patterns of the social distribution of crime and deviance

WJEC essay plans for the patterns of social distribution of crime and deviance

age and crime

age and crime

younger people (15-21) commit more crimes. impulsivity, lack of foresight, and susceptibility to peer pressure can contribute to youth crime rate. older criminal activities focus more on white-collar crimes and cybercrimes. Moffitt; link between adolescence-limited offenders and life-course-persistent offenders, could explain pattern of criminality across age groups.

ethnicity and crime

ethnic disparities in crime rates. accuracy must be scrutinised due to potential issues of differential policing against specific ethnic minorities. Macpherson report; institutional racism in the Met police, disproportionate rate of stop and searches against against black and minority ethnic groups. Rex; highlights association between ethnicity, social deprivation, and crime.

gender and crime

males are more likely to commit crimes, especially violent crimes - Heidensohn. trad gender roles and norms contribute to this pattern. Feminist criminology; trad law enforcement ‘malestream’ bias, stereotypes women as less likely to commit serious criminal offences. Heidensohn and Silvestri - double deviance; women are judged for not only their crimes, but for breaking trad gender norms.

geographical location and crime

crimes vary from rural to urban areas; urban areas have higher crime rates. Concentration of poverty, unemployment, and social deprivation in urban areas contributes to high crime rates. rural crime hidden, underreported, or considered less serious. Gilling and Neville; ‘rural idyll’ is a myth, rural crime is a social and policing problem that needs recognition.

education and crime

lower levels of education correlates with higher crime rates, especially in young people. school exclusion increases criminal behaviour, perpetuates cycle of deprivation and crime. Willis ‘lads’ anti-school subculture lead to self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. Bowles and Gintis hidden curriculum; education system perpetuates social class disparities, subsequently influences crime rates.