Unit 2 - AC1.1 - Crime and Deviance

Question 1

What is the social definition of crime?

Answer 1

Behaviour or an activity that offends the social code of a particular community

Question 2

What was Mower’s definition of crime?

Answer 2

“An anti-social act”

Question 3

What was Blackburn’s definition of crime?

Answer 3

“Acts attracting legal punishment […] offences against the community”

Question 4

What’s the legal definition of crime?

Answer 4

“An act (or sometimes a failure to act) that is deemed by statute or by the common law to be a public wrong is therefore punishable by the state in criminal proceedings.”

Question 5

What is the ‘Actus Reus’?

Answer 5

The guilty act of the offence

Question 6

What is the ‘Mens Rea’?

Answer 6

The guilty mind/thoughts behind the offence

Question 7

What is strict liability? Give an example

Answer 7

Where the defendant has the ‘actus reus’ but no the mens rea - Food and hygiene regulations

Question 8

Under the legal defences what are the two reasons why a person wouldn’t be found guilty?

Answer 8

Insanity and Self defence

Question 9

What does insanity mean under the legal defences?

Answer 9

A defense based on the idea that the defendant was unable to understand what he was doing

Question 10

What does self defence mean under the legal defences?

Answer 10

Reasonable force to defend themselves or another

Question 11

Why is crime difficult to define under the social definition?

Answer 11

Crime is defined differently in different societies and at different times

Question 12

Why is crime difficult to define under the law definition?

Answer 12

It’s problematic because it isn’t a scientific discipline, there are many ifs and buts.

Question 13

What is a formal sanction?

Answer 13

Sanctions that are officially recognised and enforced by an authority to promote and encourage social norms and values.

Question 14

Give 4 examples of court-based formal sanctions:

Answer 14

Custodial sentences, Community service, Fines, Discharge

Question 15

Give 3 examples of non court-based formal sanctions:

Answer 15

Cautions, Condtional cautions, Penalty notices

Question 16

Name 3 criminal acts:

Answer 16

Offences against property, Offences against people, Homicide

Question 17

Name 3 types of offences against property:

Answer 17

Burglary, Theft, Criminal damage

Question 18

What are the maximum sentences for Burglary, Theft, and Criminal damage?

Answer 18

Burglary: 14 years custodial sentence
Theft: 7 years custodial sentence
Criminal damage: 10 years custodial sentence

Question 19

Name 3 types of offences against people:

Answer 19

Assault and battery, Actual bodily harm, Grievous bodily harm (with intent)

Question 20

What are the maximum sentences for Assault and battery, Actual bodily harm, and grievous bodily harm (with intent)?

Answer 20

Assault and Battery: 6 months custodial sentence
Actual bodily harm: 5 years custodial sentence
GBH(with intent): Life sentence

Question 21

What are the three types of criminal offences?

Answer 21

Summary offences, Either way offences, Indictable offences

Question 22

Name three examples of summary offences:

Answer 22

Low level motoring offences, minor criminal damage, Common assault

Question 23

How will summary offences be punished?

Answer 23

They can only be tried in a Magistrates’ court and normally carries a maximum sentence of 6 month’s imprisonment or a £5,000 fine.

Question 24

Name three example of either way offences:

Answer 24

Theft, Assault and GBH, Possession of controlled drugs

Question 25

How will either way offences be punished?

Answer 25

Depending on the level of seriousness of the crime it will either be trialed in Magistrates' court or Crown court.

Question 26

Name three examples of indictable offences?

Answer 26

Murder, Rape, Possession of a firearm

Question 27

How will indictable offences be punished?

Answer 27

Because this is the most serious category of offence, the maximum sentences are long. Many cases carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and they must first appear before the Magistrates' court and then the Crown court.

Question 28

What is the definition of deviance?

Answer 28

Any violation of what society considers 'acceptable behaviour'. Deviant behaviours go against social norms, moral codes, and social values.

Question 29

What is a social norm? Give an example

Answer 29

Social expectations that guide behaviour and explain why people act in the way they do - Wearing shoes in public

Question 30

What is a moral code? Give an example

Answer 30

Morals or good ways of behaving. Breaking a moral code would be considered serious in society - Intentionally hurting someone

Question 31

What are social values? Give an example

Answer 31

Rules shared by most people in a given culture. It's what people feel should happen, they are more general guidelines and ideas than normal behaviours - Being respectful and polite

Question 32

What are the 4 important social values highlighted by the Government?

Answer 32

Mutual respect and tolerance, Individual liberty, Rule of law, Democracy

Question 33

What are the three types of deviant behaviour?

Answer 33

Admired behaviour, Odd behaviour, Bad behaviour

Question 34

Give an example of admired deviant behaviour:

Answer 34

Civil rights protestors/Risking your own life to save others/Runing a 100 mile ultra-marathon

Question 35

Give an example of odd deviant behaviour:

Answer 35

Living with 50 cats/ Walking round barefoot/Not brushing your teeth in the morning

Question 36

Give an example of bad deviant behaviour:

Answer 36

Murder/Theft/Sexual assault

Question 37

What are the difficulties in defining deviance?

Answer 37

The norms can vary between different societies/cultures and can vary at different times

Question 38

What sanctions are there for deviance?Give examples:

Answer 38

Informal sanctions - Frowning or giving someone a dirty look, Name calling, Socially excluding people

Question 39

Name three offences that are criminal but not deviant:

Answer 39

Illegally streaming or downloading media content, A 17 year old having an alcoholic beverage, Speeding a few miles over the limit

Question 40

Name three offences that are criminal and deviant:

Answer 40

Murder, Sexual assault, Theft, Assault, Drink driving, Hate crime

Question 41

Name three offences that are not criminal but are deviant:

Answer 41

Walking around barefoot, Picking your nose in public, Not brushing your teeth in the morning, Living with 50 cats

Question 42

Name 3 similarities of crime and deviant behaviours:

Answer 42

-Both tend to receive some sort of negative sanction/punishment -Both tend to be viewed negatively by the majority of society -They are similar as neither are fixed, what is considered criminal and deviant is constantly changing over time and across cultures

Question 43

Name 3 differences of crime and deviant behaviours:

Answer 43

-The type of sanction they receive usually differs - crimes receive formal sanctions and deviance receives informal sanctions -They differ primarily in their definitions -The level of severity and harm - crime tends to be more severe than deviance