Patterns of Crime Flashcards
_____ collect crime stats and the _____ _____ publishes them every __ months.
These can be called _____ ________ as they only show _______ crimes.
a) police
b) Home Office
c) 6
d) social constructions
e) reported
PERSPECTIVES
What is the POSITIVIST perspective on patterns of crime?
Early sociological theories on crime & deviance (particularly ones influenced by functionalism) were based on an uncritical acceptance of the accuracy of criminal statistics.
PERSPECTIVES
INTERPRETIVIST perspective = ________ view rejects _______ of __________ & instead _________ on _________ how they’re _______________.
a) labelling
b) accuracy
c) crime statistics
d) concentrates
e) socially constructed
PERSPECTIVES
What is the MARXIST perspective on patterns of crime?
2
The law & its enforcements reflect ruling-class interests as crimes of the poor are emphasised, whereas immoral activities of the rich are ignored/not defined as criminal.
Statistics reflect these inequalities & use of scapegoating.
PERSPECTIVES
What is the FEMINIST perspective on the patterns of crime?
Crime statistics don’t reflect crime against women which often occur in a domestic setting where police are reluctant to get involved.
Many women don’t feel like they can report these crimes.
PERSPECTIVES
LATE MODERN perspective = In _______, governments _________ & ________ crime so most ________ it was _________.
In _________, there’s more _______ so governments ______ in ___________ to get _______ on crime to better _______ the _____.
a) modernity, controlled, punished, believed, controlled
b) late modernity, uncertainty, engage, risk management, statistics, manage, risk
PERSPECTIVES
LEFT REALISTS see crime as a ____________, especially for the ______.
They favour _______________ in ______ areas as they reveal the _____ for people’s _______ fear of ______.
a) genuine problem, poor
b) detailed victim surveys, local, basis, genuine, crime
METHODS
What is CSEW?
Crime statistics for England and Wales
METHODS
Official statistics - what reasons make people LESS likely to report crime?
(5)
May be seen as unimportant by police Personal nature of the crime Embarrassment Victim may not be in a position to give info Fear reprisals
METHODS
Official statistics - what reasons make people MORE likely to report crime?
(2)
Personal benefit, eg insurance claim.
Faith in police to achieve a positive result.
METHODS
Official statistics
20__, __% of crimes were not ________.
___% of crimes don’t make it to _____.
a) 2013, 57%, reported
b) 80%, court
METHODS
Official statistics - according to Marxists, why don’t the police record everything?
5
Crime isn’t seen as serious enough. Police bias. Victim's social status. Some officers are driven by promotion. Classification of complaint.
METHODS
Official statistics - which crimes are not covered by the CSEW?
5
Crimes with no specific victim. Crimes where victim is a business. Crimes with no victim to interview. Sex crimes. Fraud & cybercrime.
METHODS
Official statistics - why do courts misrepresent crimes?
Plea-bargaining
METHODS
Official statistics - __% _____ pleas in UK, meaning ______ crimes can go _________ - admitting you’ve done something wrong ______ a less _______ sentence.
a) 75%
b) guilty
c) serious
d) unpunished
e) enables
f) serious
METHODS
Official statistics - how does the role of the government/police force interfere with police statistics? (2)
Laws & police response change depending on social attitudes at the time.
It looks like cannabis cases have decreased, but the police force is becoming more tolerant of it.
METHODS
Victim surveys - what are the strengths of victim surveys?
2
Overcomes significant proportion of offences not recorded by police.
Illustrates extent & pattern of victimisation which is missed from official accounts.
METHODS
Victim surveys - what is the British Crime Survey known for?
Being the best known victimisation study.
METHODS
Victim surveys - what are the weaknesses of victim surveys?
4
Recollections might be faulty.
Categorisation of crime is done by person filling in survey, creating inaccuracies.
Despite being anonymous, people under-report sexual assault.
BCS doesn’t collect info under 16s.
METHODS
Victim surveys - what is good about local victim surveys?
BCS doesn’t provide info about certain areas, leading to detailed studies of crime focusing on certain areas with info on specific local problems.
METHODS
Victim surveys - what is an example of a local victim survey and what did it show?
Islington Crime Survey showed BCS underreported high levels of victimisation on minority ethnicities & domestic violence.
METHODS
Victim surveys - how does the media contribute to victim surveys?
Victim surveys are dependent on people knowing they’re victims & media depicts crime & sensitises people towards activity viewed as worth reporting.
METHODS
Self report studies - what are weaknesses of self-report studies? (3)
Validity - people may lie, exaggerate or be mistaken.
Representativeness - most are on young people.
Relevance - majority of crimes uncovered are trivial.
METHODS
Data explosion & risk on society - How has information come to be gathered on wider aspects of crime?
(4)
Unreported & unrecorded offences.
Specialist subcategories of crime.
Hidden crime (eg, white collar crime).
Victim perspectives.
METHODS
Data explosion and risk on society - what is the reason for this?
Changes in late modernity - govts collect statistics to better manage the risk.
METHODS
Data explosion and risk on society - governments participate in responsibilisation. What is this?
Part of risk management is to push responsibility for avoiding victims onto individuals.
PATTERNS OF OFFENDING
Types of offences - what are they?
Give examples.
Property crime - theft 62% of crime in 2000 (BCS).
Violent crime - 20% of BCS reported crime
PATTERNS OF OFFENDING
Types of victims - who are they?
Give examples.
Victims of violence - young males, mostly unemployed.
Victims of property crime - low-income households in poor areas.
Repeat victimisation - 20% of house burglaries experienced it more than once.
PATTERNS OF OFFENDING
Types of victims - who does crime target?
The poor and less powerful.
PATTERNS OF OFFENDING
Types of victims - who does violent crime tend to happen?
People that know eachother.
PATTERNS OF OFFENDING
Types of offenders - who are the most likely types of offenders?
Young and male
PATTERNS OF OFFENDING
Types of offenders - what is the peak age for men and women to commit crime?
Men 18
Women 14
