crime and deviance

Question 1

5 formal agents of social control+ how they control society

Answer 1

• government: through the houses of parliament they legislates to control behavoir
• police: enforce the law
• judiciary (court system): decide how to punish criminals
• penal system: different ways law breakers can be punished and controlled
• the army: defends a country may also be called in to prevent large scale law breaking

Question 2

how is behaviour controlled in schools?

Answer 2

• rules written down
• positive+negative sanctions eg. praising, detentions
• not wanting to disappoint teachers you like

Question 3

functions of penal system?(4)

Answer 3

• prevent crime
• reform offenders
• punish criminals
• keep public safe

Question 4

methods of punishment(8)

Answer 4

• asbos eg. banning from an area
• community service eg. clearing graffiti
• corporal punishment eg.whipping
• death penalty:captital punishment:killing
• tagging:controls where you are
• fines:financial puniishment
• prison sentancing:loss of freedom for a set time
• probation:offered supervision instead of prison

Question 5

types of crime reports?(3)

Answer 5

• official statistics
• victim surveys
• self report studies

Question 6

how may official statistics many not be accurate?(4)

Answer 6

• people may not always know a crime has taken place
• may not always be report:people may think police can do anything/may be embarrassed
• may not always be recorded: police may decide a crime isnt important enough to record, lack of evidence.
• police operate differently in different places:may not record ‘petty theft’ in areas of high crime

Question 7

problems with victim surveys(4)

Answer 7

• the information given may not be accurate:relies on memory/they may forget key details
• may not want to admit to crimes like sexual and domestic
• people under 16 aren’t interviewed
• it’s generalised picture as crime is different in every culture

Question 8

positives of self report

Answer 8

questionairre: people are more truthful,more anonymous, human element removed, increases valididity:doesnt matter whether crime has been recorded or not

Question 9

positives of victim surveys

Answer 9

removes problem of non reporting/recording crime

Question 10

example of victim survey?

Answer 10

British crime survey

Question 11

positives of official statistics

Answer 11

cheap,easy available,up to date

Question 12

problems with self report?

Answer 12

• people are reluctant to take part bc they dont want to be asked about their criminal activity
• those who take part may lie
• not representative of all crimes: