Crime: Causes

Question 1

Social causes of crime

Answer 1

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), alcohol/drug abuse, peer pressure

Question 2

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) example

Answer 2

People with ACEs are 20 times more likely to be incarcerated at some point in their life than people without ACEs

Question 3

Alcohol/drug abuse example

Answer 3

In the 2019 Scottish Prison Survey, 40% of prisoners said that they were under the influence of alcohol/drugs while they committed their offence. A further 16% of prisoners said that they committed their offence to fund/feed an addiction

Question 4

Peer pressure example

Answer 4

Peer pressure is the leading cause of crime for 15-17 year olds

Question 5

Poverty/deprivation example

Answer 5

More than 70% of Niddrie residents are on benefits and their crime rate is 69% above the national average

Question 5

Economic causes of crime

Answer 5

Poverty/deprivation, greed, unemployment

Question 6

Greed example

Answer 6

Former SNP MP Natalie McGarry was jailed for embezzling more than £25,000

Question 7

Unemployment example

Answer 7

Easterhouse and Castlebrae have some of the highest unemployment rates in Scotland as well as some of the highest crime rates

Question 8

Biological causes of crime

Answer 8

Mental health, biological sex, brain development/age

Question 9

Biological sex example

Answer 9

96% of people in Scottish prisons are male

Question 10

Brain development/age example

Answer 10

From 2022, judges in Scotland are required to consider rehabilitation rather than jail for young people as evidence shows that their brains are not fully developed

Question 11

Mental health example

Answer 11

Aaron Campbell was labelled a psychopath by experts after murdering 6 year old Alesha MacPhail