Ethnicity, Crime & Justice

Question 1

What do Victim surveys do?

Answer 1

Victim surveys ask individuals WHAT CRIME they have been VICTIMS of. More specifically, they ask victims to IDENTIFY the ETHNICITY of the person who committed a crime against them.

Question 2

Victim surveys show that a great deal of crime is intra-ethnic. For example, British Crime Surveys showed ….

Answer 2

That 90% of crimes where the VICTIM was WHITE, AT LEAST ONE OF THE OFFENDERS was also white.

Question 3

According BOWLING and PHILLIPS, evidence suggests what? (Limitation of crime, over identifying…)

Answer 3

According to Bowling and Phillips, evidence shows that WHITE VICTIMS may ‘OVER-IDENTIFY’ blacks - saying the offender was black even when they are not sure.

Question 4

Why are victim surveys not representative enough?

2 weaknesses/reasons

Answer 4

1) They only cover PERSONAL CRIMES- personal crimes only make up a fifth of all crimes
2) They EXCLUDE the UNDER 16s - MINORITY GROUPS contain a HIGHER PROPORTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

Question 5

Another reason why Vicitm surveys are unrepresentative? (M.c)

Answer 5

It excludes crimes BY and AGAINST organisations - they tell us nothing about the ETHNICITY of white collar and corporate crimes

Question 6

Self-report studies Graham and Bowling found that blacks and whites had very similar rates of offending. What’s their stat?

Answer 6

43% - blacks in offending rates

44% - whites in offending rates

Question 7

Self-report studies What are they

Answer 7

Studies that ask people to DISCLOSE their own DISHONEST and VIOLENT behaviour

Question 8

Self-report studies Sharp and Budd, like Graham and Bowling found very similar rates in offending for blacks and whites. What are the stats for drugs?

Answer 8

Both blacks and whites 16%, 5% of Asian males

Question 9

Disadvantage of Self-report studies?

Answer 9

Inconsistent with the victim surveys and official stats

Question 10

Advantage of victim surveys? (2)

Answer 10

To an extent, identifies the ethnic patterns of offending

Good for showing how a great deal of crime is intra-ethnic

Question 11

Why is the evidence on ethnicity and offending inconsistent?

Answer 11

Because official stats and Victim surveys point the likelihood of higher rates of offending by blacks, but this isn’t reflected in the self-report studies.

Question 12

The important & alternative sources of stats for ethnicity and offending?

Answer 12

1) Victim SURVEYS

2) Self-report STUDIES