AC1.1

Question 1

Criminal behaviour

Social definition?

Answer 1

Sometimes crime is a label from ‘social interaction’ or a wrong against the community. If a society has said that an act is a crime, then it becomes one.

Question 2

Criminal behaviour

Legal definition?

Answer 2

In our society it is the legal system that defines crime. For example, behaviour that breaks the law and for which you are punished by the legal system. Examples are theft, fraud and murder.

In a law crime must have two elements: actually trust, which means the guilty act and a men’s rea which means the guilty mind.

Question 3

Formal sanctions against criminals

Non-court sanctions

Answer 3

Cautions
They are administered by the police for minor crimes such as writing graffiti on a bus shelter. You have to admit an offence and agree to be cautioned; otherwise you could be arrested for the offence. A caution in not a criminal conviction

Question 4

Formal sanctions against criminals

Non-court sanctions

Answer 4

Conditional cautions
are given by the police but you have to agree to certain rules and restrictions, such as receiving treatment for drug abuse or repairing damage to property.

Question 5

Formal sanctions against criminals

Non-court sanctions

Answer 5

Penalty notices
For disorder are given for offences such as shoplifting, possessing cannabis, or being drunk and disorderly in public. You can only get a penalty notice if you are 18 or over.

Question 6

Formal sanctions against criminals

court sanctions

Answer 6

Custodial sentence
Are where you are immediately sent to prison. There are mandatory and discretionary life sentences and fixed term and Indeterminate prison sentences.

Question 7

Formal sanctions against criminals

court sanctions

Answer 7

Community sentences

Can be a combination order Including unpaid work, probation, curfew and orders such as having drug testing treatment.

Question 8

Formal sanctions against criminals

court sanctions

Answer 8

Fines
Are financial penalties; the amount depends on the seriousness of the offence and the financial circumstances of the offender.

Question 9

Formal sanctions against criminals

court sanctions

Answer 9

Discharge
Can be either conditional, when if the defendant reoffends during a set time period the court can give an alternative sentence, or absolute, when no penalty is imposed as the defendant is technically guilty but morally blameless.

Question 10

Variety of criminal acts

Fatal offences against the person?

Answer 10

Murder

Manslaughter

Question 11

Variety of criminal acts

Non-fatal offences against the person

Answer 11

Assault
Battery
Actual and grievous bodily harm

Question 12

Variety of criminal acts

Offences against property

Answer 12

Theft
Robbery
Burglary

Question 13

Variety of criminal acts

Sexual offences

Answer 13

Rape

Incident assault

Question 14

Variety of criminal acts

Public order offences

Answer 14

Riot
Affray
Violent disorder

Question 15

Variety of criminal acts

Drug offences

Answer 15

Possession of a controlled drug

Possession with intent to supply

Question 16

Deviance

Answer 16

Deviance is behaviour that goes against the dominant social norms of a specific group or society, which causes some kind of critical reaction or disapproval.

Question 17

Deviance
Norms, moral codes and values

Norms, moral codes and values are basically unwritten rules of acceptable behaviour, which are often used interchangeably in society

Answer 17

Norms
Are social expectation that guide behaviour and explain why people act in the way that they do. While it is expected behaviour it could vary from one culture to another.

Uk funeral colours - black
China colours - white

Question 18

Deviance
Norms, moral codes and values

Norms, moral codes and values are basically unwritten rules of acceptable behaviour, which are often used interchangeably in society

Answer 18

Moral codes
Are moral or good ways of behaving. Breaking a moral code would generally be considered serious In society
Eg murder

Question 19

Deviance
Norms, moral codes and values

Norms, moral codes and values are basically unwritten rules of acceptable behaviour, which are often used interchangeably in society

Answer 19

Values
Are rules shared by most people in a given culture. It is what people feel should happen. They are more general guidelines than norms.
Eg. Respecting the elderly

Question 20

Formal and informal sanctions against deviance

Answer 20

Informal sanctions:

Frowning upon behaviour
Name calling
Ignoring behaviour
Labelling behaviour
Parents grounding a child

Question 21

Formal and informal sanctions against deviance

Answer 21

Formal sanctions:

Fines
Imprisonment

Question 22

Forms of deviance

It should be noted that deviant behaviour is not always something negative, nor is it always frowned upon by society. This can be seen by the various basic forms of rule breaking behaviour In terms of three basic ideas:

Answer 22

Admired behaviour:
Deviant but considered good or admirable eg. Saving someone’s life while putting own at risk

Odd behaviour:
Deviant by being odd or different from what is considered the norm eg. Living with loads of cats

Bad behaviour:
Deviant because it is bad eg. assaulting a pensioner

Question 23

Forms of deviance

Overlap

Answer 23

Some acts may be deviant but not criminal eg. Cross dressing

Some acts are classed as criminal but may not be deviant eg. Illegally downloading music

Some acts are considered both criminal and deviant eg. Murder