AC2.3 Sociological theories of criminality Flashcards
What do sociologists believe crime is a result of?
Inequalities in society
What are crime and deviance defined by?
The ruling class who use it as a means of control
Who do not get punished often in society?
White collar crimes are ignored whilst crimes committed by the less powerful in society (such as burgulary) are focused on and seen as more serious
What is social structure theory?
Neighbourhoods which are lower class create forces of stress and frustration that lead to crime - many studies find high crime rates are associated with poverty etc
What happens with the working and middle class people in these neighbourhoods?
They leave them as they deteroriate so the most disadvantaged are left - resulting in poverty concentration effect
What does poverty concentration effect cause?
Neighbourhoods to be isolated from mainstream society and become prone to violence
What is social strain theory?
If social structure is unequal then it prevents the majority from realising their dreams so some turn to crime to realise it, others will drop out into deviant subcultures (gangs)
What is social reaction (labelling) theory?
When a person commits a crime they recieve the label of ‘criminal’
How could labelling theory lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy?
“Everyone thinks I’ll commit so I will”
The label of criminal limits what you can do - education, travel, buying houses
Why are certain people not charged or arrested?
Because they are not ‘typical offenders’ - law enforcement showing a class bias
What does law enforcement showing a class bias suggest?
Justice is not fixed but negotiable
Even if a person doesn’t commit any more criminal acts what still happens?
They still have the label attached and getting rid of it can be very hard and time consuming and it is very difficult to achieve a ‘normal life’ once released from prison
What is an example of law enforcement bias?
Brock Turner who was convicted of sexually assaulting young women in January 2015 facing up to 14 years in prison but got 6 months (which he didn’t serve all of) and 3 years probation after a judge said it would have a severe impact on the 20 year old Stanford student
What is the interactionist theory?
Leads on from labelling theory where groups are victimised for crime so are more heavily policed
What does targeting certain groups lead to?
Deviancy amplification spiral where public take sympathy with the way some groups are treated and this causes the public to join the victimised groups leading to violence (Mark Duggar shooting triggered London riots)
What is an example of how some groups may feel victimised?
‘Signs of Crime; a field manual for police’ by David Powis 1977 (part of the MET) who stated offenders are usually;
young people with dirty clothes especially shoes who are in cars with groups with unusual family circumstances
The normal person is;
smart appereance especially smoking a pipe
What do marxists believe about crime?
Crime is inevitable because capitalism is criminogenic
Why is crime criminogenic for marxists?
Poverty may mean crime is the only way they can survive - obtaining customer goods etc
Alienation and lack of control leads to frustration which could account for crimes such as domestic abuse
Need to win at all costs means businesses encourage white collar crimes
What do marxists see the law enforcement as?
Only serving the needs and interests of the capitalist class e.g. few laws in place to prevent tax evasion by huge companies
What does the ruling class have the power to do?
Prevent the introduction of laws which could threaten their interests e.g. unequal distribution of wealth
Give an example of the capitalist state being reluctant to pass laws that threaten them…
Nestle never facing charges for marketing baby milk formula in developing countries where babies died due to the contaminated water it had to be mixed with
What are the weaknesses of the sociological theories of crime? (7)
Explain crimes to do with gain but not violent or sexual assault for example
Over-exaggerate amount of crime in the working class
Japan homicide rate 1.0 out of 100000 whereas USA is 5.6 even though Japan are capitalist
Too deterministic
Ignores real victims of crime - labelling theory
Fails to explain crimes in the first place
Ignores gender differences, men more likely to commit but have same social pressures as women
