social construction of crime

Question 1

define crime (2)

Answer 1

crime is illegal and punishable by law with formal punishments for example a murder can result in imprisonment

Question 2

define deviance (2)

Answer 2

deviance goes against the norms and values of society and is punished with informal punishments for example not giving your seat up for an elderly person can result in name calling. crime can be deviant, but not all deviance is crime e.g. homelessness

Question 3

give examples of formal punishments (3)

Answer 3

prisons
fines
community sentence

Question 4

give examples of informal punishments (3)

Answer 4

name calling
judging looks
exclusion from a social group

Question 5

who came up with the idea of a moral panic?

Answer 5

Stanley Cohen

Question 6

what year did Cohen come up with moral panic?

Answer 6

1973

Question 7

what is a moral panic?

Answer 7

media over-exaggerates an event in the media causing fear among the public

Question 8

what does a moral panic lead to?

Answer 8

deviancy amplification

Question 9

Cohen was inspired by…

Answer 9

Mods and Rockers

Question 10

what is deviancy amplification?

Answer 10

When the media exaggerate a crime fear is instilled to the public.

This then leads to a police crackdown as certain groups are targeted.

Harsher punishments are put in place

Law change

Question 11

what is an example of modern moral panic?

Answer 11

terrorism
knife crime
boys in hoodies

Question 12

An example of when culture and circumstance determine if an act is criminal/deviant

Answer 12

Culture: Smoking week in England is illegal but in Dubai death sentence for selling weed, portugal decriminalised

FGM uk and france is illegal and Chad it’s legal

age of consent 16 uk, 14 germany