Mods S3 Exam PEEs

Crime Trends - Overall crime

P - One crime trend in Scotland is that overall crime rates have decreased since 2012. 

E- This suggests that we have gotten better at stopping and preventing crimes as security measures are increasing. 

E- For example police statistics show that crime has fallen by 14% since 2012. 

Crime Trends - Sexual crimes

P - One crime trend in Scotland is that sexual crimes are increasing. 

E - One explanation for this is that historical crimes are often being reported later and in 2018 a new sexual crime of disclosing indecent images was created.

E -  For example sexual crimes have increased by 70% since 2013.

Victims of Crime - Young People

P One group more likely to be victims of crime are younger people

E  Young  people are most likely to be the victims of crime as they are surrounded by others their age who are the most likely to commit a crime 

E The Scottish Crime and Justice survey showed that in 2021-2022 16-24 years experienced a 15.4% risk of crime while those over 60 experienced around 5%

Victims of crime - Deprived areas

P One group more likely to be victims of crime are people living in deprived areas.

E  Crime rates are higher in deprived areas such as parts of Dundee and Glasgow compared to more affluent areas like Dunblane and East Renfrewshire. 

E  Those living in the 15% most deprived areas in Scotland were 4% more likely to have experienced a crime in 2021-2022.

Biological causes - Age

P - Young people tend to have higher rates of crime and this could be down to their biology. 

E - Teenagers’ prefrontal cortex are smaller and this makes them less able to control their emotions and more open to risk and peer pressure which can lead to crime. 

E - Evidence suggests that a person’s brain does not develop fully until around 26.

Biological causes - Warrior gene

 P - One reason people commit crimes os the nature argument - they are born bad. 

E - If you have a mutation in the MAOA gene - known as the warrior gene - you become predisposed to violence as you are less able to control your emotions.

E - Criminals are thought to lack empathy or get angry more easily due to the warrior gene. 

Economic causes - Opportunities

P - Theorist Robert Merton argued that those with the least opportunities are most likely to commit a crime. 

E - Due to limited resources and inequality not everyone can achieve wealth. 

E - When people are unable to achieve the goal of wealth they can often turn to illegitimate means such as drug dealing and fraud as an alternative route to success - this is called innovation. 

Economic causes - Deprived areas/ Poverty

P - Deprived areas such as Dundee have higher crime rates which suggests that poverty leads to crime. 

E - People may turn to crime in order to provide for their family. In addition, if crime rates are high in an area then crime may become normalised. 

E - One in nine young men in the most deprived communities in Scotland will spend time in prison before the age of 23. 

Social causes - Lack of education

P-A lack of education can lead to crime.

E- Staying in school can prevent people from committing crime because it increases job prospects and makes crime less appealing. Staying in school can teach you the consequences of crime and helps develops their problem solving skills  

E For example, 59% of prisoners in England and Wales regularly truanted from school but only 5% of the general population.

Social causes - Upbringing and ACEs

P. One social cause of crime is Upbringing and Adverse Childhood Experiences.

E. This leads to crime as if someone has experienced abuse or violence when they were a child they may copy that behaviour as adults

E. For example, 97% of prisoners in the UK have experienced at least one ACE. 

Impact on victims - Physical

P -  One impact of crime on individuals is physical injuries.  

E - -Some ways victims are impacted physically is broken bones, broken nose , cut, 

bruises and lost limbs and paralyzation.

E -the most common injuries experienced by violent crimes is minor bruising or black eye with 60% of victims experiencing this in scotland in 2017.

Impact on victims - Financial

P One way crime impacts individual victims is financially

E- crime impacts people financially because victims might feel as though they have to spend money and adapt their homes to make them feel like there home is more secure.They may also lose money in a burglary 

E- for example the most common value of items stolen in property crime is £100 or less in Scotland in 2017.

Impact on perpetrators - Mental health

P- crime also impacts perpetrators’ mental health

E- prisoners may struggle due to trauma or may feel isolated or violent in prisons, due to being in a small cell for long periods of time.

E-for example between 2017 and 2018 Self harm incidents in Scottish prisons increased by 43% 

Impact on perpetrators - Positive/Skills training etc

P Being in prison can have a positive impact on perpetrators

E While in prison prisoners can receive rehabilitation including anger management courses, skills training and help with addiction. 

E This can make them more employable on release for example in Greenock Prison prisoners can learn how to paint and wallpaper.  

Impact on perpetrators’ families - Financial

P - Prisoners families may experience financial difficulties as result of imprisonment

E -  When a member of a family goes into prison their family might lose their family home, as they are relying on one income and potentially can no longer afford to pay a mortgage or rent. 

E - In addition it may cost money to travel to the prison for visiting or the family member may request money is sent 

Impact on perpetrators’ families - Emotional

P - Having a family member in prison can have an emotional impact.

E - Children will miss their family members dreadfully and the children may  get bullied terribly for having a family member in prison.  They may also miss them from important life events.

E - Children with a parent in prison are twice as likely to suffer from a mental health issue. 

Impact on society - Taxes increase

P - One impact crime has on society is taxes going up. 

E - Crime costs the taxpayer as the police and justice system costs money to run. There are lots of other associated costs such as healthcare and social work related to crime. 

E - For example, in Scotland the average cost of keeping someone in prison for a year is £36,000. 

Impact on society - Fear

P - One impact crime has on society is that it can increase fear. 

E - This is because as crime increases people may become more fearful of becoming a victim. Those in deprived areas are more likely to be fearful of being a victim, as are women. 

E - Those in the 15% most deprived areas in Scotland were 16% more likely to feel unsafe walking alone at night.

Branches of the government - Legislative

Legislative

P = One part of the US political system is the Legislative branch.

E = This is the branch in charge of making and passing laws.

E = The legislation is made up of the House of Representatives and the senate. Together, they are called Congress.

Branches of the government - Executive

Executive

P = Another part of the US political system is the Executive branch.

E = This is the branch in charge of running the country. It implements and enforces the laws passed by the Congress.

E = The executive includes the President Donald Trump and their cabinet.

Participation in politics - Interest group

Interest Group 

P - One way Americans can participate is by joining an interest group

E -  This is a group of people who come together to put pressure on representatives or businesses to achieve a common goal. One way they can do this is through protesitng, 

E - For example, the Black Lives Matter movement campaigned against racial injustice in crime following the death of George Floyd. 

Participation in politics - Join a party

Political Party

P - One way Americans can participate is by joining a political party.

E - The two main political parties in the USA are the Democrats and Republicans.

E - Traditionally, the Democratic party are more liberal and support issues such as same sex marriage and abortion, while the Republicans are more conservative and support low taxation. 

Overrepresentation - Men

Men

P - Males are overrepresented in politics and are more likely to participate.  

E - Politics is often seen as a male dominated field in the USA and males have many role models encouraging them to vote and stand for election. 

E - For example currently 76% of senators are male and the President has always been male. 

Overrepresentation - White people

White people

P - White people are also overrepresented and more likely to participate in politics. 

E - People with higher levels of education and income levels are more likely to run in elections and vote. White people are successful in both of these areas. 

E - Currently over 70% of the House of Representatives are white.

Underrepresentation - Women

P - Females are less likely to participate and are underrepresented. 

E - Women are underrepresented in the Federal Government and therefore there is a lack of positive role models to inspire women to run. There has never been a female president. 

E - Currently women make up over 50% of the population but only 24% of senators are female.

Underrepresentation - Hispanics

Hispanics

P - Participation of Hispanics is unequal due to language barriers.

E- Traditionally, election campaigns are run in English and this prevents some Hispanics from understanding the campaigns.

E - This barrier to Hispanic participation is reducing as many political campaigns have started to produce election flyers and broadcasts in Spanish. 

Rights and responsibilities - Guns

Guns

P - Another right is the right to bear arms and the responsibility is to only use them in self defence. 

E - This means that all Americans are allowed to own a gun, due to the second Amendment, but they have the responsibility of only using the gun to protect themselves from harm. 

E - For example, there are an estimated 120 guns for every 100 people in the US. 

Rights and Responsibilities - Freedom of speech

P - One right is the right to freedom of speech and the responsibility is to only speak respectfully. 

E - This means all Americans have the right to their own opinions and can openly disagree with the government, but they have the responsibility to be respectful in their speech and to always tell the truth. 

E - For example, Americans can have their own opinions but cannot be disrespectful, for example being racist or homophobic. 

Economic power - GDP

GDP

P = The USA influences other countries due to its GDP

E = The USA has the highest GDP in the world with its GDP accounting for about a quarter of the world’s GDP

E = The US dollar is currently the most used currency in international transactions. For example, oil is sold in dollars per barrel.

Economic power - Companies

Companies

P= The US influences other countries though its multinational companies.

E = American companies such as Starbucks and Walmart operate stores all across the world.

E = These companies bring profit back to America. However, Starbucks has been accused of not paying enough tax in the UK. 

Military power - Global firepower index

Global Firepower Index

P = The US influences other countries as it is ranked in the Global Firepower Index as having the most powerful military and therefore is a threat. 

E =  The US military budget is the biggest in the world at about $800 billion.

E = This means that the US military is able to invest in expensive weapons such as nuclear weapons which can be used to threaten other countries. 

Military power - Conflicts

Conflicts

P = The USA also influences other countries by participating in conflicts around the world

E  = The USA can support its allies, potentially helping to deter enemies from launching further attacks, as well as trying to maintain order.

E =  In 2024, US military jets assisted in defending Israel against Iranian missile attacks.

Political power - International bodies

International bodies

P = The USA has a global influence due to its political membership of international bodies.

E = The USA is a member of several international bodies including NATO and the UN through which it influences other countries by making decisions on things such as sanctions.

E = For example the USA is one of 5 permanent members of the UN security council. 

Political power - Tackling global issues

Tackling global issues

P= The USA influences other countries by helping to tackle global issues.

E = The US tries to promote democracy, human rights and other global goals in other countries.

E = For example, Joe Biden attended Cop 27. This was to encourage other countries to support climate change measures. If powerful countries like the US didn’t take part other countries will be less interested.

Causes of economic inequality - Education (African Americans)

African Americans - Education

P = One reason why African American tend to have lower income is due to less educational qualifications. 

E = African Amerians are more likely to leave high school before graduating and are more likely to be excluded. 

E =  Those who have not graduated are less attractive to employees. 26% of those who have not graduated high school live in poverty. 

Causes of economic inequality - Crime (Ethnic minorities)

Race - Crime

P = One economic inequality is low income due to racial differences in criminal convictions. 

E = African Americans are five times more likely to go to prison than white people. 

E =  According to the NAACP a criminal record can reduce the likelihood of a callback or job offer by nearly 50 percent. The negative impact of a criminal record is twice as large of African American applicants.

Causes of social inequality - Racial discrimination in crime

Racial discrimination - Crime 

P = One social inequality is racial discrimination in crime.

E = Black people are more likely to be treated unfairly in the justice system with harsher punishments and more stop-and-searches. This

E = For example unarmed Black people are shot by the police at 3 times the rate of white people.

Causes of social inequalities - Poorer schools

Poorer schools

P = One social inequality that exists is education inequalities due to funding. 

E = Those from poorer backgrounds such as black and Hispanic people tend to have lower levels of education because they often live in poorer areas - the school they go to will be partially funded by property taxes and so will also be less funded in more deprived areas. Schools where a lot of ethnic minorities go may not have the same level of resources than schools in richer areas where a lot of white people go.

E = For example, schools in Greenwich, Connecticut, a richer area, spend $6000 more per pupil per year than schools in Bridgeport, a poorer area in Connecticut.

Government responses - SNAP

SNAP

P = One way in which the government can tackle social and economic inequalities is through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

E = This is where lower income people are given financial assistance for buying a balanced diet. The average SNAP recipient receives $125 monthly in the form of a debit card to help them purchase food. During COVID-19 it was able to change quickly to accommodate a wider range of eligible recipients.

E = However a drawback of SNAP is that people on the program often use the money to buy unhealthier foods higher in sugar, fat and preservatives as healthier foods tend to be more expensive. 

Government responses - TANF

TANF

P = Another way the government can tackle social and economic inequalities is through the program Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

E = This is where low-income families with children under 19 are given cash payments for welfare help. This includes child care, help with transport and mental health support. The funding increased rapidly during COVID-19 with a $1 billion raise announced in 2021. The amount of funding varies across the states. 

E = However a drawback of TANF is that families cannot receive funding for over 5 years. In addition to this, the funding families receive monthly is often not enough to pay rent as well as additional costs and families on TANF often end up in poor housing or even homeless.