Age Inequality

Question 1

How is age Operationalised?

Answer 1

Age is operationalised through the concept that once an individual reaches eighteen they are an adult, and people are viewed as elderly once they reach the age of retirement. Adults and youths experience social stratification and inequality in the social areas of income and criminal justice.

Question 2

Karl Marx

Answer 2

38% of people on zero hours contracts are aged 16-24. Office for National Statistics, 2016.
This number is disproportionate to the number of youths in the population, showing that young people are more likely to be exploited by the workplace.
Marx refers to this concept as the ‘Reserve Army of Labour’. Young people on such contrasts are called to work when business is booming, but dropped as soon as it is not the interests of the employer,regardless of whether the youths need the money. Young people have less economic stability than other age groups.

Question 3

Walby

Answer 3

The average salary will begin to fall for men when they reach 59- drops on average from £650-541 per week, and for women age 39.
Office for National Statistics 2016.
Walby explains that this is because the older you are, the less desirable you are perceived as. Not able to work efficiently. Older groups, in particular women, can be pushed out of employment when younger workers seem more desirable.

Question 4

Young

Answer 4

Young people aged 10-17 are disproportionately more likely to reoffend (36% reoffend) compared to adults over 21 (of which 24% reoffend). Ministry of Justice.
Young’s study of the Hippies explains that this is because marginalisation of youths leads to further crime. Since people are younger, the way people react to criminal records has a more significant impact on their lives, whereas old people are more likely to stay away from future crime. Less impact

Question 5

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 5

Likelihood of being a victim of violent crime decreased with age, with a higher proportion of adults aged 16-24 reporting they had been a victim (8%) than others, particularly over 75 (0/2%).
Increased risk of victimization of young people- more likely to be in inner city areas, and Cloward and Ohlin’s subcultural theory shows that in these areas, there are more criminal, retreatist and conflict subcultures, compared to elderly in more suburban, quieter communities.