Crime and deviance Flashcards
what is deviant behaviour?
behaviour that doesn’t perform to society’s expectations, not necessarily illegal
what is a crime
a socially unacceptable action which endangers others and breaks the law
differnce between crime and deviance
deviance isn’t the done thing but doesn’t endanger anyone and isn’t illegal
why is it okay to break some laws and not others?
depends on severity and frequency
minimal effect it has
how are crime and deviance related to time and place
can change severity, eg smoking in a smoking place vs smoking in a non-smoking area
what are formal rules?
they are written laws that guide someone’s behaviour in a social setting
what are informal rules?
unwritten rules that we take for granted, eg queuing
what is social control?
the ways in which a society ensures its members conform to rules
functionalist views about social control?
they believe it is about agreement between people and organisations
what do marxist believe about social control?
its based on the wealthy having power over the lower classes
what is formal social control?
based on written rules
what is informal social control?
enforced by the reaction of others
how do psychologists explain deviance
traits of offenders, such as impulsive behaviour
how do biologists explain deviance?
they focus on the genetics of criminals and how this can lead to antisocial behaviour
what are agencies of social control
they work to stop people commiting crimes and deviant behaviour
examples of agencies of social control (2)
police
government
how do sociologists explain criminal and deviant behaviour?
focus on social factors, such as socialisation and deprivation
how does the labelling theory explain criminal and deviant behaviour
stereotypical looking criminals get fed up of being labelled as criminal so conform to this expectation
how might inadequate socialisation lead to CandD
depends on who you see as a rolemodel and how exposed you are to criminal behaviour
why might unequal life chances lead to c and d
desperation; people commit crimes to try and get the status or money needed for these chances
what are the main sources of data on the extent of crime
official statistics
what is a victim survey/self-report study
when the government asks adults questions about crime so compiles data on it
how far do official statistics measure the extent of crime?
not all crime is discovered, reported or recorded
what is meant by the’social construction’ of official statistics?
biased based on the image they want to project
what is the relationship between crime and age?
criminal activity is more common in young people
relationship between crime and gender
suggests that men are more likely to commit crimes than women
why are crime rates involving women increasing?
changing social position of women and changing attitudes
what is the hidden figure of crime?
the number of unreported crimes committed
explanations for young people getting involved in crime (4)
peer pressure
socialisation
unsupervised time with peers
parent impact
why are men more likely to be criminals than women?
biological differences; men are more likely to be impulsive and resort to violent behaviours
why are ethnic minorities more liley to be stopped by police
stereotypes
what is white collar crime?
when a person you wouldn’t expect commits a crime for money
what impact does crime have on society
impacts on way of life , people often very scared
why are working class more likely to be criminals than upper class
desperation
why is there more crime in urban areas?
larger population
larger inequality
what are the four explanations that marxists have for crime
individual motivation
basis of laws
law enforcement
law creation
how do the basis of laws explain crime
laws are made by the powerful to benefit and protect them
how does law creation explain crime
bourgeoisie impose their beliefs on the rest of the population
how does law enforcement explain crime
different groups are treated unequally in the justice system
laws reflect interests of ruling class
how does individual motivation explain crime
economic self interest, greed and personal gain
what is lambrosso’s biological theory of explanation
criminals have certain characteristics, such as large jaw size
what does Durkheim think about crime
the reaction to a crime helps bind communities together
difference between sociological view on crime and functionalist
functionalists focus on role crime plays in society where sociologists try and explain it
summary of marxist view on crime
people commit crimes because of two reasons: consumerism and competition
what is consumerism?
wanting more and better goods
how does relative deprivation explain crime
people commit crimes to get what they feel they have been deprived from
how does the opportunity structure explain crim
people commit crime because they can’t achieve the socially acceptable goals
how does subculture theory explain crime
different subcultures teach people different things and this can include truancy etc
how does inadequate socialisation explain crime
if we are socialised in a criminal environment to learn to accept criminal behaviours, then we carry this onto adult life
name four reasons for crim
relative deprivation
opportunity structure
subculture theory
inadequate socialisation
what is the master status?
when people are looked at solely on the basis of one act
what are the four factors marxists believe make crime
individual motivation
law enforcement
basis of laws
law creation
what is capitalism?
there is one group that benefits from the rest of society
four functoions for crime according to functionalists
social cohesion
changing values
safety valve
reaffirming boundaries
how does crime affect social cohesion?
when a devastating event happens, the community binds together
how is safety valve a function of crime
deviant acts release pressure in society
how is changing values a function of crime?
an outpour of support from the public can change laws and values
how is reaffirming boundaries a function of crime?
everytime a person is punished it reminds poeple of what they can and can’t do
what is a folk devil?
when a person o group are portrayed as deviant by the media
what is someone’s image
the character projected to the public by the media
what is deviancy amplification?
when the media exaggerates an event
what is a benefit cheat?
someone illegally claiming benefits they aren’t entitles to
what is agenda setting?
the idea that the media control the issues that people think about
what are gatekeepers
people who control the access to information , service and good
what are news values
determines how much coverage an event receives
what are asylum seekers
a person who left their home country as a political refugee
what is an anomie
instability resulting from a breakdown of norms and values
what is deliquency
failure to do what the law requires
what is the structural theory
the idea that society is a framework that promotes solidarity and stability
what are deviant careers?
the process by which an individual comes to accept a deviant self identity
why might a crime not be detected?n
not known about (eg thinking you lost your phone when someone took it)
Why is youth crime seen as a social problem?
these youth grow up to become violent frequent criminals
what is Antisocial behaviour
behaviour that is endangering another person
what is the chivalry thesis
the idea that the legal system is more lenient on women
what is conformity
compliance with laws, norms and values
what is peer pressure?
influence from other people lie the person
why might a victim survey not give an accurate picture of crimes committed?
didn’t know they happened
can be altered by government - bias
how has the government tried to reduce anti-social behaviour?
more cctv
police officers dedicated to this purpose
how has the government tried to reduce racist behaviour?
education in schools
