AC 1.1 Flashcards
what is a moral panic?
disproportionate public fears about something which might threaten the moral values of society, this relates to when the media’s representation of crime is exaggerated and leads to the public reacting in a ‘panicky’ way and in certain instances can lead to more crime overall
what happens as a result of the media’s strong influence over the public’s concerns and attitudes towards crime?
a negative and fearful perception of crime is created and a knock on effect is that policies and government priorities are driven towards the perceived many issues regarding crime and violence
what can media portrayals of certain groups generate?
anxiety among the public, especially those who perceive themselves as vulnerable, that the supposed issue is out of control and poses an immediate threat
what is the public perception of crime trends?
the public believe that crime is increasing due to the media reporting heavily on high volume crime stories that align with their News Values
why is the fear of becoming a victim on the rise?
it is down to the overreporting by the media of certain crimes, with the reality being that young males are most likely to be the victim of crime on the streets, the media uses manipulation to portray the most common victims as the elderly and women
what are typifications with examples?
the stereotypes held by police, judges, probation officers and prosecutors about their ‘typical delinquent’ e.g.
young, lower-class often unemployed males
black or ethnic minority
from a ‘rough’ neighbourhood
where do self-fulfilling prophecies come from?
the media as their portrayals of criminals matches the typifications held by the police
what is the impact of the response to crime?
to produce disproportionate sentences ,as a result of what the media portrays, that don’t reflect the severity of the crime, the government does this to show they do not tolerate these types of crimes and to set a deterrent
what happens once the media voices concern about a particular crime type?
the government changes their priorities or policies to focus more heavily on the current issue
what is the social definition of criminal behaviour?
a label from ‘social interaction’ or a wrong against the community; if society says an act is a crime then it becomes one
what crimes in our society are universally disapproved of?
sex offences
what acts are crimes in some countries but not in others?
it is legal to have a child bride in Bangladesh but not in the UK
what is the legal definition of criminal behaviour?
behaviour that breaks the law and for which you’re punished by the legal system; it must have 2 elements
what are the 2 elements a crime must have in its legal definition?
actus reus = guilty act
mens rea = guilty mind
what are the non court formal sanctions against crime and deviance?
caution
conditional caution
penalty notices
what is a caution?
administered by the police for minor crimes, you have to admit an offence and agree to be cautioned
what is a conditional caution?
have to agree to certain rules e.g. drug treatment
what is a penalty notice?
for disorder or possessing cannabis for example, but the offender has to be 18+
what are the court formal sanctions against crime and deviance?
custodial sentence
community sentence
combination order
fines
discharge
what is a custodial sentence?
immediately sent to prison
what is a community sentence?
unpaid work, probation, curfew
what is a combination order?
combining a probation order and community service
what is a fine?
financial penalty
what is discharge?
conditional = if the defendant reoffends they receive an alternative sentence
absolute = defendant is technically guilt but morally blameless
what is deviance?
going against society’s norms
what are norms?
social expectations that guide us and keep in check deviant behaviour, they can vary between country e.g. in China you wear white to a funeral
what are moral codes?
moral/good ways of behaving e.g. not murdering
what are values?
rules shared by most people in a culture e.g. respect the elderly
what are the informal sanctions against deviance?
grounding
frowning upon behaviour
labelling behaviour
ignoring behaviour
name calling
is deviance always something negative or always frowned upon?
no
what are the 3 forms of rule breaking?
admired behaviour
odd behaviour
bad behaviour
what is admired behaviour?
an act that is deviant but good enough e.g. saving someone else’s life whilst risking your own
what is odd behaviour?
an act that is deviant through being odd e.g. picking your nose and eating it
what is bad behaviour?
an act that is deviant through being bad e.g. hitting someone
what is the overlap of behaviour?
some acts are deviant but not criminal, others are criminal but not deviant and some are both
what are the 6 types of criminal acts?
fatal offences agains the person
non fatal offences agains the person
offences against property
sex offences
drug offences
public order offences
what are the 8 criminology command words?
analyse
assess
compare
describe
discuss
evaluate
examine
explain
what does analyse mean?
break down into set components and determine its significance in the wider context
what does assess mean?
judge how effectively the issue achieves its objectives
what does compare mean?
similarities and differences throughout
what does describe mean?
give an account and use supporting material
what does discuss mean?
a commentary including arguments and factors
what does evaluate mean?
use a substantiated judgment based on strengths and limitations
what does examine mean?
review relevant issue and consider interplay of factors
what does explain mean?
identify, interpret and outline key features
