SAGE News Clips: The Death PenaltyDescription: Despite supporters who claimed that death row inmate Troy Davis was a victim of mistaken identity, the state of Georgia upheld his conviction for the murder of an off-duty police officer in 1989. Georgia was given approval to proceed with his execution, and Davis was executed by lethal injection the next day. Watch this video to think more about the sociological implications of capital punishment.Click on the above link to access the Interactive eBook. Once you've signed in, scroll to page 179, and watch the video. When you've finished watching the video, come back to the test, and answer the following questions:Christina is a sociology student writing a research paper on Troy Davis's conviction for murder. Which of the following theoretical
orientations should she use to explain Davis' behavior?
A. Christina should primarily use structural contradiction theory or class-dominant theory.
B. Because Davis was convicted of a violent crime, Christina should focus primarily on interactionist perspectives on deviance and crime.
C. None of the available theories are able to describe a crime as heinous as murder.
D. Given that any number of deviance theories might help Christina explain the case, it is up to her as a budding sociologist to decide which theory might be the most useful to explain certain facets of this crime.
Answer: D
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