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Crime Flashcards

(75 cards)

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1
Q

Is crime a social construction

A

Yes, because what is seen as a crime can change over time, place and culture

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2
Q

What is a crime

A

Any act that breaks laws decided by the government , most crimes are deviant

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3
Q

What is deviance

A

Breaking a social norm
(An acceptable way of behaving )

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4
Q

Who argued that people could be born criminal

A

Lombroso

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5
Q

What are functionalists view on crime

A

A small amount of crime or good for society , it enables the criminal to be punished and highlight the correct norms and values to others

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6
Q

What does Albert cohen argue

A

That some people can’t achieve the goals they are told to achieve and suffer status frustration.

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7
Q

What could happen when suffering from status frustration

A

Form subcultures with opposite values of working hard and making money

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8
Q

What does Robert Merton belive

A

That people are socialised to want the American dream , and when they can’t achieve it , suffer strain and anomie , they turn to crime instead to become rich

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9
Q

What is the American dream

A

Anyone can become rich and successful if they work hard

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10
Q

What is deviance amplification

A

With a criminal record or label, People might not accept you , and getting a job may become hard , therefore turning to worse crime

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11
Q

What is moral panic

A

The media exaggerates a story so people belive society is under threat

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12
Q

What are folk devils

A

The deviant group that the mass media targets in moral panics

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13
Q

What is the hyperdemic syringe theory

A

The audience of the media are passive consumers who are directly effected by the media

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14
Q

Desensitised

A

People become less shocked by what they see in the media

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15
Q

What is occupational crime

A

Crime commited against a company , stealing money fraud etc

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16
Q

Reasons white collar crime is undereported /under punished (5)

A

Criminals have higher status , less likely to be suspects

Can afford expensive lawyers

Ruling class influence the law

Fines can be paid easily

Police focused on street crime

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17
Q

Why people turn to crime in the new rights opinion

A

Poor values
Inadequate socialisation

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18
Q

Why do people turn to crime in Marxists options

A

Lack of possession and oppurtunity
Unfairness in society because of capitalism

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19
Q

What is scapegoating

A

Blaming others for society’s problems

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20
Q

The police and media creating more crime through there actions is

A

Deviancy amplification

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21
Q

What did Becker look at

A

Crime and labelling

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22
Q

Ways to measure crime (3)

A

Official statistics
Victm survey
Self report survey

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23
Q

What is selective law enforcement

A

The bias in police against certain groups

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24
Q

What’s anomie

A

When people no longer know the norms of society he they break down, eg riot

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25
What are the legal organisations that enforce the law
Judiciary
26
What is the chilavary thesis
Women are treated more favourably by police and judges
27
Why can official statistics be useful when measuring crime
Examine trends Types of crime Types of offender Cause of crime
28
What are three problems of using official statistics to measure crime
Underecording Underreporting police methods and bias etc
29
What did Durkheim look at (functionalist)
Crime is useful because it reinforces Norms and values to keep people from being anomie
30
What are the Marxists opionions on crime
That the police target working class and over look white collar and corporate crime. (Invisible )
31
What is the new right opinion on crime
It’s the under class and because of there lack of socialisation
32
What is the interactionist opinion on crime
it’s because of labelling , deviancy amplification , master status self fulfilling prophecy etc
33
Name two policing styles
Community policing Zero tolerance
34
Who is most likely to be a victim to a crim
Young black poor male
35
Why are women committing more crime? (3)
Lack of relationship Chivalry thesis Ladette culture
36
What is bedroom culture
Girls are socialised to not engage in crime and deviance and stay inside
37
Why are ethnic minorities more likely to commit crime
In poverty
38
Give three reasons young people commit more crime
Opportunity and time Status Sub cultures
39
What is canteen culture
People in a work place that can develop shared sets of prejudice values (like the police being rasist )
40
What is the strain theory
Pressure to succeed leads to crime
41
What is delinquency
Anti social behaviour by young people
42
What’s the difference between white collar crime and cooperate crime
White collar is offence committed by the middle class in the course of there job whereas corporate crime is committed by big businesses to increase profits
43
What is deviant career
The path a person labelled as a criminal may follow
44
What is in situational racism
An organisations culture and methods of operating are found to be racist
45
What are two ways of uncovering the dark figure of crime
Victim study and self report study
46
What is bias in the police against some social groups
Selective law enforcement
47
What is the zero tolerance style of policing
Severe on small crimes to deter bigger ones
48
What is the culture of poverty
The way of life of the poor
49
What do new right blame the underclasses poverty on
Their culture
50
What is occupational crime
A crime connected to your job
51
Who would be in the underclass
The homeless or very disadvantaged people
52
What is ladette culture
Male behaviour traits in females like drinking casual sex and violence
53
What is the theory that the media has a direct impact on how people behave
Hyperdermic syringe
54
55
How did Albert cohen critique Robert Merton
Failing to explain that crime is committed in groups or subcultures , which reject norms of society and suffer status frustration
56
57
What did Marxist chambliss look at
Two Hugh school gangs, the saints and roughnecks who committed the same delinquent acts but were treated differently by the police due to labelling from police and teachers
58
How what was the outcome of chamblisses study
The saints went on to a successful life and the roughnecks got into more trouble , highlight how police labelling can effect crime statistics
59
Who’s theory explains why social control is why women commit less crime and instead are the victims
Heidensohn
60
What did heidensohn argue
Due to the patricial society, women have less opportunity to commit crime, girls are given less freedom in childhood, will face discrimination in the work place and be closely monitored, so less opportunity to commit white collar crime.
61
Why did Carlin argue that women turned to crime
Poor quality of lives , lacking money and long term relationship , so they broke the rules to live a better life
62
What did pat carlen do
carries out a qualitative study on 39 women and their careers as criminals. Called it crimes of the powerless
63
Example of crime being different in different cultures
USA alchohol buying age is 21, uk is 18 and Saudi Arabia is it illegal
64
Example of norms and values changing over time
Illegal to be homosexual in 1966 to legalise gay marriage in 2014, proves deviance changes over time
65
What proves laws can change social norms
Smoking being banned in public spaces changed people’s views on smoking
66
Functionalist view on the judiciary
Positive way to keep social order and protect people from dangerous individuals. Reminder of behaviour which is why courts are open to public
67
How do Marxists Critise courts
Favouring the rich and powerful and bias against the poor . The nature of courts is intimidating for the working class
68
What would feminists say about the judiciary
Judges are mainly white males middle aged, is social control fair , although female magistrates is increasing
69
What is an example of institutional racism
Stephen Lawrence and the stop and search policy , black people more likely to be stopped than whites people
70
What is an example Durkheim uses to prove crime can be a good thing
The bombings in Paris bought people ogether and strengthened common values
71
What does Charles Murray argue
Underclass and the culture of poverty views crime as acceptable and they are a key cause of crime
72
How does capitalism cause crime
Bourgeoisie use the media and advertising encouraging consumerism , so people who can’t get it legally may turn to crime
73
An example of cooperate crime
Alton towers in 2015 , didn’t provide workers with a safe system and engineers had never seen a handbook on the ride
74
What does Stanley cohen look at
The media can amplify criminal behaviour by the way they record it and cause moral panic , and deviancy amplification , then look for people to blame ( folk devils )
75
How is the media positive in functionalists opinion
Can provide warnings and risks like drink driving to remind people of right and wrong

Sociology (7 decks)

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