Measuring crime Flashcards
Define the term ‘crime’.
A legal wrong that can be followed by criminal proceedings, which may result in punishment.
Define the term ‘deviance’.
Behaviour which is disapproved by most people in society as it doesn’t conform to shared norms and values.
Give examples that show how crime and deviance is relative.
Gay marriage, jay walking, drinking under 21.
What are police recorded crimes?
Official statistics recorded by government bodies and collated by the Home Office and ONS once a year.
What do functionalists think about police recorded crimes?
See that the authority are reliable so do not question their motives or ability to produce representative results.
What do the New Right think about police recorded crimes?
They trust the picture of a typical criminal and blame crime on those with a poor social background and socialisation.
What do left realists think about police recorded crimes?
They recognise that police statistics aren’t perfect but appreciate the mix of different methods to collect data.
What 2 things may some feminists think about police recorded statistics?
1) They accept the idea that women are criminalised less than men due to the imbalance in levels of social control enforced on them.
2) That crimes against women are underrepresented.
What do Marxists think about police recorded statistics?
That it is a tool used to control the working class and justify their oppression.
What do Interactionists think about police recorded statistics?
Recognise the inaccuracy through police labelling and crime statistics being a social construction.
What do radical criminologists think about police recorded statistics?
They focus on the power of the police and their political motives that unfairly judge ethnic minorities.
What are the advantages of police recorded statistics?
Easy to access, show patterns and trends and are exact measurements (not estimates).
What are the limitations of police recorded crimes?
Victims may not report crime, it doesn’t provide a complete picture and public pressure may effect.
What are victim surveys?
A survey questioning those who claim to have been victimised by a crime.
What year did the CSEW start surveying?
1982
What ages can respond to victim surveys?
Since 2009, 11 years plus can participate.
What is the response rate like for victim surveys?
75%
What are the advantages of victim surveys?
Shows inaccuracy of police recorded crimes, is more detailed, shows the Dark Figure of Crime through sexual and domestic abuse cases.
What are the limitations of victim surveys?
Victimless crimes aren’t included, child victims aren’t included and are not that representative.
What did Young say about the Dark Figure of Crime in victim surveys?
There is hidden crime within victim surveys also, as not all ages or types of crime are included.
What are self report studies?
`Surveys questioning those who claim to have committed a crime themselves.
What are the advantages of self report studies?
Shows petty crime is more prevalent, uses mixed methods and have validity in longitudinal nature.
What are the limitations of self report studies?
People may withdraw statements, relies on memory and crime definition is subjective.
What is a study that shows self report studies are longitudinal?
‘The Cambridge Study’ (Farrington et al) that followed boys age 8 to 32 and assessed the rates of crime among them as they grew up.
What is a study that shows self report studies are qualitative?
‘The Jack-Roller’ (Shaw) that used unstructured interviews to build up a ‘life story’.
What is a study that shows self report studies are quantitative?
‘The typical criminal’ (Campbell) that shows the image the police recognise as a typical delinquent is inaccurate.
