crime & law

Question 1

describe the control room division within the police

Answer 1

each police headquarters and divisional station has a control room. Both police officers and civilians work in the control room. These offices receive 999 calls and emergency calls. The staff in the control room make decisions about what action needs to be taken.

Question 2

describe the scenes of crime officers division within the police

Answer 2

when a crime has been committed criminals may leave behind traces that could lead to their detection. Scenes of crime officers look for these clues eg fingerprints and hair and gather evidence for testing

Question 3

describe the traffic department division within the police

Answer 3

Traffic departments have many responsibilities including dealing with accidents, escorting emergency cargoes escorting VIPs and dealing with motor offences.

Question 4

maintaining law & order

Answer 4

This means the police will be visible in the community and can respond to reports of crime. For example officers on patrol arrest a man they witnessed breaking into a block of flats in kincorth

Question 5

public protection

Answer 5

police will take action to protect people at large public events or protect citizens from threats to their safety. For example police officers accompanied black lives matter protest as they held a rally in Glasgow 2020

Question 6

crime prevention

Answer 6

police will take actions to deter people from committing crime or help people avoid being victims of crime. For example armed officers are on patrol at all of Scotland’s airports to deter terror attacks

Question 7

detecting criminals

Answer 7

police will investigate reports of crime & try to find those responsible. For example the FBI use a fingerprint identification system which holds records for 73 million criminal subjects.

Question 8

identify two or more categories of crime

Answer 8

crimes of dishonesty
non - sexual crimes of violence
road traffic offences

Question 9

describe crimes of dishonesty

Answer 9

Crimes of dishonesty include housebreaking, theft, shoplifting, fraud. For example bank card fraud is the most common type of fraud with 30% of fraud being bank card fraud.

Question 10

describe non - sexual crimes of violence

Answer 10

Non sexual crimes of violence include murder/ homocide, attempted murder, and serious assault. For example there were 121 homicides in 2019-2020 in Scotland

Question 11

identify three groups which are more likely to commit crime

Answer 11

young people
males
from deprived areas

Question 12

explain why younger people are more likely to commit crime

Answer 12

Young people are more likely to commit crimes. This means teenagers can be faced with peer pressure, this may make them commit a crime to escape bullying. They may get involved in many crimes like vandalism, shoplifting or breach of the peacr. For example the peak age for committing crimes is 19-20 for men and 26-30 for females.

Question 13

explain why men are more likely to commit crime

Answer 13

Men are more likely to commit crimes. Some people believe that this is because from a young age boys are encouraged to be aggressive and tough therefore are more likely to be involved in crime, they also have higher levels of testosterone. Almost all (80%) violent crime is committed by men. For example only 10% of rioters in London in 2011 were female

Question 14

explain why men are more likely to commit crimes

Answer 14

Men are more likely to commit crimes. Some people believe that this is because from a young age boys are encouraged to be aggressive and tough therefore are more likely to be involved in crime, they also have higher levels of testosterone. Almost all (80%) violent crime is committed by men. For example only 10% of rioters in London in 2011 were female

Question 15

explain why those from deprived areas are more likely to commit crimes

Answer 15

those from deprived areas are more likely to commit crimes. A lack of facilities can lead to boredom so they turn to crime for a thrill. Areas with high levels of longterm unemployment high crime rates. The majority of crime happens in the city areas and areas with poor quality housing. For example 72% of female offenders have no qualifications whatsoever.

Question 16

identify reasons why people commit crime as a result of biological issues

Answer 16

Warrior.gene
Mental illness
Sex/gender
Brain injuries

Question 17

Explain why people commit crimes as a result of biological issues ( warrior gene)

Answer 17

The MAOA gene has been nicknamed the ‘warrior gene’ due to its links with aggressive behaviour. Psychopaths are often found to have this gene which leads to impulsive behaviour and violent tendencies. For example those with this gene are 13 times more likely to have a history of violent behaviour

Question 18

explain why some people commit crime as a result of a biological issue ( mental illness)

Answer 18

people may commit crime as a result of mental illness. This means many people with mental health problems can end up in the criminal justice system. When looking a t the link between metal health and criminal activity a persons self esteem and ability to handle stress are related to the chances of them displaying criminal behaviour. For example from October 2019- September 2020 31% of perpetrators of domestic homicide were affected by mental illness.

Question 19

identify 5 reasons why some people commit crime as a result of social issues

Answer 19

poor role models
peer pressure
geography
lack of education
alcohol and drugs

Question 20

explain why some people commit crime as a result of social issues
( Alcohol and drugs)

Answer 20

some people commit crime as a result of alcohol and drugs. This might lead to crime because excessive drinking has the ability to lower inhibitions, impair judgement and increase aggression. Prolonged drinking largely increases the risk of committing a violent crime. For example in Scotland in 2011 50% of prisoners reported that they were drunk at the time of their offence.

Question 21

explain why some people commit crime as a result of social issues
(lack of education)

Answer 21

some people commit crime as a result of a lack of education. This means if someone doesn’t do well in school and doesn’t gain any basic qualifications their future choices are really limited. Then they will find it difficult to get a job with a decent pay and may turn to crime to make money. For example half of all prisoners in Scotland are illiterate

Question 22

explain why some people commit crime as a result of social issues.
( geography)

Answer 22

Some people commit crimes as a result of their local environment. This might lead to crime becauseamy people who live in deprived areas have little money, nothing to do and poor quality of housing.Poorer areas are more likely to have crime than wealthier ones, this also may be because wealthier areas have more crime prevention measures in place. For example crimes such as alcohol and drug abuse are committed regularly in deprived areas

Question 23

identify 4 reasons why people commit crime as a result of economic issues

Answer 23

greed
strain theory
unemployment/ social exclusion
Poverty

Question 24

Explain one reason why people commit crimes as a result of economic issues
(poverty)

Answer 24

one reason people commit crime as a result of economic issues is poverty. this may lead to crime because people who live in poverty may struggle to get basic things like food and clothes so they steal to be able to meet basic needs. They may also steal to be able to pay for their addiction to drugs/ alcohol. For example Calpol is the most stolen baby product in London.

Question 25

one reason why people commit crimes as a result of economic issues is greed

Answer 25

One reason why people commit crimes as a result of economic issues is greed. This means people commit crime out of our greed. This may be because they live in deprived areas and want to buy things they can’t afford or they may have money but just want more. For example a lot of crimes linked to greed are white collar crimes.

Question 26

describe one consequence of crime on perpetrators
(separated from families)

Answer 26

One consequence of crime on perpetrators is that they are separated from their families. This means they will not be able to see their family except for occasional visits, as a result parents may loose touch with their children and relationships can be ruined. For example a teen named sadam killed someone at aged 15 and got life in prison and lost bonds with some of his friends

Question 27

describe another consequence of crime on perpetrators
( will struggle to get a job once released)

Answer 27

One consequence of crime on perpetrators is that they will struggle to get a job once they are released from prison. This means many employers will not consider someone with a criminal record for a position at their work place so those with a criminal record will find it difficult to get a job. For example in March 2023 the percentage of prisoner leavers who were employed 6 months after their release was 23%

Question 28

describe one consequence of crime on victims
(affected mental health)

Answer 28

One consequence of crime on victims is that their mental health may be negatively affected. This means victims of anti - social behaviour may suffer extreme emotional and mental distress after what happened to them. For example it was found that 71% of victims of home robberies feared to leave their house because they were scared that it would happen again

Question 29

describe one consequence of crime on families
( grief)

Answer 29

one consequence of crime on families is that they will experience grief. This means that after someone has been murdered those left behind will experience grief, loss but also anger. They may be unable to get back to work so they’d lose out financially. Children may also struggle to cope which could affect their school work and impact their chances of gaining good qualifications.

Question 30

explain another consequence of crime on families
(trauma can affect the victim and has a knock on effect on families)

Answer 30

Victims of assault will be traumatised and suffer flashbacks and mood swings. Family members would then possibly stop working to support them and ensure they don’t self harm, young siblings may also be affected

Question 31

describe a consequence crime on communities
( Won’t be attractive for new businesses to set up)

Answer 31

One consequence of crime on communities is that areas with high crime won’t be attractive for new businesses to start up in. This means businesses won’t want to take the risk of their premises being broken into or vandalised. This reduces the jobs available in the area making it more likely that people will turn to crime to make ends meet. For example the crime rate in Hunslet Leeds is 615 crimes per 1000 people so business will be reluctant to set up there.

Question 32

describe a consequence of crime on communities
( people will be frightened to leave their homes)

Answer 32

one consequence of crime in communities is that if there is a lot of crime/ anti social behaviour in the local area people might be frightened to leave their homes. This means people may be afraid to be away from their property incase it gets vandalised or broken into. This could affect their social life or stop parents from taking children to clubs/ activities. For example in Bransgore in 2023 people are so scared to leave their homes they say “their children are afraid to go outside and can’t even walk at night because they are frightened to be shot”

Question 33

describe a consequence of crime on wider society
(NHS)

Answer 33

one consequence of crime on wider society is that it costs the NHS a lot of money to deal with victims of crime. This means that when the NHS is struggling to meet the needs of patients, waiting times are increasing and some expensive treatments for diseases like cancer cannot be funded on the NHS. For example it costs the NHS over £300 million a year treating victims of knife and gun crime

Question 34

describe a consequence of crime on wider society
( reputation)

Answer 34

one consequence of crime on wider society is that high levels of crime can impact a city or country’s reputation. This means that areas that suffer from vandalism and arson look rundown and unappealing. This then affects people’s views of the city/ country and perhaps reduces its chances of welcoming new residents. This then has negative effect on the overall economy. For example in 2024 Luton was named the worst place to live and as of April 2024 in Luton the violent crime rate is 94% of the national crime rate.

Question 35

describe a consequence of crime on victims
physical

Answer 35

One consequence of crime on victims is that their physical health may be negatively affected. This means those who experience terrorist attacks may lose limbs and those who are assaulted may have life changing injuries affecting their quality of life for the rest of their life. For example 14 year old Shannon Morgan has her jaw held together by wire after she was punched and kicked whilst walking home from school