Crime and deviance- Ethnicity

Question 1

Official statistics meaning and stat.

Answer 1

Show ethnic differences in the likelihood of being involved in the criminal justice system.
- blacks 7x more likely than white to be stopped and searched.

Question 2

Victim surveys meaning and stat.

Answer 2

Identifying the ethnicity of the person that committed the crime.
- Offence of ‘mugging’, black people identified more.

Question 3

Self report studies with source.

Answer 3

Blacks and whites have almost identical rates of offending, Asians have much lower rates (Grayham and Bowling).

Question 4

Evaluation

Answer 4

Evidence on offending levels is inconsistent.

Question 5

Policing + source

Answer 5

Phillips and Bowling: found allegations of oppresive policing.
- mass stop and search operations, excessive surveillance - ethnic minorities.
- minorities more likely to think they are over policed and under protected.

Question 6

Stop and search statistics

Answer 6

• Black people 7x more likely to be stopped and searched than whites.
• Asians 3x more likely to be stopped and searched than others under Terrorism Act 2000.

Question 7

Stop and search patterns due to:
1

Answer 7

Ethnic patterns of offending: some ethnic groups are more likely to offend, in low discreion stops, police use victims description of the offender- helps to show reflection and levels of offending.

Question 8

Stop and search patterns due to:
2

Answer 8

Police racism: high discretion stops, police use stereotypes.
Example: MacPherson report, found institutional racism within Macpherson report.

Question 9

Stop and search patterns due to:
3

Answer 9

Demographic factors: young and unemployed members of ethnic minorities.

Question 10

Arrests and cautions + stat:

Answer 10

Arrest rate for blacks is over 3x the rate for whites.
By contrast, once arrested, blacks and asians are less likely to receive a caution. - denying offences?

Question 11

Prosecution and trial

Answer 11

CPS decide if a case brought forward by the police should be prosecuted.
- CPS more likely to drop a case against minorities than whites, black and Asian defendants less likely to be found guilty than whites.
- When cases go ahead, minorities are more likely to elect for a crown court trial by jury than a magistrates court (due to mistrust of magistrates impartiality).- suggest that evidence against minority defendants is weaker (police sterotypes?) However crown courts can impose heavy sentences if they are convicted.

Question 12

Sentencing and prison, source and stat.

Answer 12

Jail sentences given to more black offenders than white or Asians.
Hood: seriousness of offence and previous conviction, black men 5% more likely to be jailed.
- Blacks are 5x more likely to be in prison than whites, black and asians more likely to be serving longer sentences.
- when awaiting trial, minorities less likely to be granted bail.

Question 13

Left Realist overall argument + source

Answer 13

Lea and Young: ethnic differences in statistics reflect the real differences of offending.

Question 14

What do left realists see?:

Answer 14

• Crime as the product of relative deprivation, subculture and marginalisation.
• Racism has led to the marginalisation and economic exclusion of minorities.
• Media emphasis on consumerism also promotes relative deprivation by setting materialistic goals that many members of minority groups cannot reach by legitimate means due to discrimination.

Question 15

Neo-Marxism overall argument + source:

Answer 15

Gillroy and Hall et al: reject the view that statistics reflect reality.

Question 16

Neo-Marxism: Gillroy

Answer 16

The myth of black criminality.
- black criminality is a myth created by racist stereotypes

Question 17

Neo- Marxism: Hall et al

Answer 17

Policing the crisis
- 1970s, British capitalism faced high inflation, unemployment and strikes.
- media driven moral panic by ‘mugging’ by black youths.