no way out. In our book if you look at page 8 with the Gang Investigator heading, he brings up some valid points. Most of the problems begin with no one really cares about their son or daughter because they are out of touch with their personal life. One thing my grandma made sure of, was meeting my friends parents and getting to know the people I hung around. Most of these kids don't have an adult who cares for them. Teachers don't have the time anymore to help those who are struggling and failing. I do like how you pointed out the programs inside the jail. That for sure is something that can at least be a way out of the lifestyle that put them there in the first place.
DeletePalmdaddy456
Palmdaddy456
The professor did a great job explaining the basics of criminal justice in a short amount of time. A point the I found quite interesting was towards the end when he began explaining how the crime rate and education go hand in hand. How, in some places, they are building more schools rather than more prisons to cut the crime rate. In addition to the rate of crime, in my opinion, he really explained what exactly makes up criminal justice and all of the different aspects of criminal justice. Another topic I found interesting was when he explain how the media is portraying the crime right now. The media is not coming forward with the evidence that crime rate has significantly been decreasing for years, yet jumps at the opportunity to blow little spikes of crime out of proportion. News channels, for example, are not always a reliable source of information. They will tell the people what the want to hear and not what should be told.
ReplyDeleteTiger456
I agree with you when you say education has a role in crime. School tends to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble. By building more schools it does give kids a place to go. There are times where schools can also put someone on the right path, rather than being with trouble makers. I 100 percent agree with you when you say media blows things way out of proportion. It isn't right for the media to only cover the spikes in crime and make people feel unsafe. Dance456
DeleteIn this lecture, the professor did a very good and thorough job on explaining the evolution the basics of criminal justice. In the beginning, he explained that as society changes and evolves, the definition of what is considered to be a criminal act evolves as well. This is very apparent, especially if we compare crime in the 1960s and now. In the 1960s, domestic violence was legal and seen as a social norm. It was not until the 1970s that the criminal justice system became active about the situation of domestic violence. This is a clear example of how crime can transform with society. Later in the video, he explained all of the factors that go into creating a person's status and opinions. The professor listed things such as what neighborhood you grew up in and your economic conditions. These two things are incredibly important when it comes to political opinions. If one grew up in a poor neighborhood, their outlook on life will most likely not be the same as someone who grew up in a more wealthy neighborhood. This is then connected to your schooling, which has a massive effect on everything that happens in life. The direct correlation between education and crime seems to have been looked over in recent years. Although it is acknowledged by most, our system has done little to reverse this correlation. The professor suggested that in order to reduce crime, more schools need to be built. If education is more available, especially in poorer areas of the country, crime rates will go down.
ReplyDeleteOldHollywood456
For the professor to say that crime is socially defined he speaks the obvious. But most people don't know that even know it is right in front of your face. For example gay marriage was a huge disappointment and was kind of taboo till pretty recently . And that was coming from enough people for a government to not make it a legal act for them to become married. But that didn't stop people from still living a gay life together. And now its legal due to enough individuals caring for there rights. The way the professor explained criminal justice in my opinion was spot on. The media does twist and warp stories to only get what is considered a good story, them explaining that crime is going up and only showing the muggings and the murders. That's not getting the whole story when those crimes are as common as dropping your phone. The theory of building more schools and less prisons to educate kids is a great idea. But the thing is we have plenty of schools and plenty of help to get your kids in school if you need them. But in my opinion its the parents and the child, the parents don't motivate there kid to go to school or get a education and do something with there life and with that the kid doesn't feel the need to do anything or have any ambition to go get a education. wreked123
ReplyDeleteI like how you brought gay marriage into this whole situation. And you're right, nobody cared if you were gay or straight until a large amount of people cared. And how if we get enough people together, we can change the world. We need to stop living old fashioned, the world is changing and so should our laws and what is deemed a "crime".
Deleterose456
I really enjoyed your take on this lecture. I think your point about gay marriage was spot on. When you feel passionate enough about something we can make it happen. Like the professor said as society changes the norms change, and I think if more people stood up for what they believe in we can change a lot of things in this world.
Deletedicaprio456
Society determines what a crime is mainly based on opinion. My opinion on a criminal act can be different than how others view it. So society as a whole comes together and determines what a crime is. Looking through history society has changed, which makes acts of crime change. He is right when he says that media plays a role in crime. It makes random acts of violence seem like it's high. Media's main purpose is to get fear out of the viewers. In reality though these acts of violence take up a very small percentage of crime. Media fails to show that crime does steadily go down. All of crime is based on how it is viewed to an individual. It is show it bits and pieces rather than a whole. Dance456
ReplyDeleteI like how the professor brings up the point of morals when classifying what a crime is. Society and the morals of lawmakers play a huge role in what is classified as a crime. Also the media plays a huge part in how we as people interoperate how we view a crime. People with a good education will not need to do things that people in poverty will to make a living. I think that also kids can become a product of their environment, if they let it. If someone grows up in a very violent neighborhood that could play a big part in how they act out in the future and into adulthood. But if they're motivated to go to school and get a good education that could decrease their chances of committing pointless crimes. Overall I really enjoyed how this professor explained the criminal justice system and how media/society plays a huge role in the way we view crime.
ReplyDeletecaz456
In my opinion, this professor started his lecture off in the right way. He pointed out the different aspects in the criminal justice system and why people are being punished the way they are. Bringing up social media in his lecture hit the spot for what our society is going through right now. Many people believe that what is going on in the United States today is unnecessary and unrighteous. Media has covered all that has been going on but no one has looked at the statistics. By this professor bringing up statistics in his lecture versus the media proves a huge point that crime has been lowering over time other than at an all time high, which is what many Americans think today. An individuals personal life and what they grew up around is a big factor whether or not they are going to enter into the crime life or not. Individuals who have had a hard life growing up or have family that has been in and out of jail are most likely to enter into the crime life just like their family. Its simply statistics. Individuals who didn't have the best childhood and have seen the worst of the worst know what crime is, most likely crime is like a second nature to them, versus people who had a great childhood and are unsure of people who have entered into the crime life from the family are less likely to become an criminal. Im not saying that people who had a great childhood are not going to become a criminal at all because that is untrue, it can happen, but it is less likely than a person who grew up around crime. The professor hit the spot on this subject because the way the individual portrays' themselves or the family they have or the neighborhood they live/lived in is a huge aspect of the way they will grow up or the person they will become. Concluding this comment, the professor who taught this lecture did a great job on showing different characteristics to criminals and the criminal justice system.
ReplyDelete-bball456
I couldn't agree more with you and what you brought up about media definitely influencing the view of society, crime, and the criminal justice system as a whole. Also your statement about family life is also true. It does have an influence on your life and what you will do with is. While you make yourself yourself family will play a big part in who you are as a person. Craig456
DeleteThe instructor made some very valid points. For example, no single approach works for defining crime. Defining crime is a very tricky and difficult task because there is so many different cultural societies that except different norms and values. He also mentioned that to understand criminality you can not just look at one angle of perspective. You have to look at almost every angle such as, their race, ethnicity, where they come from, and so on and so fourth. Some people may look at this as judging a book by its cover. I feel that its is needed to be done in order for anyone in the criminal justice system to do there job to the best that they can as well. Anyone can manipulate numbers and that is just what the media is best at doing. The media likes to take minor events and try to blow them way out of proportion. For example, the recent school shootings, they don't happen as often as the media makes it seem. As the instructor said in the video, the media fails to report the decline in crime and only focuses on these random spikes, the random criminal acts.
ReplyDeletesparks456
The one that was posted today at 2:29 PM is mine. I forgot my handle. And my reply was for savage456.
ReplyDeleteKlick456
The professor made some very good points. When he brought up the media focussing on mainly the random acts of violence to put fear into you. The media tells you what they want you to see and hear and believe. The fact that the media can be so bias as to what they show you on tv is insane to me. They shouldn't be able to go and pick and choose what they think is important based on what they think. By only looking at recorded crime, it will change the way you think. Just because numbers are down doesn't mean the crime is down. Maybe it's not all getting recorded, and maybe criminals are getting lucky and getting away with whatever crime they're doing. When the professor went into talking about you level of education and how some countries have been building more schools instead of prisons. That is one of the only ways you are going to get crime to decrease. Make education more accessible for the people that wouldn't have been able to do it before. If America were to start building more schools, and help kids get a better education, there would be no need for new prisons and jails. Fund education, not 3 meals a day and free healthcare for murders and rapists.
ReplyDeleteI found this lecture to be a little confusing, however maybe that is just me. I did manage to get from this lecture that the criminal justice system in place in the united states, while being fairly straight forward, is definitely not as cut and dry as media makes it out to be. Also I took from this just how easy it is for the media to influence our few. By just changing their words around and showing us just what they want us to see they can influence the communities point of view of a situation to how the media whats us to see it. Take Detroit as an example. What the media shows us is the bad part of the city. However a Google images search of "Detroit Skyline" will bring up many pictures that showcase the cities true beauty. On the opposite side, Google search "Detroit Slums" and you will see the side of the city the media likes to show to us in order to make us believe like the media wants us to believe. Same goes for the criminal justice system. Our vision is skewed to see only what the media and news wants us to see. While in reality it is not that simple. Representation is key to understanding the situation. Craig456
ReplyDeleteI agree that the media does have to much sway over how we should feel about issues. We should not take what the news on television, internet, or paper say at face value. We should do our own investigating, and hear multiple sides, from multiple sources. This change has to happen to our society or the media will be making our decisions without us even knowing. It would no longer be free will, just the illusion of it.
DeleteI agree with many of the points he made. Something I have noticed in my time is that as a society we are very negative. We thrive off negativity for some reason, I am still not sure why or how long it has been like this. The media does not mention how the crime rate has been declining since the 1990's, but what he did not mention is that drug related crime is on the rise. With the crime rate dropping, it makes me wonder if it is due to actual lessening of crime or increased informal discretion of violators. He talks about ethics and the morality of the laws and justice, but I wonder is why cannot the common people have a greater say in laws. We vote for presidents, mayors, and congressman, but why don't we get to vote for what is legal and illegal in our own country. If the law is truly based off the common ethics of the people, should not the laws we decide be, the common ethics.
ReplyDeleteEarthquake 456
Earthquake456 made a very precise point. If you listen closely, inferring that the video of the professor is a media source, he chose what statistics to use. Drugs are definitely one of the main issues in the United States, especially now. Cartels are on the rise, as are street related crimes mainly due to drugs, It is difficult to remain focused on the current issues because of the past events. KayaJ456
DeleteThe professor made so many good points. The point that intrigued me the most was the media focusing only on random acts of violence. As a person that watches the news almost every night i agree with him 100%. The media only tells you what they want to tell you, they don't give you the full story which i think is insanity.When he mentioned looking closer at the criminal, by seeing where they grew up, their race, if they grew up rich or poor, or middle class is a great way for people to understand criminals because statics don't lie. When he started talking about how different countries are building more schools and less prisons, I think more countries should follow in their footsteps. Because when someone grows up in a bad environment, and all around them they see people they know and love committing crimes, at the end of the day that's all they know. We need more people in the world to realize that education could change someones life, could change many lives. Education is very valuable and important. When he brought up social media so many things ran through my mind. Like right now for instance all i see on my Facebook or my twitter is people bashing law enforcement, because some cops are all over the news, which i bring back to my earlier point about how the news only tell you what they wanna tell you. You don't know the full story, you were not there and you didn't see it for yourself? He makes a good point when he says you should look more into a crime, it might change your outlook.
ReplyDeleteDicaprio456
The video was a great insight to what this class will offer, reading chapter 1 made the video easier to home into with what society and the media offer to the lives of the public. The public deems what is moral through the culture that has been established through consensus or through the conflict model. The conflict model is appointed by the higher standing members of a society typically the upper class while the rest of the members will consent to majority of the laws making the set laws norms. The United States uses the conflict model as there is many different opinions amongst the majority, though the laws are being construct through the other representatives that have been appointed.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting how the professor mentioned that, laws are crafted from other outlets. International laws for example vary place to place, because the culture and diversified members of that particular society may think and operate in a different way.
I also found it interesting how he brought up the media, I was waiting to hear his input on the situation as is controversial, but relevant. Media uses scare tactics as its approach, through stories that make headlines. Majority of these crimes are random and not the everyday crime that law enforcement sees. The common ones are, domestic violence, alcohol related, tax fraud, and work and safety. Majority of these crimes you will not see on headline news and maybe on a local news network. Likewise the media can shorten video's that can leave the public with a mindset that there is a problem with law enforcement. I have seen video's on Facebook that circulate and they show short segments of a dash cam footage. Through searching around for the full footage one can see what really went on and why that force was used. One goal for the media is to as the professor said, "How it is represented is how it will make you feel."
Palmdaddy456
As a former student in Sociology, there are many factors that come into play when viewing the factors of the behavior of the criminal. The professor had stated that the norms of society, the definition of deviance, and their childhood history all come into play, as well as many more factors. It is hard to minimize, or steadily decrease the crime rate, or even the prison population if there is no rehabilitation and the constant acts of recidivism that are present. I believe that one of the most important factor of victimization currently would be race or ethnicity. The media picks and chooses what they think the world will discuss the most. They don't focus on what the criminal did wrong, or their previous history, or even the victim. They are incoherently discriminating others on what they were raised to believe. The prison system could be better reinforced, maybe even harsher sentences, however, as stated, no one wants to pay extra taxes so a convict can have a roof over their head or even have a decent meal. While observing the offender, officials need to focus on why rather than how. I believe that this will help decrease the crime rate more steadily. -KayaJ456
ReplyDeleteThe professor did a fantastic job of describing how crimes are interpreted within society. Societies such as ours in the United States, and those of other westernized countries, such as New Zealand have quite a lot in common. These societies stress individualism and lack social integrity compared to other cultures and societies. Therefor our outlook on crime and injustice are different than some others. We as a society often believe that you take an eye for an eye. With this reasoning, we do not focus as much on improving society to combat these problems but rather lock these problems away to deal with later. Harsher sentences and punishments may dissuade some individuals from committing crimes. The only issue is that since crime rate has been on the fall for quite some time in western nations, this would be more unreasonable to enforce. For one, many more crimes go unreported. This leads us into a false sense of security. The harsher sentences would therefor not even effect many of the individuals who commit the crimes. The only surefire evidence as stated in this video would be to create awareness of crime, dissuade individuals from committing crimes, and create education. By creating awareness, many would realize how to react to crime, and be on the right side of the law. Dissuading individuals could involve harsher punishments, even if not completely effective due to the lack of crime reporting. Another way to dissuade the individual would be to enforce harsher fines or sentences that do not relate to more destructive crimes. Finally if more individuals were educated, they would have no need to commit crimes. They could make more money, provide for themselves and their families, and practice problem solving skills, that would lead to less crime overall.
ReplyDeleteSilverado123