Whats Cand D Flashcards
(14 cards)
How is Crime and Deviance is socially constructed: historically
Criminal action and deviant behaviour changes over time. What
was once acceptable may become illegal/deviant
Homosexuality – Deviant and illegal Acceptable
How is crime and deviance socially constructed contextually
Behaviours that are acceptable in certain situations would not be in others
Examples:
* Bikini on the beach V bikini in centre of town
How is crime and deviance socially constructed culturally
What is considered acceptable or rude varies depending on the
culture you are in.
Examples:
• Eating with your left hand in Arab nations is
considered rude.
How is crime and deviance socially constructed age
Some behaviours are acceptable from certain age groups and
some activities are illegal for some age groups.
Examples:
• Age restrictions on certain products
How does material deprivation as a Psychological Explanation explain why people commit crime
BOWLBY - People who are
deprived of a mothers love as a
young infant are more likely to
become juvenile delinquents
which leads to a criminal career
Bowbly eval
- Out of date – mothers are not the
only primary caregivers. - Not all delinquents come from a broken
home
How does Personality Traits as a Psychological Explanation explain why people commit crime
FREUD – Id, Ego and Super-Ego.
Personality is a balance for three
unconscious areas and when
these are out of balance in
favour of the Id, criminal
behaviour occurs as the
individual is controlled by basic
desires
Freud eval
- Lack of empirical
evidence of these
processes. - Suggests that
Criminals lack
control so doesn’t
explain white collar
crime
How does Mental Abnormality as a Psychological Explanation explain why people commit crime
there is some sort of brain damage or
mental illness suffered by criminals, which makes them commit crimes.
Mental Abnormality eval
- Criminals become the victims.
- Hard to prove in some cases.
What did Lombroso do as to the reason biological explanantions are why people commit crime
Went into Italian prisons and measured the facial features of criminals. He suggested that
criminals were a less evolved human and this was shown in certain features such as large
foreheads, big ears, small eyes.
Lombrosso eval
Only looked at criminals who had been caught.
These features could be apparent in noncriminals as well
Genetics as biological explanation as to why people commit crime
The Warrior Gene (MAOA) is present in all humans but in some the gene gets mutated
which has been linked to more aggressive behaviour, risk taking and impulsiveness which can all be linked to criminal behaviour.
genetics eval
We don’t know enough
about how this gene
works yet to
conclusively link to
criminal behaviour.
Excuse for criminal
behaviour.
