Ethnicity and Crime Flashcards
What are the two viewpoints of ethnicity and crime?
Ethnic minorities are more likely to commit crime than the white majority
Ethnic minorities are not more criminal - victims of stereotyping and institutional racism
What are left realists views on ethnicity and crime?
Left realists argue ethnic minorities do commit more crime
What can’t police racism explain high levels of?
Cannot explain higher levels of crime than Asian people and most crime and criminals are reported to the police
What are black people more likely to experience?
Relative deprivation and/or marginalisation
Why are ethnic minorities more likely to experience relative deprivation?
Because they experience marginalisation which can lead to unemployment causing relative deprivation
Why are ethnic minorities more likely to be marginalised?
Because they experience racism and are more likely to be unemployed and deprived with no clear goals and lack opportunities leading to society pushing them out
Why might ethnic minorities experiencing marginalisation lead to higher levels of crime?
May lead to higher levels of crime such as non-utilitarian crime because they express their resentment and frustration of marginalisation through violence
What is deviancy amplification?
Police action pushed youths into gang violence as a form of defiance against unjust police action
What are the criticisms of left realists views of ethnicity and crime?
Neo-Marxist Gilroy argues that black criminality is a myth
Neo-Marxists also argue the higher levels of crime among ethnic minority groups reflects institutional racism within the police rather than actual higher levels of crime
What do right realists argue leads to ethnic minorities committing more crime?
Lack of male role model in many black families
Why do right realists argue lack of a male role model leads to higher levels of ethnic minority crimes?
Because they turn to criminal role models to get ‘tough love’ they lack at home
When can the police use stop and search?
Can use stop and search when they have reason to believe and individual is suspicious of criminal activity
Why are ethnic minorities more likely to be stopped by police?
More likely to be stopped than white people because stop and search alienates black communities resulting in deviancy amplification
Police are also more oppressive toward ethnic minorities
Why does stop and search support Cicourel’s view that the police hold an image of the typical delinquent?
Supports Cicourels view because many ethnic minorities come from low income, WC backgrounds meaning they are more likely to for the typical delinquent image and therefore be targeted
Why would left realists be concerned about the overuse of stop and search?
Would be concerned about the overuse against particular communities because they would argue it’s ineffective and doesn’t build trust with the community causing them to not report crimes causing more stop and search
