San Antonio College Library

In this film, Associate Professor of Sociology, Matthew Green and Professor of Sociology Brenda Forster examine the four major theories sociologists use to analyze deviant behavior- differential association theory, control theory, labeling theory, and strain theory. They also discuss the relationship between race, class, and gender within the criminal justice system.

What sort of man spends his Saturday afternoons with people named Bonehead, Paraffin Pete and Steamin' Sammy? Bill Buford's acclaimed Among the Thugs is a book about the experience, and the attractions, of crowd violence.

Every year, 20 million violent crimes are committed in America. This program looks at some of the ways in which people are trying to stop the cycle of crime and violence: working with inmates and ex-offenders; citizens and police working together to get prostitutes, drug dealers, and gang activities off the streets. Citizens on Patrol works in tandem with the Fort Worth, TX, police department; Gainesville, FL, has an innovative program to help retrain...

Marshall Allen is just one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who leave state or federal prisons and return to their home communities each year. He is typical of the majority of convicts in the U.S. in that he served time on a drug charge-in his case, possession of crack cocaine. He is also not unusual in the failure of his first attempt to make it on the outside. But a second term behind bars has hardened his resolve to succeed. This ABC News...

This multi-section program sheds light on crime and deviance from a number of sociological angles to illuminate aspects of their expression, function, and control within society. Topics include the origins and implications of moral panics and how such panics manifest today; the functions of crime and deviance within the social order, with reference to the views of Emile Durkheim, considered by many to be the father of sociology; research into the...

When Chloe gets a job working with children struggling in class, 8-year-old Mario and Nini stand out. She encourages them to make a documentary, and they choose gang culture as a theme. But as the bonds between them grow, the emotional stakes get higher, and the boys become involved in a life of crime. "If you're not there to talk to, Mario says to Chloe, "it's all crammed inside me. All the hate. And I always try to show love. But love will get you...

Prison life is hard-but for most ex-convicts, life on the outside is tough, too. This video follows paroled prisoners as they re-enter civilian life and face challenges both large and small. Upon release from jail, the lives of these young men are suddenly filled with critical decisions. Some are dreaded, such as the split-second choice of whether or not to engage in violence-the wrong choice will put them back behind bars. Other dilemmas are unexpected,...

Violence is all over the news. But some say we're living in one of the most peaceful eras in human history. Is violence actually declining? If so, why? And can we build a more peaceful future?