Defining and measuring crime Flashcards

1
Q

Why has the definition of crime changed

A

alterations in cultural norms, social norms and moral norms

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2
Q

What is the definition of what constitutes to a crime

A

dependant on time culture and age

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3
Q

Why can crime be difficult to define

A

dependant on the social norms of the current period of time

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4
Q

Were crimes always legal

A

Some were illegal and made legal

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5
Q

What’s an example of a crime that’s now legal

A

Same sex marriage

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6
Q

What’s an example of a crime that used to be legal and now made illegal

A

smoking in public places

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7
Q

Why is smoking no longer permitted in public places

A

harmful effects of 2nd hand smoking

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8
Q

How does culture affect crime

A

Crime is culturally relative

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9
Q

What is cultural relativism

A

Some crimes are legal in certain countries but illegal in others

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10
Q

What’s an example of cultural relativism

A

marriage age in uk is 16 saudi arabia there is no age

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11
Q

Can age effect the definition of crime

A

yeah crime is dependent on the age of the offender

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12
Q

Why would a toddler not be a criminal if they stole an apple

A

they didn’t know they’re committing a crime so won’t be accused of doing so

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13
Q

What age do you become legally responsible for your actions in the UK

A

under the age of 10

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14
Q

Where are crime statistics published in the UK

A
  • uk government
  • police
  • justice system
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15
Q

When were crime statistics first published

A

1805

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16
Q

Why is it useful that crime statistics are published

A

public can look at how crime has trended over time

17
Q

What’s a disadvantage of statistics

A

not always accurate

18
Q

Why are crime statistics not always accurate

A

rely on crime that’s actually reported and recorded by these official bodies

19
Q

Do all crimes get reported

A

Not always

20
Q

What’s it called when crimes aren’t reported

A

dark figure of crime

21
Q

What did Farrington and Dowds 1995 compare

A

statistics between Nottingham and 2 nearby countries

22
Q

What did Farrington and Dowds find

A

crime rates are higher in Nottingham

23
Q

Why were the crimes higher in nottingham

A

police recorded all crimes including petty theft

24
Q

What do offender surveys look at

A

the offender of the crime

25
What do police gain from doing these surveys
better understanding of victimless crime
26
What is victimless crime
When there are no victims involved
27
What's an example of a victimless crime
underage drinking | illegal drug consumption
28
What's an example of a measuring crime survey
offender survey
29
What age group does the offender survey ask
10-25 yrs
30
What did the offender survey ask
- shoplifting - underage drinking - theft - bullying - domestic violence
31
What's a limitation of an offender survey
self reported leading to exaggeration or minimalisation of crimes
32
What's a limitation that offender survey asks about
- Can be biased only look at certain types of crime | - people may only disclose certain types of crime they've committed
33
What do victim survey's ask
questions of the victims crimes
34
Do all victims crimes get reported
Not always
35
Why don't police report crime
They don't deem it worthy
36
Why are victim surveys better
give a better representation of why crimes are committed
37
How many weaknesses are there of victim surveys
2
38
What are the limitations of victim surveys
biased exaggerated or minimised as they're self reported | memory isn't perfect lead to faulty or biased reporting
39
What doesn't the victim survey look at
impersonal crimes which affect more than 1 individual (fraud or white-collar crimes)