Causes of crime

Question 1

Biological causes of crime

Answer 1

Biological sex, mental health, age

Question 2

How is biological sex a biological cause of crime

Answer 2

Because of hormonal differences, women are less aggressive and violent
Men have mpre testosterone so they are more aggressive and violent

Question 3

Biological sex example

Answer 3

According the the 2019 SPS survey, 96% of prisoners are male

Question 4

How is mental health a biological cause of crime

Answer 4

Decision making abilities are impaired so they are more suscetible to peer pressure and gang activity

Question 5

Mental health example

Answer 5

According to the 2019 SPS survey, 39% of prisoners had been diagnosed with depression before their sentence

Question 6

How is age a biological cause of crime

Answer 6

Because of the rate that our brain develops, younger people may take more risks without considering consequences

Question 7

Age example

Answer 7

In 2022, judges were required to consider rehabilitation instead of incarceration for young people because their brains aren’t matured enough to be treated as an adult

Question 8

Social causes of crime

Answer 8

Peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, ACEs

Question 9

How is peer pressure a social cause of crime

Answer 9

Peer pressure is associated with people committing crime to fit in
Especially common in tennagers (peak age of offending for low level crimes is 15-17)

Question 10

Peer pressure example

Answer 10

In 2020-21, 80% of domestic abuse cases had a male accused and female victim
Shows the link between peer pressure and toxic masculinity

Question 11

How is alcohol and drugs a social cause of crime

Answer 11

When under the influence, people think less about consequences of their actions
People with addictions commit crime to fund them

Question 12

Drugs and alcohol example

Answer 12

In 2021, 60% of young offenders were under the influence at the time of their offence

Question 13

How is ACES a social cause of crime?

Answer 13

ACEs lead to deprivation in childhood, common trend in criminals
Children are more likely to be victims of crime when older if they experience “poor parenting”

Question 14

ACES example

Answer 14

People who experience ACES are 15x more likely to be perpetrators of violent crime

Question 15

Economic causes of crime

Answer 15

Deprivation, unemployment, greed

Question 16

How is deprivation an economic cause of crime

Answer 16

People who live in deprivation may tuen to criminality to survive
They may commit “survival shoplifting”

Question 17

Deprivation example

Answer 17

In Niddrie, over 70% of residents are on benefits and for every 10000 residents, 778 crimes are committed

Question 18

How is greed an economic cause of crime

Answer 18

Social media and consumerism lead people to want materialistic items that they can’t afford with their level of employment

Question 19

Greed example

Answer 19

Former SNP MP, Natalie McGarry, was jailed for embezzling over £25,000

Question 20

How is unemployment an economic cause of crime

Answer 20

Individuals may not have the skills to secure employment, so feel socially excluded
Limited legal opportunities to make money so turn to criminality

Question 21

Unemployment example

Answer 21

Easterhouse and Castlebrae have some of the highest unemployment levels and highest crime rates in Scotland