Crime And Law Flashcards
Explain I detail two reasons why some people commit a crime as a result of economic issue (6)
An economic cause of crime is greed. Individuals may commit a crime due to greed as they may have a selfish desire to possess more material goods or live a life that they cannot afford. For example in 2022 Fiona Barclay stole £100,000 from Manchester City Football club to pay for her wedding she had worked in business development for the club
Another economic cause of crime is unemployment can lead to financial strain,poverty and economic instability. Individuals who experience financial difficulties may resort to illegal activities in order to meet their basic needs . For example a study by Essex University in 2019 found that 1% decrease in unemployment caused the auto theft rate to fall by 3.8% and a decline of 2.8% in the burglary rate
Describe in detail two biological factors that can cause crime (4)
A biological cause of crime is sex. Men have higher levels of the hormone testosterone than women which makes them historically more aggressive and prone to higher risk-taking as such men dominate violent crimes such as murder and serious assault.for example in 2022 the officer of national Statistics (ONS) reported that in the last 3 years 93% of those convicted of homocide in the UK were men
A biological cause of crime is the warrior gene (MAOA). Research has suggested that individuals with this genetic variant may have an increased predisposition towards impulsive and aggressive behaviour especially when provokes or challenged. For example men with the warrior gene were found to be 13 times more likely to have a history of violent behaviour
Explain in detail two reasons why some people commit crime as a result of social issues (6)
A social cause of crime is upbringing and having a lack of nurture. Individuals who grow up in a household with family members involved in crime are themselves more likely to become involved in crime. For example the BBC reported that the individuals with adverse childhood experiences were 15 times more likely to commit an act of violence and 20 timed more likely to end up in prison
Another social cause of crime is peer pressure. This is when people are influenced by their peers to engage in activities they may otherwise wouldn’t have. Negative peer influence and are in involvement in delinquent social networks can significantly impact and individuals likely hood of engaging in criminal activities. For example re cent studies have suggested that peer pressure plays a key role in many young people joining criminal gangs in Glasgow
Describe in detail two consequences of crime on victims (4)
A consequence of crime on victims is that they may experience emotional trauma. If a victim has been subject to a serious or violent crime it could lead to a range of health issues such as anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia , relationship problems and depression. For example in 2022 the ONS found that 21.1% of adults who had been the victim of a crime suffered from depression this compares with 12% of people who have not been the victim of any crime
Another consequence of crime on victims is a physical consequence. Crimes such as acid attacks can have a devastating physical impact on victims and can change their appearance. This may lead to mental health issues and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For example in 202 17 year old Modinat Raji was attacts with a is in London which resulted in severe burns to her face.
Describe in detail two consequences of crime for the perpetrators (4)
A consequence of crime on perpetrators is that they may suffer from guilt or shame as a result of their actions. Some offenders may develop symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and may experience intrusive thoughts related to the crime they committed. Some perpetrators may also turn to substance abuse or addictive behaviours as a way to cope with the negative psychological impact of their actions
Another consequence of crime on perpetrators is that they can lose contact with their family and friends. Being sentenced to prison as a result of committing a crime will affect their relationships. This could lead to increased feelings of isolation and entail health issues which could hinder the offenders rehabilitation. In addition perpetrators may be disowned by their friends and family due to the stigma of having committed a crime.
Describe in detail two consequences of crime on families (6)
A consequence of crime on families is that they may suffer from grief and bereavement. The strain of knowing what happened to their family member could result in. Distress and have a negative impact on their mental health. For example the father of Paige Doherty, Jon Bothwell , suffered from depression after his daughter’s murder and died in 2018, his family stated that he had died of a ‘broken heart’.
Another consequence of crime on families is that they may have to care for their family member if they have been severely injured or disabled in an attack. This may result in family members taking time off work or potentially becoming a full time carer which could put an additional financial strain on the family. For example after being paralysed in an attack by her ex-boyfriend, Angel Lynn required her parents to give her round-the-clock care this meant they had to dedicate a large proportion of their time to helping care for her.
Describe in detail two consequences of crime on communities (4)
A consequence of crime on communities is that it may lead to people moving away from the area. Individuals who live in an area of high crime may choose to to leave the area as they do not want to live in an area of high crime and may be fearful they will become a victim of crime themselves. The desire of people to leave areas of high crime may lead to house prices in the area decreasing as potential homebuyers also do not wish to live in the area.
Another consequence of crime on communities is that the local area can gain a negative reputation. This may mean that local businesses may want to relocate or leave the area. People including business owners may start to stereotype individuals from these areas leading to lack of opportunities. This will limit employment opportunities which may lead to increased unemployment.
Describe in detail two consequences of crime on the wider society (4)
A consequence of crime on the wider society is that it is very expensive for the government. Crime can result in lost revenue for the government. For example HMRC reported that the UK loses approximately £16 billion a year due to tax fraud. This money that the government could potentially spend on the country’s priorities such as health and education.
Another consequence of crime on the wider community is that the UK Government must spend more money on the prison system. Increases in crime rates result in an increased demand for more prison places being built. In 2022 the UK Government announced that they were investing £500 million to create thousands of new prison places. This means that money had to be diverted from elsewhere to pay for this.
Describe in detail two ways in which the police have tried to tackle crime (6)
The police have tried to tackle crime in the UK by using CCTV. This allows the police to record the actions of the public and helps to identify and charge more offenders. For example The College of Policing reported that CCTV let to a statistically statistically significant decrease in crime. Overall crime was found to have decreased by 13% in places with CCTV compared to those without
Another way police have tried to tackle crime is through their use of stop and search. Stop and search powers enable the police to search individuals who they suspect of carrying a weapon, stolen goods or illegal drugs. This can help the police target areas or individuals where crime is an issue to help confiscate dangerous or prohibited items
Describe in detail two powers of the police (4)
A power of the police is stop and search. Stop and search powers enable the police to search individuals who they suspect of carrying a weapon stolen goods or illegal drugs. This can help the police to target areas or individuals where crime is an issue and help to confiscate dangerous or prohibited items .
Another power of the police is the power to search md potentially seize goods. Police can be granted a warrant which allows them to search property to aid their investigation. As part of this they are permitted to seize prohibited items such as weapons or drugs or items relevant to their investigation such as laptops or mobile phones. For example in 2023 Police Scotland confiscated a significant amount of firearms during a search in Maryhill Glasgow.
Explain in detail two reasons why the police in Scotland are effective in tackling crime (6)
The police in Scotland are effective in tackling crime due to their used of early intervention strategies to try and prevent crime. This may include community policing such as officers in Scottish secondary schools. This gets young people use to a police presence and reduces criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in local communities. This is effective because young people may be more likely to report criminal activity having established a relationship with the police officer.
Another reason the police have been effective is that their presence can help to reduce and prevent crime. Visible police patrol can reduce crime but only if it is targeted ion crime ‘hot spots’ where crime is concentrated. A review in 2019 found that police visibility in crime hot spots can be effective at reducing crime as 62 out of 78 studies included in the review reported that crime in the locations targeted with increased police presence when compared to areas which were not targeted.
Explain in detail why the police are not effective in tackling crime (6)
The police are not effective in tackling crime as hate crime figures have been rising in recent years. Sexual orientation aggravated hate crime is the second most commonly reported type of hate crime in Scotland after racial hatred and has seen yearly increases since 2015. For example the number of charges reported increased by 2% in 2022-23 to 1,884. This suggests that the police have not been effective in tackling the upward trends in hate crime.
The police have also not been effective in tackling crime as they have received criticism for not doing enough to protect women and ethnic minorities in the UK. A report into the Metropolitan police in 2023 found it to be institutionally sexist racist and homophobic. The murder of Sarah Everard (committed by a Met police officer , Wayn Couzens) and the subsequent police response at a vigil held by a women in London has resulted in increased criticism that the police have not been successful in keeping women safe. For example a Yougov poll in 2023 found that only 41% of women and 37% from ethnic minority backgrounds said that they trusted the police. This suggests they have not been effective.
Describe in detail two ways in which the government has tried to tackle crime (4)
A way that the government has tried to tackle crime is by making drink driving limits clearer by reducing the maximum limit. This means that there should be fewer road traffic accidents, deaths and injuries. For example people are less likely now to drink at all if driving now that the legal limit has been lowered from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol in every 100ml of blood.
Another way that the government is trying to tackle crime is by introducing initiatives such as the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU). This was established in order to tackle violent crime in Scotland and aimed to use a public health approach to tackle all forms of violent behaviour. The introduction of this initiative saw a fall in violent crime in Scotland for example when it was launched there was 137 homicides in Scotland in 2022 this had fallen to 52
Explain in detail why the governments response to crime has been ineffective (8)
The governments response to crime has been ineffective as despite the governments focus on reducing violent crime via the Violent Reduction Unit and community Initiative to reduce violence (CIRV) violent crime still occurs . Non-sexual crimes of violence in Scotland have increased in the last decade with the BBC reporting that violent crime had risen by 10%. This suggests that the government has not been wholly effective in tackling violent crime as it has been increasing.
The government has also been ineffective in tackling crime as despite introducing initiatives to tackle alcohol related crime, this remains high. The government have introduced a range of measures such as Minimum Unit pricing the Country 14 campaign and the lowering of the drink drive limit to counteract the harmful impact of alcohol and its link to crime. A report by Alcohol Focus Scotland found that 41% of prisoners ans 60% of young offenders were drunk at the time of their offence. This would suggest that the government has more to do to tackle alcohol related crime in Scotland.
Describe in detail two different ways that Scottish courts can punish people (4)
Courts can punish people by convicting criminals and sending them to prison. The Sheriff Court can sentence someone for up to 5 years. However if the Sheriff feels this is an insufficient penalty then they can refer the case to the High Court where a life sentence is possible.
Courts can also punish people by issuing a community payback order. People subject to a CPO can be ordered to carry out between 20 and 300 hours of unpaid work this scan be completed in their free time if they are full ti8me or part time work. For example in 2023 offender Sean Hogg was given a CPO with 270 hours of unpaid work after being found guilty of rape.
