Lecture 7 - Language & Crime

Question 1

Briefly explain the role of language in FP.

Answer 1

Language is a medium of law and a topic.
The law is written down and we adhere to the letter of the law’, turning behaviour into language that fits the category of crime.

Question 2

Identify and define the 3 main concepts in language and crime.

Answer 2

Stylometry - linguistic style, written language
Idiolects - own unique way of writing ‘linguistic fingerprinting’.
Spoken language - voice recognition, earwitnesses:
- Naive= ordinary ability
- Technical Speaker Identifaction

Question 3

Using evidence from Horvath et al 2012, describe the role of language, culture and crime.

Answer 3

Found an overlap in the content of convicted rapists talk and the contents of contemporary lad mags.
The framing of such content in mags may normalise it for young creating a dangerous culture instilled in society.

Question 4

Briefly describe the construction of crime.

Answer 4

“Killer Nuns” - category and activity that do not fit, put together by language.
Lexical analysis (selection of words) Connotation (what word carries with it) Inference & Transivity.
-Where
-Agent/Nominalised (no agent)
-Main Clause & Subclause

Question 5

What difficulties are there when asking the Q What Happened?

Answer 5

It is difficult to objectively describe what happened as language gets in the way.

Ehrlich 2002 - looking at sexual assault trials, the difference between victim and perpetrator accounts omit agency and how the crime was committed. Down to jury to choose what account/language they believe.