Crime and Deviance Tic-Tac-Toe
** Consider the following Essential Questions while you are doing your research and be sure to
include your answers to them in the assignments you are handing in.**
Essential Questions:
How do beliefs and ideals of a society influence the social, political, and economic decisions of that
society?
Do the actions of individuals, groups, and/or institutions affect society through intended or
unintended consequences, or both?
Lesson Objective: How does society identify and deal with criminal behavior?
Directions: Complete three of the activities below… it is your choice, but they must make a tic-tac-toe
diagonally, vertically, or horizontally. Please type your final product!
Census Statistics
Investigation
Labeling Theory and
Racial Profiling
Interview
Control Theory and
Causes of Deviance
Crime Survey
Both Sides of the
Death Penalty
COPS Observation
Prison Life and
After
Political Cartoon
Activity Descriptions:

Census Statistics Investigation
o Using the census website below, you will choose some aspect of crime to analyze.
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
o Once you click on this link, you will be in the Statistical Abstract. Go to the search box and search
“crime”. Choose the table which interests you and do the following…
 1. Print the table you choose and highlight the data you will analyze.
 2. Include a write up in which you interpret and analyze the data, explaining any changes
over time, etc. Remember to OVERANALYZE. Your write up should be at least one page
long.

Labeling Theory and Racial Profiling
o Write a short paper (1 page) which includes the following…
 1. In your own words define/ explain the Labeling Theory associated with deviance.
 2. What is racial profiling? Is it legal? Does it still happen? Have you been or do you know
someone who has been a victim of racial profiling?
 3. How does the Labeling Theory relate to racial profiling? Think like a sociologist and

explain your answer with detail.
Interview
o Find an interview online (transcript, article, audio, or video) of someone involved with the criminal
justice system. This could be a judge, police officer, lawyer, or former/current prisoner. Write
down the interview questions that were asked during the interview.
o After writing down the interview questions, write a short one-page paper summarizing your
thoughts/insight that you gained on the criminal justice system or criminals from the interview.

Control Theory and Causes of Deviance
o According to Control Theory, individuals are deviant to satisfy one of five needs… 1. To survive 2.
To belong 3. To have power 4. To have freedom/independence or 5. Simply to have fun.
o Your task is to find three crimes that fit three of the different categories above. You can use a
famous/ historical crime or you may want to just look in the newspaper or watch the news to find
current local crimes to analyze. Once you find your three crimes that fit three different needs
above you need to:
 1. Describe the crime
 2. Explain how/ why it fits one of the needs above.

Crime Survey
o You will create and administer a survey that relates to some aspect of crime…death penalty, gang
violence, etc. Your survey needs to have 5 questions that you create (remember closed-ended
questions work best).
o Next, you need to administer the survey to at least 15 people. You can ask people in person or you
may want to use Survey Monkey, it is free and online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/
o Once your survey is complete, you need to compile the results and interpret them in a brief written
report that also includes your reaction to the results you obtained.

Both Sides of the Death Penalty
o 1. Make a chart that has at least five arguments for and against the death penalty. You may need
to do a little research and remember there are two sides to every argument… you need to give
both.
 Use statistics when applicable to support each side of the argument.
o 2. When you have completed your chart, give your side. Are you for or against the death penalty
and WHY? Defend your answer with information from your research. You should have at least one
solidly written paragraph.

COPS Observation
o Watch one hour of COPS (SPIKE Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings) and keep an
observation log detailing the following:
 Race
 Gender
 Type of offense
 Times drugs or alcohol are involved
 Any thing else that you want to include.
o Include your log AND a brief interpretation and reflection of your observation.

Prison
o
o
o
and Life After
Read the article “Life after Jail” available online at: http://www.7dvt.com/2008life-after-jail
Print the article and highlight it as you read.
When you are finished with the article…
 1. Write a brief summary/reaction to the article.
 2. Now think about how different your life would be if you were in prison for 10 years of


more. Write a paragraph about what would change… what would the world be like when
you got out?
3. Answer and explain the following” Does prison work in all cases and for all crimes”?
Political Cartoon
o Create a political cartoon that makes a statement about any aspect of crime and deviance. On the
back of your drawing, include a brief explanation of the point that your political cartoon is making.