1. Which is more important in American society, money or status? Which theorist best explains this?

2. Please explain what Cultural Criminology is and how can it be applied to society today?

3. Is the "American Dream" real? If so, has it gone through any changes in the last 50 years? Do you believe that Merton's theory, especially the concept of the innovator, adequately explains why a person drops out of school and sells drugs?

4. Cultural Criminology is crime influenced by culture or other activities not of organizational influence. For example Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper did his killings out of an artistical expression. The reasons for Cultural Criminology is the sense of unfairness and humiliation due to cultural influence that the result fights back in an aggressive and expressive way, it's not rational or instrumental. "The sensual nature of crime, the adrenaline rushes of edge-voluntary illicit risk taking and the dialectic fear and pleasure". (Young,2003)

Cultural Criminology meaning of crime and criminality in everyday life for criminals, poiticians, criminal justice organizations the media and pop culture are contested.

5. Cultural criminology is when "crimes are constructed out of symbolic interactions among groups and people "and are shaped by ongoing conflicts over their mean and perceptions." (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2011) This would make the meaning of crime, "a complex process" where crime is not agreed upon at all aspect of society. Crime does not make to is the same thing to criminals, politicians, or those working in the criminal justice organization.

Cultural criminally is applied in society every day; the media does well in helping that happen. The media reports crime how they see it and whatever light they want to see it in. They can report that a woman who was abused by a man for 12 years, get to the point that she can no longer take it and they can paint her as a victim and a hero. In all reality she is a murder and therefore not a hero. Not going with that she isn't a victim but when did it become okay for anyone to kill anyone else.

Politician does a great job in making our society a criminal culture. Politician where most see them as corrupt may very well be. The go hand in hand with the media, they are televised and people listen to what they say. In Nebraska recently a county supervisor was charged with assault, and a first offense DUI charge, within weeks of them happening the charges were dropped, politicians make that our cultural people see that and follow in the footsteps.

6. The American Dream is still real in a lot of peoples eyes. They hope to have the family and the big house and the money to maintain that living style. Now days there are better careers that actually pay well that people can actually afford to live a lavish lifestyle with lots of hard work and dedication. But also with working for the American dream come sacrifices and sometimes those sacrifices cause people to give up on the American Dream. Merton's Theory may have some impact on why people chose to leave school and sell drugs. Sometimes the challenge of education or even just fitting in can cause someone to think that dropping out and finding a way to make a quick buck might be easier than just trying to find a solution to the problem.

7. To an extent I would have to say yes, the "American Dream" is real. In the past, it was desired to have your daughter marry into a wealthy family. And before women began to work outside of the home, they strove to marry a man with a career. A man with a stable career meant a stable and rich life style and you were the envy of other women. Most if not all decisions were made on the basis of making money and providing a wealthy, high-class lifestyle. Even now, high school students are pressed to attend college. It used to be, do you think you will go to college and what not, but not it is not will you, it is where will you? Parents often tell their children how hard the work force is without a degree. You are passed over for promotions and make less money without that education. Women almost never used to attend college, if they did it was to find a husband, not a career. But in this current generation, with the economy the way it is a family can scrape by with only one income but it is tight. It is of the norm for both parents to be out working. It is also just a common for both the man and woman to have degrees and possibly not even have children because they were so focused on their education and achieving high success.

I am not sure that I would say it adequately explains why people drop out of school and sell drugs. Granted yes, it explains that a majority of the individuals falling in that category are those in the lower status, and low income part of society. However it also states "scientists who report discoveries based on fraudulent research" ( Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2011). My interpretation is that it is just a theory, not a certain reason. My first thought it that dropping out is a choice. A person concsiously made that choice to stop trying. "Absence of realistic opportunities for advancement" (Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2011) is in the eye of the beholder. This is a double edged sword unfortunately. On one case, a person could be from a poor family with little income, they could be incredibly intelligent and with a bit of effort in school they could qualify for scholarships to attend college and recieve a higher education. However, if this same person is reminded daily that they are "trash"or will not make it anywhere, why would they want to try? Or if their family members are known for dealing drugs or something along those lines, maybe to them that is their family business so they drop out and join in the streets and make "easy" money. Like I said, this is a double edged sword, it has a lot to do with self-control, social influence and what this person has for determination. If they do not want to try, and they find it easier to just sell drugs then that is what they will do. But even then, they are not acheiving the "American Dream". Their success in prospering to make money is illegal and still will be considered a low-class individual.

Which theorist best explains this?

8. Please explain what Cultural Criminology is and how can it be applied to society today?

9. Is the "American Dream" real? If so, has it gone through any changes in the last 50 years? Do you believe that Merton's theory, especially the concept of the innovator, adequately explains why a person drops out of school and sells drugs?

10. Cultural Criminology is crime influenced by culture or other activities not of organizational influence. For example Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper did his killings out of an artistical expression. The reasons for Cultural Criminology is the sense of unfairness and humiliation due to cultural influence that the result fights back in an aggressive and expressive way, it's not rational or instrumental. "The sensual nature of crime, the adrenaline rushes of edge-voluntary illicit risk taking and the dialectic fear and pleasure". (Young,2003)

Cultural Criminology meaning of crime and criminality in everyday life for criminals, poiticians, criminal justice organizations the media and pop culture are contested.

11. Cultural criminology is when "crimes are constructed out of symbolic interactions among groups and people "and are shaped by ongoing conflicts over their mean and perceptions." (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2011) This would make the meaning of crime, "a complex process" where crime is not agreed upon at all aspect of society. Crime does not make to is the same thing to criminals, politicians, or those working in the criminal justice organization.

Cultural criminally is applied in society every day; the media does well in helping that happen. The media reports crime how they see it and whatever light they want to see it in. They can report that a woman who was abused by a man for 12 years, get to the point that she can no longer take it and they can paint her as a victim and a hero. In all reality she is a murder and therefore not a hero. Not going with that she isn't a victim but when did it become okay for anyone to kill anyone else.

Politician does a great job in making our society a criminal culture. Politician where most see them as corrupt may very well be. The go hand in hand with the media, they are televised and people listen to what they say. In Nebraska recently a county supervisor was charged with assault, and a first offense DUI charge, within weeks of them happening the charges were dropped, politicians make that our cultural people see that and follow in the footsteps.

12. The American Dream is still real in a lot of peoples eyes. They hope to have the family and the big house and the money to maintain that living style. Now days there are better careers that actually pay well that people can actually afford to live a lavish lifestyle with lots of hard work and dedication. But also with working for the American dream come sacrifices and sometimes those sacrifices cause people to give up on the American Dream. Merton's Theory may have some impact on why people chose to leave school and sell drugs. Sometimes the challenge of education or even just fitting in can cause someone to think that dropping out and finding a way to make a quick buck might be easier than just trying to find a solution to the problem.

Short Response to the above

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To an extent I would have to say yes, the "American Dream" is real. In the past, it was desired to have your daughter marry into a wealthy family. And before women began to work outside of the home, they strove to marry a man with a career. A man with a stable career meant a stable and rich life style and you were the envy of other women. Most if not all decisions were made on the basis of making money and providing a wealthy, high-class lifestyle. Even now, high school students are pressed to attend college. It used to be, do you think you will go to college and what not, but not it is not will you, it is where will you? Parents often tell their children how hard the work force is without a degree. You are passed over for promotions and make less money without that education. Women almost never used to attend college, if they did it was to find a husband, not a career. But in this current generation, with the economy the way it is a family can scrape by with only one income but it is tight. It is of the norm for both parents to be out working. It is also just a common for both the man and woman to have degrees and possibly not even have children because they were so focused on their education and achieving high success.

I am not sure that I would say it adequately explains why people drop out of school and sell drugs. Granted yes, it explains that a majority of the individuals falling in that category are those in the lower status, and low income part of society. However it also states "scientists who report discoveries based on fraudulent research" ( Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2011). My interpretation is that it is just a theory, not a certain reason. My first thought it that dropping out is a choice. A person concsiously made that choice to stop trying. "Absence of realistic opportunities for advancement" (Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2011) is in the eye of the beholder. This is a double edged sword unfortunately. On one case, a person could be from a poor family with little income, they could be incredibly intelligent and with a bit of effort in school they could qualify for scholarships to attend college and recieve a higher education. However, if this same person is reminded daily that they are "trash"or will not make it anywhere, why would they want to try? Or if their family members are known for dealing drugs or something along those lines, maybe to them that is their family business so they drop out and join in the streets and make "easy" money. Like I said, this is a double edged sword, it has a lot to do with self-control, social influence and what this person has for determination. If they do not want to try, and they find it easier to just sell drugs then that is what they will do. But even then, they are not acheiving the "American Dream". Their success in prospering to make money is illegal and still will be considered a low-class individual.