SOC 2700 Lecture Notes - Crime Prevention, Elizabeth Fry, Spirit Possession
18 Sep 2012
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Common sense explanations-need money, background, role model admiration, mentally unstable, under the influence, genetics, wrong crowd, parents/family, teachers, labelling. Theory-helps us answer the question why, helps predict future behaviour and helps us exert some control over the social world. Spiritual explanations-very popular in early history focuses on the conflict between absolute good and bad. People were assumed to be possessed by the devil and was dealt with using exorcisms or brain surgery to free the spirit. Trial by battle-victim/victims family fights the offender/offenders family. Proposed that god would protect the innocent party. Rich people could pay for warriors or weapons though. Trial by ordeal-guilt was determined by painful or life threatening situations. E. g. stones placed on the body and if they were innocent god would prevent them from being crushed. Compurgation-allows the accused to choose witnesses to take an oath they are innocent. Idea that people fear god so they won"t lie under oath.
