Sociology Storyboard
Storyboard Text
- Scene 1: Neighbourhood Watch
- That couldn't be...Why yes, I think that's a man with pink hair! How dare he. I'm calling the police!
- Scene 2: 911
- Yes, hi. I'd like to report a crime. There is a man with pink hair walking down my street.
- What is this world coming to?
- 911, what's your emergency?
- Ma'am, I understand it may be an unfamiliar sight, but having pink hair is not against the law.
- How dare that woman allow her dog to poop on my front lawn and not clean it up! The disrespect!
- Scene 3: A Lawn Isn't a Bathroom
- Hopefully no one sees us!
- Anne moved into her neighbourhood just days ago and took it upon herself to take on the role of Neighbourhood Watch, which none of her neighbours are aware of. Every evening, she sits beside her window, waiting for a crime to happen. Tonight, she sees a man with pink hair, which she believes is a crime. What Anne doesn't consider is that for something to be a crime, it must be a deviant behaviour that is against the law. Hopefully what she'll learn tonight is that seeing her own perceived ideas of what is wrong doesn't mean she should call the police, because there are instances where this could be harmful and have unintended consequences.
- Scene 4: The Noncriminal Poop
- I'd like to report a crime. There is woman who just let her dog poop on my lawn and didn't clean it up! Can you believe it?
- 911, what's your emergency?
- Anne immediately calls 911, only to discover what she believed to be a crime is not. Rather, it's a social diversion, which is a minor act of deviance that's generally perceived as relatively harmless. The typical outcome of this type of deviation is amusement or disdain from others. Anne may feel disdain, but that doesn't mean it's a crime. If the police had decided to engage, many social factors like race could put the man in harm's way due to racial profiling, potentially leading to unwanted consequences such as police violence.
- Scene 5: The Murder
- AHH!!! I think that man was just murdered!
- Anne feels deflated from her unsuccessful 911 call, but knows she has a job to do, so she sits back down in her chair. Upon doing so, she notices a woman letting her dog poop on her front lawn. To make matters worse, she's walking away without cleaning it up! She thinks this ought to constitute a 911 call, so she picks up the phone and dials.
- Scene 6: An Eventful Night
- Please help! Someone's been murdered right outside of my window!
- 911, what's your emergency?
- To her surprise, Anne is unsuccessful yet again in reporting a crime. Similar to a social diversion, Anne has witnessed a social deviation, which is a noncriminal act that can be subject to institutional control. These deviations are perceived as harmful by some, but not others. The woman can be asked to clean up her dog's poop and can be told not to do this again, but the law will not be involved. It's important Anne learns when it's appropriate to call the police, because if not, it could lead to her taking away time from callers who are experiencing real emergencies.
- I swear someone could be murdered right outside of my window and no one would care!
- That may be disrespectful, but it's not against the law. I would recommend politely letting her know she needs to clean up after her dog. Remember to please only call 911 if there's an emergency so we can prioritize people in need.
- After hanging up the phone, Anne returns to her view of the window and notices a large blood splatter and a man lying still beneath her window. This is certainly not how she anticipated her evening going. In a panic, she dials 911.
- Unfortunately, Anne's night as Neighbourhood Watch has been more eventful than she hoped. She has now witnessed a consensus crime, which is an illegal act that nearly all consider to be harmful in themselves to society. Anna was right to call 911, as these acts result in the offender receiving severe punishment from the state. This is slightly different than a conflict crime, which is also an illegal act punished by the state, except there's disagreement amongst society as to whether it's harmful. Tonight, with the help of the 911 operator, Anne has learned when to call police. Hopefully this means she will no longer use 911 improperly, ensuring everyone's safety.
- How am I going to clean my window?! What a mess!
- Okay ma'am. This is certainly the time to use 911. Just stay calm. Police are on the way.
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