SOC-215 Cultures of Control

GER: HB (Empirical Study of Human Behavior)
Prerequisite: SOC-101
State control in contemporary American society, showing how organizational cultures of control come to exist in their present form and what kinds of consequences follow. Exploration of “law in action;” how powerful bureaucratic structures interpret criminal law and apply it to individuals. Fundamental problems encountered in the administration of the American criminal justice system. It analyzes how the system of law and social control works by examining various components–lawyers, police, courts, and corrections. Each component is examined as an organizational structure with its own needs and interests. Also studied is the interaction between the various components of the criminal justice system and larger legal, political, and social communities. 4 credits.