21 - Ethnicity and crime

Social construction

the idea that many aspects of our social world such as race, gender and class are not natural but created by social norms and institutions.

CJS (criminal justice system) discrimination

The unequal treatment of individuals within the CJS based on factors such as race, class or gender.

Stop and search

A policing strategy where police stop individuals and search them for illegal items. criticised for being used the most on young black men.

Institutional racism

Racism in institutions such as schools or the police.

Cultural racism

A type of racism where there is a belief that certain cultures are superior to others.

Canteen culture

The informal culture within the police force which may include racism and sexism which is normally overlooked within the group.

Casey report 2023

A report which investigates systemic issues within institutions, mainly looking at discrimination within the police.

Individual racism

Personal beliefs, attitudes or actions that are discriminatory against people based on their race or ethnicity.

Bad apples

Racist individuals within the police force.

Bell curve and IQ test

Ideas that people with low IQ are more deviant and rely on welfare dependency.

“young people and crime”, found that white and black people have very similar rates of committing crimes (44% w and 43% b).

Graham and Bowling

Accused the metropolitan police of being institutionally racist. the report came after the death of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The McPherson report

Suspects the bourgeoisie of systematically setting out to use working class black men as scapegoats for the problems of capitalism.

Hall et. al.

“Canteen culture”

Waddington

Argues that previous stereotypes of Asians are passive and have created a culture of islamophobia since 9/11.

Abbas

“The scarman report” - concluded that within the police force there was the occasional ‘bad apple’. Says its unrealistic to expect there to be no racists in the police as they are a reflection of the population.

Scarman

Argues that minorities face discrimination and are in a worse socio-economic position than whites.

Scraton

Criticise Scraton for ‘romanticising’ crime and failing to see the impact it has on the individual.

Lea and Young

Explains how there is an alternative illegal economy which exists in deprived areas.

Venkatesh

Highlights how sociology has failed to research the relationship between women, ethnicity and crime. And says that female criminals come from the underclass.

Carlen (feminist)

“The bell curve” - believe that people with low IQ rely on welfare dependency and commit more crimes.

Murray and Herrnstein

Says that crimes for young black men become a way of getting back at the society which has rejected them.

Glynn