SOC 1500 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Mens Rea, Labeling Theory, Homicide

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1500
• Professor: Ryan Broll

Document Summary

Objectivist legalistic approach is often referred to as value consensus or normative position. This standpoint understands the definition of crime to be factual and precise. Typically describes crime as something that is against the law . From this perspective, the goal of the criminologists is the analysis of the rule-break- ers in society. Core question is what are the causes of criminal behaviour? . The goal is to understand why people break the law. Types of law in canada: 1) administrative law. Examples include environmental laws, labour laws, licenses. It is a form of private law. Governs relationships between individuals or group of individuals. Examples include contracts and wills, agreement of landlord. It is a form of public law. Governs relationship between individuals and the state. It includes; crimes against the person (homicide, sexual assault), property crime (theft), offences that are wrong with no obvious victim (illegal drug use)