Sociologists

Question 1

Social control:

What does functionalist Durkheim believe about control theory

Answer 1

We all share values values in society known as the ‘collective consciousness’
:: law represents the collective beliefs of society.

Question 2

Social control:

What did Hirschi state about durkheims control theory

Answer 2

1) Argued that since criminal/deviant actions benefit a criminal, it’s remarkable how little crime there is.
2) people make rational calculations of whether or not to commit crime

Question 3

Social control:

What does Hirschi state about social bonds?

Answer 3

If one of the four elements of social bonds are weak/broke a person has more to gain from crime :: commit criminal acts

Question 4

Social control:

What are the 4 social bonds Hirschi speaks of?

Answer 4

1) Attachment to others
2) commitment to conformity
3) involvement in conventional activities
4) A belief in the morality and validity of social rules

Question 5

Nature vs Nurture:

What did Lombrosso argue about the nature argument

Answer 5

1) Lombrosso argues that you are born criminal and have criminal genes
2) criminals have certain ‘atavistic features’ characteristic of crime

Question 6

Nature vs Nurture:

Name 3 of Lombrosso atavistic features

Answer 6

• large jaw
• high cheekbones
• hawk like nose
• fleshy lips

Question 7

Nature vs Nurture:

Describe the case of Brian Duggan in the ‘born evil’ argument

Answer 7

• Brain Duggan murdered a 7 year old girl in 1983, and a 27 year old nurse.
• Neuroscientist Dr Kent Kiehl scanned Dugans brain and found he didn’t understand why people cared what he had done
• found a lack of activity in the part of the brain which causes emotions

Question 8

Nature vs Nurture:

What are Gibbons and Jones (1975) 3 explanations of deviancy?

Answer 8

(1) Biological
(2) Psychological
(3) Social causes

Question 9

Nature vs Nurture:

Name an evaluation point of Gibbons and Jones (1975)

Answer 9

All 3 points assume that the cause of deviant behaviour is out of the individuals control, not allowing for free will etc.

Question 10

Nature vs Nurture:

What does Freud argues to support Gibbons and Jones

Answer 10

Early childhood experiences could distort the personality and cause deviant behaviour (defective primary socialisation)

Question 11

Nature vs Nurture:

What does Eysenck (1970) argue to support Gibbons and Jones

Answer 11

Talked of the “neurotic extrovert” -the person that has a personality that can’t respond to training, leading to anti social conduct (psychological problems)

Question 12

Crime statistics:

What does Paul Wiles argue about crime statistics

Answer 12

Quotes the “hidden figure of crime” as only 40% of crimes are reported to the police.

Question 13

Crime statistics:

What does marxists such as box argue about crime statistics?

Answer 13

1) The OCS does not record some crimes such as fraud or corporate crimes (white collar crimes)
2) White collar crimes are often victimless and therefore isn’t reported so doesn’t appear in statistics

Question 14

Crime statistics:

What does feminist Heidensohn (1989) argues about crime statistics

Answer 14

1) Women do not report crimes for fear of reprisals from the criminals themselves
2) Don’t report sexual violence due to embarrassment

Question 15

Crime statistics:

What does Feminists Walklate and Carol Smart argue about crime statistics

Answer 15

When women report rapes it is often them placed on trial and therefore women are less likely to report these crimes.

Question 16

Crime statistics:

What interactionalist study critics crime statistics

Answer 16

The Macpherson Report found that the Metropolitan police were institutionally racist and therefore ethnic minorities were labelled as criminals.

Question 17

Crime statistics:

Why does Mencap (2013) disagree with crime statistics

Answer 17

Found that many crime victims complain that they are not take seriously by the police

Question 18

Crime statistics:

Name an example of a case where undereporting would’ve led to inaccuracy in crime statistics

Answer 18

In 2015 the Rochdale child abuse cases suggests that the police under and misrecord crimes against vulnerable children

Question 19

Crime statistics:
Who made a flow chart illustrating the production of official crime statistics?
What year?

Answer 19

Sanderson (1994)

Question 20

Crime statistics:

What did Short and Nye (1957) find about self report studies? Where?

Answer 20

In the USA, he found no correlation between class and offending whereas court data showed a link, with poor boys being convicted more frequently and treated more harshly.

Question 21

Crime statistics:

What did Graham and Bowling (1995) find about self report studies

Answer 21

They found that all genders and social classes committed although lower social classes admitted to more serious crimes.

Question 22

Crime statistics:

What did Farrington (1997) find about self report studies?

Answer 22

Performed Cambridge study of Delinquent Behaviour of 400 working class boys born in 1953. 
He found by the age of 32 96% had committed at least one of 10 specified offences (Burglary, theft, assault etc)

Question 23

Crime statistics:

Name some questions in Campbell’s (1981) self report study

Answer 23

1. I have ridden a bike without lights after dark
2. I have planned well in advance to get into a house and take things
3. I have smoked dope or taken pills

Question 24

Crime statistics:

What did Farrington (1992) say to positively evaluate self report studies

Answer 24

Self report studies teach about those who develop criminal careers

Question 25

Crime statistics:

What did Cernovich (1985) state to negatively evaluate self report studies

Answer 25

Those who offend are probably least likely to complete surveys

Question 26

Crime statistics:

What does Riley and Shaw (1985) state to negatively evaluate self report studies

Answer 26

Many parents refuse permission for their children to participate

Question 27

Crime statistics:

What do Farrington and Kidd (1980) state about experimentation criticising crime statistics.

Answer 27

They left letters containing money in public places, and found women were as criminal as men and thus challenged the crime statistics.