T1) Social construction of crime✅

Question 1

What’s the definition of crime?

Answer 1

An act that breaks the law that is punishable formally

Question 2

What does actus reus mean?

Answer 2

Guilty act

Question 3

What does means reus mean?

Answer 3

Guilty mind

Question 4

List 3 consequences of crime

Answer 4

Custodial sentence
Community sentence
Fines

Question 5

Define deviance

examples?

Answer 5

An act that is against societies norms , resulting in disapproval from majority, informal punishment

pushing in a queue, murder, shouting at. a funeral

Question 7

What’s a moral code/mores?

Answer 7

norms set in society of good ways to behave

Question 8

What are values?

Answer 8

Rules shared by most ppl and guidelines ppl follow specifically in a given culture

Question 11

What is meant by the term “moral panic”?

And who came up with the term?

Answer 11

A sense of fear and panic created by the media as a result of exaggerated reporting. Cohen came up with this term

Question 12

What was the example given by Cohen in relation to the media over reporting an incident?

Answer 12

Mods & rockers (1960s in Clacton)
He witnessed the battle happen however when he read about it in the newspaper it wasn’t what acctually happened , in fact it was reported worse and so he wrote a book addressing this matter

Question 13

Why does moral panic have a negitive impact on those involved ?

Answer 13

It creates “self-fulfilling prophecy” and “deviancy amplification”

Question 14

Define “self fullfilling prophecy”

Define “deviancy amplification”

Answer 14

1. “Sfp” = ppl constantly feel degraded and judged as others see them as bad ppl so they live up to and self fulfill this label
2. DA= media makes a targeted group worse then they are , they become targets for police and stereotypes for public hate
   Puts pressure on gov. To crack down

Question 15

What’s the process of deviancy amplification? (3 steps)

Answer 15

Crime -> media -> action (law change , harsher punishments)

Question 16

Give one example for each; formal and informal sanctions

Answer 16

Formal= prison

Informal=told off by someone

Question 17

What are “folk devils”?

Answer 17

Group targeted by a moral panic - media demonises them

Question 18

What are 3 causes of moral panic?

What can moral panic acctually lead to

Answer 18

1. Media perception
2. Police stereotype
3. Exaggerated reporting on the severity of situations

Could lead to an increase in crime rates as a result of a lot of social disapproval and exclusion

Question 19

What does “coercive control” mean?

Answer 19

If you harm someone in an extrenuous circumstance eg they were abusing you, your custodial sentence will be shortened - mitigating factors