criminology Flashcards
(32 cards)
what is a white collar crime?
non violent crime committed by individuals in professional positions usually for financial gain (fraud, embezzlement)
why are some crimes unreported?
fear, shame, lack of knowledge, mistrust in authorities
what is moral panic?
when the media exaggerated a threat, causing public anxiety and overreaction (mods and rockers in the 1960s)
give an example of a state crime
genocide (the holocaust), torture by government officials, or war crimes.
what is the difference between personal and social impacts of crime?
personal - trauma, financial loss
social - fear of crime, increased policing, broken communities.
what are the aims of media campaigns against crime?
raise awareness, change attitudes,
name a successful campaign for change
Sarah’s law - allows parents to ask police if someone who has access to their child is on the sex offenders register
what is Lombroso’s theory?
that criminals have have identifiable features, like large jaws, long arms, and big ears, this suggests that they are born criminals.
what is Sheldon’s theory?
body type is linked to criminality
name 3 body types proposed by sheldon and their personality traits
ectomorph - tall and skinny (self-conscious)
mesomorph - muscular (athletic, adventurous)
endomorph - fat (sociable, kind)
which of the 3 somatotypes if most likely to be a criminal?
mesomorph
what are the criticisms of sheldons theory?
ignores social and environmental factors
what is the key idea behind biological theories of crime?
that criminals behaviour is influenced by genetics, brain chemistry or hormones.
what is Eyesnick’s theory of criminal personality?
criminals score high on extroversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism, suggesting they are impulsive and lack empathy.
what is differential theory?
proposed by Sutherland - criminal behaviour is learned from others, especially through close associations.
explain Freud’s psychodynamic theory of crime
crime is linked to an imbalance between the id, ego and superego , weak superego may lead to criminality.
what is strain theory? merton
people commit crime when they cant achieve societies goals (WEALTH) through legitimate means.
what is right realism?
crime is causes by individuals making rational choices, favours zero tolerance and harsh punishments.
what is left realism?
crime is caused by social inequality, relative deprivation, and marginalisation; solutions include community policing.
what is social learning theory?
Bandura’s theory that people learn behaviour, including crime, by observing and imitating others, especially role models like parents.
what is Bowlbys monotropic theory of attachment?
that if a baby doesn’t form an attachment to someone in the first 2.5 years then the child will be affected for life.
what is maternal deprivation?
when a child is deprived of a mother, this can lead to difficulty forming and keeping relationships in later life and struggles connecting with people for the rest of their lives
who is John Massey?
a serial killer who shot a bouncer in a club, went robbing banks for a job when he was younger, who experienced maternal deprivation - could explain why he did it.
who is Phineas Gage?
he had a train track rod through his skull and survived, but his personality changed completely and became aggressive and angry all the time.
