Crime

Question 1

Why do working class commit crime? ( 3)

Answer 1

• strain theory - Merton
• labelling theory- Becker
• crimogenic society - Marx - selective law enforcement

Question 2

Why do men commit more crime than women (5)

Answer 2

97% of arrested people are male
- socialisation
-control theory - heidensohn
- chivalry thesis - pollock

Since 1980s higher percentage of women have been arrested
- class + gender deal - Carlen
- liberation theory - Adler

Question 3

Why are black people over represented in prison? (4)

Answer 3

Black people are 6x more likely to stopped and searched
- labelling - Becker
- institutional racism ( Steven Lawrence)
- status frustration - cohen
- class over crime - marx

Question 4

Why do young people commit more crime? (4)

Answer 4

1/2 crimes like theft and burglaries are done by children aged 17-24 years old
- status frustration - cohen
- inadequate socialisation - new right
- drift - matza
- edgework - Lyng

Question 5

Labelling - class

Answer 5

Becker
Rich are moral entrepreneurs they make certain activities criminal and label working class accordingly. This label sticks with item and becomes a master status which leads to self fulfilling prophecy

Question 6

Strain theory

Answer 6

Merton - functionalist
Goals of society are money fame and power which many working class are not able to achieve because they under achieve in school because they suffer from material deprivation.
They rejects means, accept goals, become innovators - and resort to crime

Question 7

Selective law enforcement

Answer 7

Marx
- society is crimogenic, because of capitalism in encourages greed and competition e.g. Salaries. However, rich ensure only crime committed by poor is policed so police officers focus on street crime more than white collar crime.

Statistics are fake

Question 8

Control theory

Answer 8

Heidensohn- feminist
Public
- glass ceiling means they can’t reach top jobs to commit while collar crimes
- curfew in fear of SA means they can’t commit crime at peak times
Private
- bedroom culture - taught to be more nurturing and emotional and stay at nome.
- triple shift - as women they are controlled because they have to look after children, run the household and work so have no time to commit crime

Question 9

Gender and class deal

Answer 9

Carlen
- class deal - independent, get a job
- gender deal - marry a rich man
Residential care
Excitement seeking
D rug taking
Poverty extreme
Women who suffer from these can’t get class or gender deals so have no other option but to resort to crime.

Question 10

Socialisation-gender

Answer 10

Girls are taught to be more emotional caring and kind through toys like dolls whereas boys are encouraged to be aggressive and competitive through toys like guns and tanks

Question 11

Liberation theory

Answer 11

Adler
Women now have more time, education and opportunity than the so are committing more crime

Question 12

Chivalry thesis

Answer 12

Pollock
Men are socialised to see women as more vulnerable and fill the need to protect them by letting them go
Women are 2x as likely to be let off on first offence than women

Question 13

Labelling - ethnicity

Answer 13

Becker
Crime statistics are false. Police hold stereotypes against black people which results in overpainting. Furthermore, black people are aware of this and expect racism when confronted by a police officer so triggers aggression.

Question 14

Institutional racism

Answer 14

Culture, practice procedure are biased against black people for example the Steven Lawrence case where justice was delayed by 12 years and police were trying to cover up their failings.

Question 15

Class over crime

Answer 15

Ethnic minorities are 2x as likely to be unemployed therefore black people just happen to be disproportionately poor so commit more crime because it is the rational decision against capitalism
2011 London riots were in deprived areas that were majority black.