Criminology Flashcards
What did David Downes say about criminology?
It is a rendezvous subject
What did Tim Newburn say about criminology?
It is the study of crime, those who commit crime and of the criminal justice system
What did David Garland say about criminology?
It is the product of the governmental project and the Lombrosian project
What is the governmental and Lombrosian project?
The governmental project is a study of the administration of justice e.g. the working of prisons, police and the measures of crime
The Lombrosian project is the study of criminals and non-criminals e.g. what makes a person commit a crime
What is the difference between the Criminal Justice System and Criminology?
CJS - deals with police/policing, legal systems, courts, youth justice and rehabilitation services
Criminology - more theoretically informed and more concerned with types of crime and their causes
What is Actual Bodily Harm?
Any injury which interferes with the health or comfort of the victim
What is the maximum sentence for ABH in a magistrates court?
6 months
What is the maximum sentence for ABH in a crown court?
5 years
What did Lacey (2002) say about crime?
The concept of crime is mostly seen as a legal construction e.g. crime is the breaking of criminal law
What is the realism approach to crime?
Crime is a very real issue
Point of view from victim
Official stats are accurate
What is the social constructionism approach to crime?
Crime is a social construct
Based on cultural values
Official stats aren’t a true reflection of crime
What did Hulsman 1986 say about crime?
Crime has no ontological reality. Crime is not the object but the product of a criminal justice policy
What are the 2 main ways of measuring crime?
Police recorded crime
Victimisation Surveys
Describe the main features of the Crime Survey of England & Wales
Introduced in 1982
Thought to be more reliable than police recorded crime
35,000 adults
2,800 children
Doesn’t include crimes against businesses, homeless people, people in halls of residence and victimless crimes e.g. drugs
What are the 3 categories of criminal offences?
Indictable offences
Summary offences
Either way offences
Describe an indictable offence
Serious crimes e.g. murder, rape, robbery. Can only be tried in front of a jury in a crown court
Describe a summary offence
Minor crimes e.g. motoring crimes. Only needs to be tried by a magistrate
Describe an either way offence
Inbetween category - tried in either magistrate or crown court
What is an issue with police recorded crime?
The dark figure - unrecorded/unreported crime
What are Tim Hope’s critiques of CSEW?
Memory decay Interview conditions Only interview 1 person per household Lying Some people may lack education and find it hard to complete survey
How many homocides were recorded in the UK in 2018?
739
How many rapes were recorded in the UK in 2018?
56,000
What effects does the media have on crime?
They make serious crimes seem more common than they are
What is the media agenda?
Certain crimes are covered more in the media than others as they are perceived to be more interesting
What did Marx say about the media agenda?
The media serves the bourgeoisie
Ideological state apparatus control
What did Fitzgerald et al 2007 say about crime and the media?
Where people get their info on the police - 80% newspapers 80% TV 43% word of mouth 29% media fiction 20% direct experince
What did Chibnall 1973 say about news selection?
A story is newsworthy if it has - Immediacy Dramatisation Personalisation Simplification Titillation - sex sells Conventionalism Structured access - reinforced by those with authority Novelty events - unusual
What is the law of opposites?
The media shows the opposite of what crime stats show-
Emphasis on violence
Risk of crime exaggerated
Over representation of older, M/C victims & offenders
Positive view on police
What is deviancy amplification?
Society labels a group as deviant - the group becomes alienated and adopts the label as their core values - causes more deviance and crime
What is moral panic?
Media presents a crime/event as more exaggerated and causes more fear among society than is needed
Describe Hall et al 1978 theory of moral panic
Media caused a moral panic about muggings. They scapegoated young black males as the criminals
How many territorial police forces are in the UK?
43
What did Bittner 1970 say about the public police?
A defining characteristic of the public police is their capacity to use force
When was the police force formed?
1829
What forms of police existed before professional police?
Individuals were largely responsible for policing and did so voluntarily
What were the concerns when the professional police force came about?
That they would act as another arm of the military
What are the police’s key powers?
Arrests Stop and search of person, vehicles, premises Detain arrested people Use reasonable force Hold these powers on and off of duty
What are some aspects of police culture?
Racism Macho - sexism Conservative outlook Cynical - over stereotyping Good vs. bad mentality
What is private policing?
Security officers
Private detectives
Why has private policing become more popular?
Growth of private property
Financial crisis in public police - shortcomings of private police
International and transnational policing
What are the concerns with the private police becoming more popular?
It’s fragmented
A lack of accountability
A lack of equity - only M/C can afford
What is vigilantism?
Active - e.g. Northern Ireland paramilitary groups
Passive - e.g. neighbourhood watch
What is the crown prosecution service?
Responsible for preparation and trial of offences which appear at court
What is procedural criminal law?
Main purpose to set out powers to enable and constrain law enforcement agencies and to specify pre-trial and trail procedures
What are some examples of law enforcement agencies?
HMRC
Environment Agency
Highways Agency
Security Services
Desrcibe the features of an Adversarial System
Impartial judge - magistrate acts as referee
Competition between advocates
Accused presumed innocent - prosecution have to prove beyond reasonable doubt
Jury/magistrate decide innocent/guilty
Accused has a right to silence & doesn’t have to be questioned
At what age can you be held responsible for a crime in the UK?
10
How does a young persons arrest differ from an adults?
They are legally allowed to have an an appropriate adult present whilst under arrest
Tried in a youth court in front of selected magistrates away from an adult court apart from in certain circumstances
If a young person is found guilty what punishments can be given?
Fines Drug treatment Electronic tagging Community sentencing Curfew orders
What happens if a young person admits responsibility for a non-serious crime?
Given a verbal warning for their offence and for second offence a final warning and a referral to a young offenders team to find the cause of their offending
What are prisons?
A generic term applied to a range of institutions that hold captives. Has a different meaning in US & UK contexts
What are the key issues with prisons?
Mental illness
Drug/alcohol misuse
Inappropriate behaviour
What are the 3 institutions young offenders can be put into?
Secure training centres - private, up to 17 years old
Young offenders institution - 18-20 year olds, get education
Local authority secure children’s home
When were the last people executed in England?
1964
What categories of prisons are there?
A - highly dangerous inmates, maximum security
B - high security with limited internal freedom
C - have a wall/fenced perimeter but more freedom
D - open conditions
What is the UKs prison population?
85,000
What type of people are more likely to go to prison?
Homeless people Unemployed people Family member convicts Reoffenders People taken into care as a child Males Black people
What are the 2 main ways of categorising drugs?
The legal approach
The pharmacological approach
What are some historical policies and attitudes to drugs?
- Legal and not morally condemned
- Morally and legally condemned and medical control
- Criminal justice led approach
What is the pharmacological approach to drugs?
Categorisation of drugs -
Stimulants - ‘uppers’, activate nervous system e.g. cocaine, crack, amphetamines
Depressants - ‘downers’, depress nervous system - reduce anxiety & induce sleep e.g. alcohol
Analgesics - pain relief e.g. opium, morphine, heroin
Hallucinogens - alter perceptions e.g. LSD
What are the different types of drug use?
- Experimental - first times, explore reactions & social use
- Recreational - social use, frequent use but not necessarily dependent or excessive use
- Problem - consumption of class A, dependent, strongest links to offending
What are the drugs legislation offences?
Possession Supplying Import/exporting Possession with intent to supply Production, cultivation or manufacture Allowing for premises to be used for consumption of drugs
Describe the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Divides drugs into 3 categories according to harmfulness
Class C - steroids/tranquillisers
Class B - cannabis
Class A - heroin
How is drug use measured?
Self report studies
Official stats
Academic studies
What laws regarding alcohol exist in the UK?
Children under 5 not allowed alcohol unless on medical orders
16 y/o can buy/consume beer, port and cider in a pub with a meal and with an adult
Children between 5 and 18 may consume alcohol at home
Restrictions on drinking in the street - police can confiscate under 18s alcohol in public places
