SOC 215 Exam 3 Questions With Multiple Choices And Verified Answers.

Difference in perspective on government between functionalist and conflict theorists - correct answer Functionalist→ No one group can dominate, each group has a stake. And each group can challenge government actions Conflict → The power elite control government actions The functionalist perspective: (Durkheim and Parsons), social arrangements exist to perform some function of society, societies tend toward stability, equilibrium, and consensus. Macro level The conflict perspective: (Marx, Mills, DuBois), society is made up of groups with conflicting self-interests, one group typically becomes dominant and tries to maintain that status, consensus is rare, artificial, and short-term Be familiar with the Voting Rights Act and the legal loopholes and amendments to it over the years - correct answer -The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned literacy tests -It was amended in 1982, prohibiting states from changing voting procedures in a way such that the effect would be to discriminate against minorities -This required pre-approval by the Justice Department or a federal court in states with a history of discrimination -Was revised again in 2013, largely eliminating all protective clauses (2016 election was first election in 50 years without full protection of acts) -14 states had new restrictions including strict voter ID laws, fewer opportunities for early voting, and reductions in the number of polling places, which technically does not prohibit on the basis or race but restricts minorities How are the voting rights of convicted felons different from the general public - correct answer -Convicted felons lose their right to vote (disenfranchisement), over half permanently. -Only Maine and Vermont do not restrict voting rights of anyone with a felony conviction, including those in prison de jure segregation - correct answer -segregation that is the result of an official or deliberate policy (written law) -School segregation that is the result of an official or deliberate policy of having separate schools for different racial groups de facto segregation - correct answer -segregation that happens by fact rather than legal requirement. -An example would be concentrations of blacks in certain neighborhoods -Widespread in the North with Sundown Towns gerrymandering - correct answer - redrawing of congressional districts to favor one political party over another. -The next opportunity to draw these lines is in 2020 -Republican control of Congress is blamed largely on manipulating these boundaries redlining - correct answer - refusal to make loans or issue insurance in certain neighborhoods based on racial composition or average income of the neighborhood, not the individual homeowner. -Example of government discrimination in housing restrictive covenants - correct answer -the buyer must agree not to sell or rent to a member of a specified group. -Example of government discrimination in housing. -In Shelly v. Kramer (1948) it was determined that state courts cannot enforce the covenants peremptory strikes - correct answer -the right of the attorney to reject a jury candidate without having to state any particular reason. -Typically reject underrepresented people like minorities, unregistered voters, students, low-prestige occupational groups -It is illegal to cut jurors based on race or gender but very difficult to prove because of these strikes -Black jurors are disproportionately cut determinate sentencing - correct answer judges must impose a specified sentence for a given offense, dependant on the crime and the offender's past record mandatory sentencing - correct answer -judges forced to incarcerate violent and habitual criminals. Examples→ the three strikes rule -ineffective at reducing crime rates -Significantly increased prison populations and often applied to low level offenders. What do we know about crime rates and how do we know them? How accurate is this information? How do minority crime rates differ from those of whites and why? Include an understanding of the FBI's Uniform Crime Rates and the National Crime Victimization Surveys - correct answer -The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) is based on arrest figures and reports supplied by law enforcement around the country. -These stats are limited because they only include crimes reported to police, minorities are less likely to contact the police, incidents of rape and domestic assault are underreported, and they exclude many other criminal offenses. -The National Crime Victimization Surveys were initiated by the US Department of Justice, which surveyed 70,000 individuals -54% of violent victimizations were not reported to the police, and simple and sexual assaults are the least likely to be reported -Violent crimes, property crimes, murder, and non-negligent manslaughter at significantly lower levels Be familiar with the various forms of racial bias built into the judicial process - correct answer -The 8th amendment which specifically forbids excessive bail is frequently violated. -95% of all elected prosecutors are White (80% of which are men), with lowest % being minority men and women. -80-90% of felony defendants are too poor to hire their own attorney. -76% of county-based public defenders have a felony caseload which exceeds recommended limits. -40% of county-based public defender offices have no investigator on staff, jury pools legally mandated to represent community population, peremptory strikes, mandatory sentencing, determinate sentencing. Understand racial profiling and various examples - correct answer -Racial profiling is any police-initiated action based on race, ethnicity,