Crime and deviance

Question 1

Define crime

Answer 1

An illegal act which is punishable ie murder

Question 2

Define deviance

Answer 2

An act which goes against societies norms but may not be illegal ie facial tattoos

Question 3

Describe anomie

Answer 3

A sense of normalessness where norms and values are breaking down in society. For example, people feel as though they can’t achieve the same goals as everyone in society and so reject conventional norms accepted in society, like they will begin to do drugs. Merton argues this is a response to the strain theory - retreatism.

Question 4

Identify and explain corporate crime

Answer 4

Committed by business with an aim to make a profit ie not paying taxes by filing incorrect tax returns. marxists say this is under policed.

Question 5

Define agents of social control

Answer 5

The groups in society which control and regulate our behaviour

Question 6

Explain one reason why people commit crime

Answer 6

Enjoyment/edgework. For example, joyriding. Commonly carried out by the youth and argued by Lyng.

Question 7

Explain what is the chivalry thesis.

Answer 7

The CJS (ie police) consists of majority men so is less harsh on women as they are less likely to be seen as ‘bad’ and more as needing to be protected. For example, a mother may be let off for speeding if she is crying with her two children in the car. Stems from gender socialisation.
Feminists may argue this oppresses women as they are seen as the ‘weaker’ gender and child like

Question 8

Define the dark/hidden figure of crime

Answer 8

Crimes that are not witnessed, reported or recorded by the police.

Question 9

Explain one reason why crimes are unreported

Answer 9

Fear of being hurt. For example, wife domestically abused by her husband so will not report it due to fear of being hit again. Dark figure of crime.

Question 10

Explain why crimes are unrecorded

Answer 10

Victim may not go ahead with complaint. For example, may have been threatened to stop complaint. Dark figure of crime.

Question 11

Explain informal agents of social control.

Answer 11

Behaviour is controlled by social pressure/ agencies not official agencies. For example, school. Teach informally the norms through the hidden curriculum to regulate behaviours.

Question 12

Identify and explain formal agents of social control.

Answer 12

Behaviour is controlled by official agencies associated with the government. For example, the police. A part of criminal justice system and can control by using force (repressive state apparatus).

Question 13

Identify and explain relative deprivation.

Answer 13

Where an individual feels as though they are lacking things that individuals similar to them have. For example, not having the latest iPhone unlike your friends. Marxists argue this is due to capitalist advertising.

Question 14

Give one advantage and disadvantage of using official statistics/ police recorded crime.

Answer 14

By the ONS.
Advantage: Large scale data collected over a long period of time so reliable and can identify trends in areas with high crime rates and quantitative so is easy to analyse
Disadvantage: Does not include dark figure of crime - only 60% of crime is reported ie due to fear and so may not be representative

Question 15

Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using victim surveys.

Answer 15

By CSEW (Government)
Advantage: can uncover dark figure of crime as anonymous so may feel more comfortable to answer more valid
Disadvantage: people may be unaware they are victims of crime so may not be valid

Question 16

Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using self-report studies.

Answer 16

Advantage: can uncover dark figure of crime as anonymous so may feel more comfortable to answer - more valid
Disadvantage: people may not be honest due to fear of being caught so may not be valid

Question 17

How do the perspectives view agents of social control?

Answer 17

• Functionalists: positive as it maintains social order/ cohesion and ensures norms are kept, providing jobs
• Marxists: negative as it works in favour of the r/c and controls the working class by blind obedience (do what they are told to do regardless of morals and beliefs)
  -> formal agencies act as repressive state apparatus (use force)
• Feminists: negative as it works in favour of men to control women in a patriarchal society, women sanctioned for deviance like through gossip

Question 18

How do functionalists view crime generally?

Answer 18

Inevitable and universal when individuals can’t achieve goals.
See it as positive for society by boundary maintenance (uniting society said by Durkheim, reinforcing norms and values), providing more jobs and adaptation and change of society so it doesn’t remain stagnant
-> ignore damage caused to communities especially victims

Question 19

Identify and explain how Durkheim views crime.

Answer 19

Functionalist
- crime positive and serves 5 functions: boundary maintenance, adaptation and change, social cohesion and safety valve
- boundary maintenance: crime produces a reaction from society which unites them ie people coming together to bring down hate crimes which reinforces shared norms and values
- adaptation and change: change in society starts with crime/deviance ie suffragettes ensures society doesn’t remain stagnant as norms and values change

Question 20

Identify and explain how Merton views crime.

Answer 20

Functionalist
- crime occurs due to strain theory: people can’t achieve goals (American dream) legally due to poor education/ opportunities ie material deprivation
- 5 reactions to this strain: conformity, innovation, retreatism, rebellion and ritualism
- conformity: accept goal of success ie student who works hard at school becomes a doctor, not criminal follow norms and values of society
- retreatism: reject/give up on goal ie dropping out from society and turning to drugs, seen as deviant reject norms and values of society
- Idea seen as outdated: may not have the American dream
- Anomie: norms and values break down when can’t achieve American dream

Question 21

Identify and explain how Cohen views crime+ criticism

Answer 21

Functionalist
- working class boys hold same goals as society but due to ie education failure + material and culture deprivation they have little/no opportunity to get goals
- experience status frustration and join delinquent subcultures where they commit crimes ie vandalism to gain status in their group and fight back against society
- marxists argue w/c more likely to commit crime because working class are targeted by police (typifications)

Question 22

Identify and explain how marxists view crime + a criticism

Answer 22

• crime is negative but inevitable and maintains capitalism/keep the class divide
  -> based on competition and consumerism so poorer people may be driven to crime by relative deprivation encouraged by capitalist advertising and pressure of others around you having items ie friends
• ruling class selectively enforce laws which benefit them and scapegoat the working class (powerless) and so lack of control of lives angers w/c resulting in crimes like violence
• the working classes are targeted by police and so are more likely to appear in crime statistics(typifications)
• Middle class/white collar crime under policed as benefits and protects the ruling class and capitalist society
• Feminists like Heidensohn argue crime helps maintain patriarchy as it controls women

Question 23

Identify and explain white collar crime

Answer 23

Crime in a company but for one persons own gain eg cashier stealing money from the till at work. Marxists argue this is generally under policed

Question 24

How do feminists generally view crime?

Answer 24

• crime is negative and helps to maintain patriarchy in society
• crimes such as domestic violence and sexual crimes are not taken seriously and female victims are not supported
• female criminals are seen as ‘double deviants’ if they commit a crime as they go against the law and expectations of a stereotypical woman

Question 25

Identify and explain how Heidensohn views crime.

Answer 25

Feminist
- female conformity in a patriarchal society
- control theory: women controlled in 3 separate spheres - at home (hierarchy, dual burden and domestic abuse), in public (cat calling) and at work (glass ceiling) due to a patriarchal society
- girls develop a bedroom subculture so have less opportunity to commit crime as their behaviour is monitored
- Makes generalisations that don’t apply to all women and has a lack of research
- Liberation thesis by Adler argues women now commit more crime

Question 26

Identify and explain how Carlen views crime + criticisms

Answer 26

Feminist
- Uses idea of class deal and gender deal (ie gender deal receiving psychological rewards like affection from husband in return for their unpaid labour): women wouldn’t conform to these deals if they didn’t get rewards (ie class deal - wage too low) and would turn to crime as they have nothing to lose
- Researches a small sample of 39 working class women so not representative ie marxists argue working class targeted based on class due to capitalism
- Liberation thesis by Adler argues is the reason for women committing more crime

Question 27

Identify and explain how Becker views crime.

Answer 27

Interactionist
- An act is only seen as criminal/deviant if it is labelled as such by society ie depending on place (social construct)
-> formal agencies of social control have the power to make labels stick
- labelling can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy and criminal becoming a master status ie being labelled as a ‘druggie’ leads to someone continuing doing drugs (deviant career)
- Only looks at the reaction to crime not the causes

Question 28

Explain one way society attempts to stop people committing crime

Answer 28

Public shame. For example, negative comments through the media to shame anyone who would attempt the crime like pedophiles. This is a method of informal social control and known as boundary maintenance, as it unites society.

Question 29

Why are men more likely to commit crime with 94% of prison being males? (Why women commit less crime than men)

Answer 29

• Gender socialisation ie brought up to be ‘tough and violent’ whereas girls more passive
  -> bedroom subculture
• Chivalry thesis so women aren’t convicted for crimes
• Men have more opportunity to commit crime as Heidensohn argues women are controlled
  -> women experience a ‘glass ceiling’ so can’t get top jobs and commit ‘white collar crimes’

Question 30

Why are women’s crime statistic increasing with female offenders over 21 increasing for violence?

Answer 30

• Class deals: Carlen argues working class women have less to lose (perhaps its class that is actually determining as only w/c women)
• Changing attitudes towards women: rise in ladette culture - more confidence - women less seen as something to protect
• Changing position of women in society: liberation thesis (Adler)

Question 31

Identify and explain what is the liberation thesis + a criticism of it

Answer 31

Argued by feminist Adler:
- Society becoming less patriarchal
as more liberated over time ie Divorce Reform Act 1969 and the media
- As women are becoming more free they are commiting more crime
- Not all women liberated ie young girls groomed, argued many women still controlled ie Heidensohn

Question 32

What is the peak offending age in England?

Answer 32

17 years old

Question 33

Why are younger people more likely to commit crime?

Answer 33

• Socialisation: inadequately socialised ie lack of male role models (criticised by Murray) and toxic childhood from media
• Status frustration -> join delinquent subcultures to gain validation and status
• Edgework (Lyng)
• Labelling (interactionists
  Youth labelled more as ‘typical offenders’ so more likely to be targeted
• Police may stereotype younger people and target them so crimes are easier to detect, inaccurate statistic as a result (typifications)

Question 34

Why is crime and deviance difficult to define?

Answer 34

It varies by place – where the act takes place could mean it’s seen as criminal. For example, a soldier killing someone is praised for their patriotism but a serial killer murdering someone is arrested. Interactionists argue crime is socially constructed.

Question 35

Why are working class more likely to be convicted offenders/in prison?

Answer 35

• Material and relative deprivation
• Status frustration (Cohen)
• Mertons strain theory
• Labelling - Becker
• Marxists argue w/c crimes targeted more due to typifications and white collar crimes are less easily detected (hidden figure of crime)

Question 36

Why are black ethnic groups 3x more likely to be stopped and searched and make up more of the prison population?

Answer 36

• Institutional racism: Macpherson Report (Stephen Lawrence) canteen culture
• Poor educational achievement and status frustration -> crime due to relative and material deprivation
• Labelling by media representations reinforce the stereotype that black people are more criminal. This may lead to a self fulfilling prophecy and black people will in turn commit more crime. Also seen as ‘folk devils’ so police typifications made

Question 37

Name two sanctions that are available for young offenders

Answer 37

fines
community sentences
(non custodial)

Question 38

What are arguments for prison being the best form of punishment?

Answer 38

• Functionalists argue it can
  rehabilitate offenders, act as a deterrent due to the negative stigma attached to it and lack of freedom given
• New less harsh prisons showing better effects eg Bastoy
  -> maintaining social control

Question 39

What are arguments against prison being the best form of punishment?

Answer 39

• Universities of crime, 45% reoffend partly as encourages labelling of prisoners leading to a negative self fulfilling prophecy when they get out of prison
• Typifications, particular groups are more likely to be arrested than others ie by ethnicity or class (ie r/c scapegoat w/c)

Question 40

What arguments agree violent crime are a problem in society?

Answer 40

• Statistics may not show
  true extent of violent crime - hidden figure of crime

Question 41

What arguments disagree violent crime are a problem in society?

Answer 41

• Some statistics suggest
  violent crime has decreased
• Anti-violence and anti- gang education introduced into schools
• Influence of the media in promoting violence - deviance amplification

Question 42

What arguments agree the media shows crime accurately?

Answer 42

Functionalist view – the
media shows a range of views, pluralism, no one group dominates
Brings society together ie boundary maintenance through hate comments - helps to also reduce crime

Question 43

What arguments disagrees the media shows crime accurately?

Answer 43

• Marxists – conflict view,
  agenda setting where media decides what is in the news (gatekeepers only publish what will make a profit) due to news values , media owned by ruling class, scapegoats working class and sensationalises
• Stan Cohen - leads to deviancy amplification and moral panics - can create criminals ie copycat crimes

Question 44

Describe two ways the media encourages crime

Answer 44

• Copy cat crimes. For example, school shootings by kids inspired by shooting video games. The media providing these deviant role models leads to more violence in society thus resulting in moral panics.
• Deviancy amplification. The media exaggerates events for example the mods&rockers and so more people commit crimes so they can also get on the news. Argued by Stan Cohen

Question 45

Explain the hypodermic syringe approach

Answer 45

The media injects messages and content into audience with immediate effect. For example, the mods&rockers, creating moral panics. This can negatively label groups and create folk devils in society.

Question 46

Explain one reason why a story might make the news

Answer 46

High status celebrity involved. For example, the royal family. Media has these news values, gatekeeping news to only publish what makes a profit.

Question 47

Explain what Stan Cohen says

Answer 47

As a result of the media:
- Moral panic: as a result of media exaggerating an event
- Folk devil: particular group described as a threat stereotypically by the mass media
- Deviancy amplification - reaction to deviance increases deviance so an even greater moral panic

Question 48

Describe delinquency

Answer 48

Minor crimes committed in society. For example, vandalism. These are typically carried about by younger people to gain status from their peers.

Question 49

Define an indictable offence

Answer 49

The most serious category of criminal offence they can only be dealt with in the Crown Court eg murder

Question 50

Describe a judiciary

Answer 50

Group of people who uphold rule of law. Eg tribunals. Agents of formal control.

Question 51

Define magistrates

Answer 51

JPs - a part of judiciary’s

Question 52

Identify and describe an example of a miscarriage of justice

Answer 52

Unfair outcome occurs for a criminal. For example, Derek Bentley being executed. Can cause public outrage and a reaction from society (boundary maintenance).

Question 53

Define probation

Answer 53

Serve sentence in the community