Crime and Deviance Flashcards
1
Q
Define Crime and Deviance:
A
- Crime is an act that breaks the law (e.g., theft), while deviance is behaviour that violates social norms (e.g., wearing pajamas in public).
- Statistics: In 2022, there were approximately 5.4 million crimes recorded in England and Wales.
- Evaluation: Not all deviant acts are crimes, and not all crimes are considered deviant (e.g., tax evasion may be seen as acceptable by some).
2
Q
What are Durkheim’s views on crime?
A
- Durkheim argues that crime is inevitable and functional, reinforcing social boundaries (e.g., public outrage after a crime like a murder).
- Evaluation: While crime can reinforce norms, it can also lead to social instability and fear. Critics argue that Durkheim overlooks the trauma experienced by victims (e.g., victims of violent crime).
3
Q
What is Merton’s Strain Theory?
A
- Merton suggests that strain arises when individuals cannot achieve societal goals through legitimate means, leading to responses like innovation (e.g., drug dealing).
- Statistics: In 2021, around 1 in 4 young people reported feeling the pressure to achieve material success.
- Evaluation: Critics argue it ignores crimes committed by the wealthy (e.g., corporate fraud) and the role of socialisation in deviant behaviour.
4
Q
Subcultural Theories:
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- Focus on groups that develop norms and values differing from mainstream society, often due to deprivation or marginalisation.
- Albert Cohen: Suggests that working-class boys face status frustration, leading to the formation of delinquent subcultures as an alternative means of gaining status.
- Cloward and Ohlin: Identify three types of delinquent subcultures: criminal, conflict, and retreatist, based on the type of environment and opportunities available
5
Q
What is Cohen’s theory of Status Frustration?
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- Cohen argues that working-class boys experience status frustration and form delinquent subcultures (e.g., gangs) to gain status they cannot achieve through academic success.
- Statistics: A study showed that over 60% of gang members in the UK reported feeling marginalised.
- Evaluation: Focuses on male youth, lacking insights into female or middle-class subcultures and their experiences with deviance.
6
Q
Marxism and Crime:
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- Argues that crime is a result of the capitalist system, which breeds inequality and exploitation.
- David Gordon: Claims that crime is a rational response to capitalism, which emphasises competition and individual gain.
7
Q
Explain Chambliss’ Marxist view on crime.
A
- Chambliss argues that laws protect the ruling class (e.g., corporate laws favouring large businesses) while the working class is criminalised (e.g., harsher penalties for petty theft).
- Statistics: In 2021, 87% of white-collar crime cases resulted in no prison time, while 50% of street crime offenders received custodial sentences.
- Evaluation: While highlighting class bias, critics say it can oversimplify the causes of crime by attributing it solely to economic factors.
8
Q
Explain the concept of white-collar crime.
A
- White-collar crime includes financially motivated crimes by the upper class (e.g., Enron’s accounting fraud), often less visible and less punished than street crime.
- Statistics: The estimated cost of white-collar crime is over £190 billion annually in the UK.
- Evaluation: Highlights class bias but can overlook working-class crime that also harms society (e.g., minor theft leading to significant community distress).
9
Q
Describe Becker’s Labelling Theory.
A
- Becker claims deviance is socially constructed through labelling (e.g., a teenager labelled as a “troublemaker” may adopt that identity).
- Statistics: Studies show that 30% of labelled individuals continue to engage in deviant behaviour.
- Evaluation: Highlights stigma but doesn’t explain why people commit crime in the first place (e.g., motivations for theft beyond societal reaction).
10
Q
Differentiate between primary and secondary deviance according to Lemert.
A
- Primary deviance is minor, often unnoticed (e.g., skipping school), while secondary deviance follows societal reactions, reinforcing a deviant identity (e.g., a student branded as a delinquent becoming one).
- Statistics: 40% of youths labelled as “delinquents” are likely to re-offend.
Evaluation: Emphasises the impact of labelling but may overemphasise its effects on behaviour and overlook personal choice.
11
Q
What is Left Realism’s view on crime?
A
- Left Realism links crime to relative deprivation (e.g., feelings of envy toward wealthier peers), marginalisation (e.g., disillusioned youth), and subcultures (e.g., gang culture).
- Statistics: A survey showed that 45% of people in lower socioeconomic groups felt marginalised.
- Evaluation: Useful for focusing on causes, but criticised for not addressing individual responsibility and over-reliance on statistics.
12
Q
What does Right Realism say about crime?
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- Right Realism argues crime results from individual choices (e.g., choosing to shoplift) and inadequate social control (e.g., ineffective policing), advocating tough policies (e.g., zero tolerance).
- Statistics: In 2020, crime rates decreased by 10% in areas with increased police presence.
- Evaluation: Criticised for being punitive and ignoring the underlying social issues (e.g., poverty) that contribute to crime.
13
Q
Gender and Crime:
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- Male Crime: Men are more likely to commit crime, often attributed to social expectations around masculinity (e.g., toughness, risk-taking).
- Female Crime: Women historically commit fewer crimes, but some theorists suggest their rates are rising due to changes in social roles and independence
14
Q
Explanations for Male Criminality:
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• Subcultural Theories:
- Peer pressure and gang culture contribute to male offending.
• Status Frustration: - Young men may turn to crime to assert masculinity or gain respect. • Opportunity Structures: - Men have more access to opportunities for crime (e.g., workplace theft).
15
Q
Criminal Justice System Bias:
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• Paternalism:
- The system may infantilise women and treat them differently based on traditional gender roles.
• Sexualisation of Women: Female offenders may be judged more harshly if their behavior deviates from femininity.
16
Q
Chivalry Thesis: Pollack
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- The idea that women are treated more leniently by the criminal justice system.
- Less likely to be recorded.
- Less likely to be prosecuted for minor crimes.
17
Q
Critic of Chivalry Thesis: Farrington
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- F & M judged similarly for sim. offences.
18
Q
Gender Class Deal: Carlen
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- Suggests that women commit crimes when they reject the “class deal” (economic stability) and “gender deal” (family life).
- Commit crime as they feel these deals have failed them and as a means of survival or resistance
19
Q
Liberation Thesis: Adler
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- As women gain more equality, their crime rates may rise to match those of men.
20
Q
Control Theory: Heidensohn
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- Women commit fewer crimes due to stricter social controls, particularly within the family and community.
- F are more controlled thus, less likely to be criminal
- private spheres
- patriarchy is a key factor
21
Q
Carol Smart:
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- Highlights the lack of focus on women in criminology and the need for feminist perspectives.
22
Q
Patterns and Trends:
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• Gender Gap in Crime:
- Men are more likely than women to commit violent or serious crimes.
• Types of Crime: - Women are more likely to engage in shoplifting or fraud, while men dominate in violent and property crimes. • Victimisation: - Women are more likely to be victims of sexual violence; men are more likely to be victims of violent crimes involving strangers.
23
Q
What does Heidensohn say about women and crime?
A
- Heidensohn suggests women are controlled by family (e.g., expectations to care for children) and societal expectations, reducing their likelihood of criminal behaviour.
- Statistics: Female crime rates have risen by 17% from 2009 to 2019.
- Evaluation: Critics argue this view is outdated and doesn’t fully explain rising female crime rates (e.g., increased shoplifting or drug offenses).
24
Q
Institutional Racism:
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- Studies like the Macpherson Report (1999) highlighted issues of racism within the police, which may lead to disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities.
25
Q
What is Institutional Racism in relation to crime?
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- Institutional racism refers to discrimination within organisations (e.g., police stop-and-search practices disproportionately targeting ethnic minorities) leading to disproportionate targeting of these groups.
- Statistics: Black individuals are 4 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white individuals.
- Evaluation: Highlights inequality but critics argue it overlooks higher crime rates in disadvantaged areas and does not address the complexity of crime.
26
Q
Globalisation and Crime
Transnational Crime:
A
- Transnational Crime: Globalisation has facilitated new forms of crime like human trafficking, drug trade, and cyber crime, which cross national borders.
- Green Crime: Crimes against the environment, like pollution or deforestation, are increasingly recognised as significant issues.
- State Crime: Crimes committed by governments, such as genocide or corruption, highlight the power of the state to conceal or justify criminal acts.
27
Q
How does globalisation affect crime?
A
- Globalisation enables transnational crimes like human trafficking (e.g., exploitation of migrant workers), cyber crime (e.g., identity theft), and green crimes (e.g., illegal logging).
- Statistics: The International Labour Organisation estimates that 24.9 million people are victims of forced labour globally.
- Evaluation: Important in understanding modern crime but can overlook local criminal issues (e.g., domestic violence, vandalism).
28
Q
Control, Prevention, and Punishment
Situational Crime Prevention:
A
- Aims to reduce opportunities for crime through measures like improved surveillance and environmental design.
- Social and Community Crime Prevention: Focuses on addressing root causes of crime, like poverty and education, to prevent crime at a societal level.
- Punishment Theories: Include deterrence (discouraging crime through harsh penalties), rehabilitation (reforming offenders), and retribution (punishing offenders for wrongdoing)
29
Q
What is Situational Crime Prevention?
A
- Strategies to reduce opportunities for crime (e.g., installing CCTV in public spaces), like improved surveillance and environmental design.
- Statistics: In one case, areas with increased CCTV saw a 50% reduction in property crime.
- Evaluation: Effective for specific crimes (e.g., burglary) but may displace crime to other areas (e.g., moving crime from one neighbourhood to another) or ignore root causes (e.g., poverty).
30
Q
Describe the concept of punishment as deterrence, retribution, and rehabilitation.
A
- Deterrence discourages crime with harsh penalties (e.g., lengthy prison sentences), retribution punishes wrongdoing (e.g., life sentences for murder), and rehabilitation aims to reform offenders (e.g., drug treatment programs).
- Statistics: Recidivism rates are high, with about 44% of prisoners re-offending within a year of release.
- Evaluation: Balances have different goals, but harsh punishments often do not reduce recidivism effectively, indicating a need for more rehabilitative approaches.
31
Q
Crime Statistics and Crime Measurement
Official Crime Statistics:
A
- Gathered from police and government data, though they may under-report crime due to factors like under-reporting by victims or police discretion.
- Victim Surveys (e.g., British Crime Survey): Capture unreported crimes but may miss certain groups, like young people or homeless individuals.
- Self-Report Studies: Ask individuals to admit to crimes they’ve committed, revealing hidden crimes but potentially affected by honesty issues.
32
Q
How does the media distort perceptions of crime?
A
- The media often exaggerates the frequency and severity of violent crimes, leading to moral panic and fear.
- Example: News stories about youth crime or gang violence are over-represented compared to actual statistics.
- Evaluation: This can lead to public pressure on law enforcement, but critics argue it ignores underlying social causes.
33
Q
What is moral panic according to Stanley Cohen?
A
- Moral panic occurs when the media exaggerates a group as a societal threat, causing widespread fear.
- Example: Cohen’s study on Mods and Rockers in the 1960s, where media coverage amplified youth clashes.
- Evaluation: Highlights media influence.
34
Q
What role does the media play in crime representation?
A
A: The media often sensationalises crime, depicting it in a way that prioritises entertainment over factual representation, affecting public perception and fear.
- Example: Crime dramas and reality TV shows often portray police work as straightforward and successful, neglecting the complexities and failures of the justice system.
- Statistics: Research indicates that 85% of crime stories in the media focus on violent crime, while only 15% represent property crimes or white-collar crimes.
- Evaluation: This creates a public belief that violent crime is more common than it is, while white-collar crime (which can be equally or more harmful) remains under-reported.
35
Q
How does the media influence criminal behaviour?
A
A: Media representations can desensitise viewers to violence and crime, leading to imitation behaviours, especially among young audiences.
- Example: Studies have linked violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, to increased aggression and desensitisation toward violence.
- Statistics: A study found that children exposed to violent media are 3 times more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviour.
- Evaluation: While some research supports the link between media violence and real-life aggression, other studies argue that factors like social environment and personality play a more significant role.
36
Q
What is the cultivation theory proposed by George Gerbner?
A
- Cultivation theory suggests that long-term exposure to media content shapes viewers’ perceptions of reality, particularly regarding crime.
- Example: Regular viewers of crime shows may perceive the world as more dangerous than it actually is, leading to increased fear of crime.
- Statistics: Gerbner’s research found that heavy TV viewers were 25% more likely to believe that crime rates were rising.
- Evaluation: This theory highlights the powerful effects of media but may downplay the influence of personal experience and social context on perceptions of crime.
37
Q
What is the hypodermic needle theory?
A
- This theory posits that media messages are directly “injected” into passive audiences, influencing their attitudes and behaviours.
- Example: During the 1930s, the broadcast of War of the Worlds led to panic among listeners who believed an alien invasion was occurring.
- Statistics: Surveys after the broadcast indicated that over 1 million people believed the fictional story to be true.
- Evaluation: While this theory emphasises the potential for media influence, critics argue that it oversimplifies audience engagement and does not account for individual interpretations and responses to media.
38
Q
What is the deviance amplification theory?
A
- This theory suggests that media coverage of deviant behaviour can lead to an increase in that behaviour as individuals seek attention or validation.
- Example: Media coverage of riots can provoke further unrest and violence, as seen in the London riots of 2011, which were heavily covered and influenced subsequent actions.
- Statistics: During the London riots, arrests surged to over 3,000 within days of extensive media coverage.
- Evaluation: While highlighting the media’s role in escalating deviance, critics argue it oversimplifies the complex motivations behind such behaviour.
39
Q
How does social media affect crime?
A
- Social media can facilitate crime (e.g., cyber bullying, human trafficking) and also serve as a platform for crime reporting and awareness.
- Example: Criminals use social media to coordinate illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, by advertising products and services.
- Statistics: A study found that 70% of young people reported witnessing or experiencing cyber bullying on social media.
- Evaluation: While social media raises awareness and connects communities, it also poses challenges in regulation and controlling harmful behaviours.
40
Q
What is the impact of new media on crime reporting?
A
- New media platforms (like blogs and social networks) democratise crime reporting, allowing more voices but potentially spreading misinformation.
- Example: Citizen journalism during events like protests or riots can provide real-time updates but may lack verification.
- Statistics: A study found that 65% of people trust social media for news, but only 35% believe it is always accurate.
- Evaluation: New media increases public engagement but raises concerns about accuracy and sensationalism, complicating the public’s understanding of crime.
41
Q
What are moral entrepreneurs in the context of media and crime?
A
- Moral entrepreneurs are individuals or groups who seek to influence societal norms and perceptions about crime through the media.
- Example: Activists using media campaigns to draw attention to issues like domestic violence or human trafficking, framing them as urgent social problems.
- Statistics: Campaigns can lead to legislative changes; for example, the #MeToo movement resulted in increased reporting of sexual harassment and abuse cases.
- Evaluation: While they can raise awareness, critics argue that their framing may oversimplify complex issues and marginalise less vocal groups.
