Age and crime Flashcards
3 reasons why young people
commit more crime
Status frustration
More likely to suffer relative
deprivation and marginalisation
More likely to be out at night
2 reasons why young people may
appear in the OCS more
Police labelling
The types of crimes committed
by young people are the most
likely to be reported to the
police, e.g. theft.
Age and crime stats
Offending rises steeply from ages 10 to 18, declines sharply to around the age of 24. No criminal conviction was possible for
anyone under the age of 10 but following the Crime and
Disorder Act 1998 this is no longer the case.
Juvenile delinquency – a term that refers to deviant and criminal behaviour of young people.
OCS and self-report surveys on age and crime
Data from both the OCS and self-report studies indicate that most offences are committed by young people – teenagers and young adults in their early 20s.
The highest rate of offending for men is at the age of 19,
for women 15.
Theft is the most common crime committed by young people, followed by drug offences, violence against the person and burglary.
Explanations for youth crime
Functionalists – A. Cohen – young, w/c, males - status frustration
Functionalists – C&O – young, w/c, males - blocked legitimate
opportunities so join s/c
Right Realism – young, w/c, males - poor socialisation
Left Realism – young, w/c - most likely to be marginalised, etc. as
unemployed
Neo-Marxism – Gilroy – young, e/m – rebellion against racism in society
Evaluation of youth crimes
Interactionism – young people are not more criminal than
adults and older people, but they fit the image
(typification) of a typical criminal so are more likely to be
stopped and searched by the police.
