Society Has A Disorted Perception Of Crime

Question 1

Define the term “moral panic”

Answer 1

The term “moral panic” is defined when society becomes overfearful, anxious, or outraged usually because they believe something is threatening their values of life.

Question 2

Who introduced the term “moral panic” and when?

Answer 2

Sociologist Stanley Cohen introduced the term moral panic in 1972

Question 3

According to the Scottish government sexual crimes have gone up by ___ % since 2021

Answer 3

1%

Question 4

Findings from the 2019/20 SCJS found that ___ % of adults experienced sexual assault since turning 16.

Answer 4

3.6%

Question 5

According to the Norwegian Crime survey by statistics Norway, around __ % of women aged 16 or older reported experiencing a sexual offence, including attempted or completed rape, at least once in their lifetime in 2019.

Answer 5

4%

Question 6

Recent statistics from Scotland show that domestic abuse crimes increased by ___ % between 2021 and 2022

Answer 6

4%

Question 7

The Scottish crime and justice survey found that women are __ x more likely to experience partner abuse as men. _____ % of women compared to _____ % of men

Answer 7

2x, 21.2%, 11.2%

Question 8

Calls to the National domestic Abuse helpline rose by ____ % between April and June 2020 compared to the first __ months of that year.

Answer 8

65%, 3 months

Question 9

What are ‘folk devils’

Answer 9

This is when particular groups (like young people, immigrants, or certain subcultures) are demonized, making them seem like a bigger threat than they really are.

Question 10

In the Uk newspapers dedicate around ____ % of their space to crime stories, with ____ % of those focusing on violent crime, even though violent crime males up only about ____ % of all crime.

Answer 10

30%, 65%, 10%

Question 11

Norway which has the ___ nd highest daily newspaper readership in the world.

Answer 11

2nd

Question 12

Norways newspapers are considered less ___ and more ____ than the press in the UK or US and there’s a clear divide between tabloid and broadsheet press,

Answer 12

Partisan, objective

Question 13

Comparative evidence shows that ____ % of British people are worried about being robbed or mugged compared to only ____ % of Norwegians.

Answer 13

42% of British people and only 31% of Norwegians.

Question 14

What impact did the portrayal of the 2024 Uk riots in the media have on individuals?

Answer 14

The media coverage of the riots in England heightened fears and anxieties among the English population. Despite the intense portrayal of the violence, people in Scotland and Wales didn’t share the same level of concern. Many individuals in these regions remained largely unaffected by the events occurring in England, indicating a disconnect in emotional response to the media’s depiction of the riots.

Question 15

What does the victimisation theory help explain?

Answer 15

The victimisation theory helps explain how personal experiences of crime can lead to distorted perceptions of crime in society. According to this theory, individuals who have experienced victimisation are more likely to perceive crime as prevalent and feel an increased sense of fear and vulnerability

Question 16

In recent years, the Scottish criminal and justice survey has consistently identified drug dealing and abuse as a significant concern, with ____ % of adults expressing this issue as very or fairly common in 2021/22.

Answer 16

45%

Question 17

South Africa has a major problem with violence crime and is ranked ___ th worst overall in violence redacted and is the ___ th worst in terms of safety and security in the global peace index.

Answer 17

10th , 19th

Question 18

Official statistics reveal a decrease in recorded drug supply crimes, as they fell by ____ % from September 2019 to September 2023.

Answer 18

14%

Question 19

South Africa is also rated as the ___ th highest country in the world in terms of its fear of crime rate.

Answer 19

8th

Question 20

What is the labelling theory?

Answer 20

The Labelling theory provides insight into this by suggesting that behaviours aren’t inherently criminal or deviant, but are defined as such when society labels them that way. This means that what is considered a crime depends on who holds the power to create these labels, which is often the government, lawmakers, and other authority figures.

Question 21

What are the societal views on Cannabis?

Answer 21

In the uk Cannabis remains classified as a class B drug making its possession and distribution illegal. However, societal views on cannabis have been shifting over the years with many people pushing for its decriminalisation. For some people, particularly those who see cannabis use as deviant behaviour its illegal status reinforces their perception of it as a serious crime. On the other hand, other people view cannabis as relatively harmless and therefore see its criminalisation as outdated. As more countries including Canada and parts of the US have legalised Cannabis, UK residents are increasingly questioning whether the continued criminalisation of cannabis is an actual harm or part of outdated societal attitudes.