A3 - social class and crime Flashcards
what is the pattern in statistics in social class and crime ?
Statistical data and records show that crime is more commonly associated with lower social classes than with upper classes.
Lower classes tend to be disproportionally represented in crime statistics than middle and upper classes.
what are the 3 statistics in social class and crime ?
Omolade (2014 ) found that 43 % of prisoners in England and Wales had no educational qualifications. When sentenced 60 % were claiming benefits.
Reiner ( 2007) found that 74% of the prison population are from the poorest of 20% of society.
A prison reforming group ( 2002 ) found 67% of the entire prison population of England and Wales were unemployed and 32% were homeless before prison.
what are the theories that link to social class and crime ?
The Hirschi’s theory , Merton’s strain theory, The Marxist theory.
what is the Hirschi’s control theory in social class and crime ?
It can explain the link between social class and crime.
Hirschi’s argues that criminal activity occurs when attachments to society is weakened.
According to Hirschi there are 4 social bands that bind people together .
The four social bands are attachment, commitment , involvement and belief.
When these social bands have weakened , crime occurs as society has less control over these people .
Hirschi states that offenders are likely to be young , lack work or education commitments , lack family attachments.
what is Merton’s strain theory in social class and crime ?
Merton argue that if individuals cannot achieve societal goals , material wealth , educational success through legitimate means , they turn to crime.
what is the Marxist theory in social class and crime ?
The inequalities within a capitalist society give the working class a sense of injustice and frustration that they are not sharing wealth.
