AC1.1 Flashcards
Criminal behaviour
Social definition?
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.
Criminal behaviour
Legal definition?
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.
Formal sanctions against criminals
Non-court sanctions
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
Formal sanctions against criminals
Non-court sanctions
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.
Formal sanctions against criminals
Non-court sanctions
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.
Formal sanctions against criminals
court sanctions
Custodial sentence
Are where you are immediately sent to prison. There are mandatory and discretionary life sentences and fixed term and Indeterminate prison sentences.
Formal sanctions against criminals
court sanctions
Community sentences
Can be a combination order Including unpaid work, probation, curfew and orders such as having drug testing treatment.
Formal sanctions against criminals
court sanctions
Fines
Are financial penalties; the amount depends on the seriousness of the offence and the financial circumstances of the offender.
Formal sanctions against criminals
court sanctions
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.
Variety of criminal acts
Fatal offences against the person?
Murder
Manslaughter
Variety of criminal acts
Non-fatal offences against the person
Assault
Battery
Actual and grievous bodily harm
Variety of criminal acts
Offences against property
Theft
Robbery
Burglary
Variety of criminal acts
Sexual offences
Rape
Incident assault
Variety of criminal acts
Public order offences
Riot
Affray
Violent disorder
Variety of criminal acts
Drug offences
Possession of a controlled drug
Possession with intent to supply
Deviance
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.
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
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
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
Moral codes
Are moral or good ways of behaving. Breaking a moral code would generally be considered serious In society
Eg murder
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
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
Formal and informal sanctions against deviance
Informal sanctions:
Frowning upon behaviour Name calling Ignoring behaviour Labelling behaviour Parents grounding a child
Formal and informal sanctions against deviance
Formal sanctions:
Fines
Imprisonment
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:
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
Forms of deviance
Overlap
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
