Patterns and Trends in Crime: Social Class

Question 1

Sutherland (1949)

Answer 1

argues that criminal statistics show that undoubtedly crime has a high incidence in the lower socio-economic class and a low incidence in the upper socio-economic class

Question 2

Social Exclusion Unit (2002)

Answer 2

reported that many prisoners have a history of social exclusion and thus more like to grow up in care, poverty and have a family member with a criminal conviction

Question 3

Williams et al (2012)

Answer 3

found that many prisoners had run away from home, experiences violence and drugs/alcohol misuse, excluded from school.

their literacy and numeracy levels were also lower than the general population

Question 4

Young (1988)

Answer 4

discussed the ‘myth of the equal victim’ suggesting that certain groups are hit much harder when they become a victim of crime than other groups