SOC 2700 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Actus Reus

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2700
• Professor: Reza Barmaki

Document Summary

The concept of wrongdoing: in sociology it refers to deviance. Norms we are serious about we call laws: in psychology it refers to abnormality and disorder. There is a normal way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. If you do not feel, think, or behave the normal was you are abnormal or suffering from a disorder. Years ago if you were homosexual you were considered abnormal: in religion it refers to sin. Heart attack: legally it refers to crime. Government uses the criminal code of canada to punish. Criminology criminals: theoretical explanations for why people commit crimes, a theory is not a common sense explanation, why do we put criminals in jail and not use the death penalty. When someone commits a crime and the government catches them and they are punished is justice: actus reus, mens rea. Committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation : the crime of somebodies.