GCSE Sociology - Crime and Deviance Overview

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions and theories related to crime and deviance as presented in the GCSE Sociology lecture notes.

What are agencies of social control?

Groups in society that control and regulate our behavior.

Define anomie.

A sense of normlessness where people feel there are no strict rules, often a cause of crime.

What does the chivalry thesis suggest about the criminal justice system's treatment of women?

It suggests that the system is less harsh on women as they are seen as less likely to be 'bad'.

What is corporate crime?

Crime committed by businesses to make profit for that business.

What is the dark figure of crime?

All crimes that are not witnessed, reported, or recorded by police.

What is deviance?

An act that goes against society's norms but may not be illegal.

What is deviance amplification?

A process whereby the mass media exaggerates the significance of a crime or deviance in society.

What is the difference between formal and informal social control?

Formal social control is enforced by official agencies (e.g., police), while informal social control is regulated by social pressure or agencies like family.

What is status frustration according to Cohen?

Working-class males experience disappointment due to educational and societal limitations and may turn to delinquent subcultures for status.

Describe the strain theory proposed by Merton.

Crime occurs when individuals cannot legally achieve societal goals; Merton identified five reactions: conformity, innovation, retreatism, rebellion, and ritualism.

How does Becker's labeling theory define criminality?

An act becomes criminal or deviant when labelled as such by society, leading individuals to accept this label and potentially spiral into a deviant career.

What does Carlen's feminist theory suggest about working class women and crime?

They may turn to crime due to having less to lose and not conforming to gender or class deals.

According to Heidensohn, how does patriarchy influence women's crime rates?

Women are controlled at home, at work, and in public, leading to fewer opportunities for crime.

What advantages are there in police-recorded crime statistics?

They provide large-scale data for comparing trends over time and between places.

What is a key criticism of victim surveys?

People may not be honest when reporting crimes due to fear or may not realize they have been a victim.

What does the term white collar crime refer to?

Crime committed by middle class professionals, often less likely to be detected.

What is the 'chivalry thesis'?

The theory that women are treated more leniently in the criminal justice system.

What is institutional racism?

Where an organization, like the police, shows racism and discrimination overtly or covertly.

Why might statistics regarding crime and deviance not be accurate?

Bias in the criminal justice system may lead to different targeting of crimes based on social class.

What role does the media play in crime?

The media can amplify deviance and create moral panics around certain crimes.