WJEC Level 3 Certificate in Criminology - Year 12 Revision

Flashcards created to help review key concepts, definitions, and theories for criminology.

Norms are __ rules or socially accepted standards that govern people’s behaviour in certain situations.

specific

Values tell us what is and , good and bad.

right, wrong

Deviance is any behaviour that differs from __.

normal

Criminal behaviour involves actions that are __ by the criminal law.

forbidden

For an act to be considered a crime, it must have both and elements.

actus reus, mens rea

Formal sanctions are imposed by official bodies such as __, __, and schools.

police, courts

Informal sanctions involve reactions from __ to deviance.

society

The legal definition of crime includes two parts: 'actus reus' meaning and 'mens rea' meaning .

guilty act, guilty mind

Strict liability does not require __, just the wrongful act itself.

mens rea

In self-defence, the use of force is considered lawful as long as it was __.

reasonable

According to Lombroso's Theory, criminals can be identified by their __ features.

distinctive

Sheldon identified three somatotypes related to criminality: __, __, and __.

endomorphs, ectomorphs, mesomorphs

Twin studies indicate that the higher the concordance rate between twins, the more likely there is a __ link to criminal behaviour.

genetic

Adopted children may be compared to their __ parents to assess the influence of genetics on criminal behaviour.

biological

According to Merton's Strain Theory, innovation refers to achieving society’s goals through __ means.

illegal

Subcultures provide alternative status hierarchies that can lead to __ actions.

delinquent

Marxists argue that law enforcement serves to maintain __ between social classes.

inequality

Interactionist theories argue that crime is a social __ based on meanings and labels.

construct

The __ theory explains how the police's selective enforcement creates crime statistics skewed towards working-class individuals.

labelling

Right realists emphasize that crime occurs due to __ choice, weighing risks against rewards.

rational

Left realists highlight the importance of addressing and to reduce crime.

inequality, marginalisation

Social changes, such as rising awareness of issues like drink driving, lead to stricter __ and police enforcement.

laws

Clare’s Law allows individuals to inquire if their partner has a history of __ violence.

domestic

The Equality Act of 2010 combined laws on discrimination against race, sex, age, and __.

disability

Cultural changes towards LGBT rights have resulted in legal improvements like __ and the Gender Recognition Act.

same-sex marriage

The __ Act made it illegal to discriminate based on race, colour, or national origins.

Race Relations