Crime And The Law #3: Impact Of Crime Flashcards
“Describe in detail those more likely to be victims of crime” (6)
One group that is more likely to be victims of crime is elderly people. This means that they generally don’t have a great understanding of technology which makes them vulnerable to phishing and hacking. Evidence of this is that an older person in England and wales becomes a victim of fraud every 40 seconds according to Age UK (2019)
One group that is more likely to be victims of crime is poor people. This means that they are likely to be reoccurring victims as they cannot afford to pay for expensive alarm systems or public transport and end up walking alone at night. Evidence of this is that in London, Violence, robbery and sexual offences are 2.1 times more prevalent in the most income-deprived 10% of areas compared to the least income-deprived 10%. (Trust for London, 2023)
“Describe, in detail, the consequences of crime on victims” (6)
One consequence of crime on victims is that it could result in them having PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This means that, after someone becomes a victim of serious crime such as assault, they may develop PTSD due to the incident being very stressful, frightening, or a prolonged traumatic event. Evidence of this is that around 50% of rape victims experience long-term symptoms of PTSD. (PTSD UK)
Another consequence of crime on victims is that it could result in their death. This means that the victim may lose their life due to a serious crime. Evidence of this is that the victim Brianna Ghey was killed by 2 of her fellow students.
“Describe, in detail, two consequences of crime for the perpetrators” (6)
One consequence of committing crime for the perpetrators is losing their job. This means that their actions may have an effects on their career and potentially getting released or fired.
Evidence of this is that only 12.7% of prisoners had found work within 6weeks of their release from January to March 2022 (UK).
One consequence of committing a crime for the perpetrators is losing contact with their family/close ones. This means that people close to the perpetrators may distance themselves and/or cut ties with them entirely. Evidence of this is that 45% of prisoners lose contact with their family while in prison. (yss.org.uk 2022)
“Describe, in detail, two consequences of crime on families” (6)
One way in which crime can have an impact on families that children may not see their parent. This means that when a perpetrator is imprisoned, their child may not see them, and it may lead to the child growing up to have issues, such as emotional attachment.Evidence of this is that there are around 310,000 children every year with a parent in prison in England and Wales. (Barnardo’s)
One way in which crime can have an impact on families is that they may be motivated to tackle the issues that affected their family member (the victim). This means that, in serious crimes such as murder, the family of the victim loses them forever and may feel compelled to help protect others from the same fate. Evidence of this is that in 2009, Clare Wood was killed by her ex-boyfriend, and her father was left without his child which motivated him to advocate for the creation “Clare’s law” which helps protect people from domestic abuse.
“Describe, in detail, two consequences of crime on wider society” (6)
One impact of crime on wider society is the economic impact on businesses. This means that businesses can suffer financial losses in the form of stolen goods property damage and lost productivity due to business disruption. Evidence of this is that there were 2.2 million incidents of theft against businesses in the UK in 2020.
One impact on wider society is governments taking legislative action. This means that governments may be put under large amounts of pressure by the public to create laws in response to these crimes. Evidence of this is the Offensive Weapons Act (2019) which restricts the sale of dangerous weapons, created partly due to public pressure to reduce knife crime and gang violence.
“Describe, in detail, two consequences of crime on communities” (6)
One consequence of crime on communities is lower house prices in communities. This means that people become hesitant to move/live in a community that has a high crime rate because it puts them at a higher risk of being a victim of crime and so they will feel unsafe and vulnerable. Evidence of this is that the average house price in Easterhouse last year was £80,834 (Rightmove), which is lower than other areas of glasgow, and this can be attributed to crime rate.
Another consequence of crime on communities is that it may lead to certain groups to become fearful and anxious. This means that, when members of a certain community are victims of crime, other members of the same communities may feel more vulnerable to the same crimes happening to them. Evidenced of this is that the University of Sussex Hate Crime Project found that there were significant impacts on the LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities upon hearing about hate crimes against their communities.
