Social Distribution of Crime SH - 2

Crime Statistics

Data that provides information about the occurrence and characteristics of criminal activity.

Sources of Crime Statistics

Different methods used to collect data on crime, including police recorded crime, victim surveys, self-report surveys, court and prison records, and police caution records.

Police Recorded Crime

Crime data that is based on crimes reported to and recorded by the police.

Victim Surveys

Surveys conducted to gather information from individuals about their experiences as victims of crime.

Self-report Surveys

Anonymous questionnaires in which individuals are asked to admit to committing crimes, whether or not they have been caught.

Unreported Crime

Crimes that are not reported to the police by victims.

Reported but Unrecorded Crime

Crimes that are reported to the police but not officially recorded in crime statistics.

Dark Figure of Crime

The difference between the actual amount of crime that occurs and the amount that is officially recorded.

Social Construction of Crime Statistics

The idea that crime statistics are influenced by social factors and can be manipulated or biased.

Institutional Racism

Systemic patterns of discrimination and bias within institutions, such as the criminal justice system, that disproportionately affect ethnic minority groups.

Labelling Theory

The perspective that individuals and groups are labelled as deviant or criminal by those in power, which can influence crime statistics and perceptions of crime.

Culture of Resistance

A response to oppression and discrimination that can lead to protests, demonstrations, and acts of resistance, which may be labelled as criminal.

Canteen Culture

A set of values and attitudes within the police force that may include racism, cynicism, and a thirst for action, which can influence patterns of stop and search.

Institutional Racism in the Criminal Justice System

The idea that the criminal justice system as a whole is biased against ethnic minority groups, resulting in higher rates of arrest and imprisonment.

Stop and Searches

Only a small number of stop and searches result in arrests.

Ethnic Minorities and Stop and Search

Ethnic minorities are more likely to be stopped and searched by white people, but this is not due to racism. It is because ethnic minorities tend to be young, live in cities, and be in areas with a larger police presence.

CAGE Factors

The CAGE factors (age, gender, ethnicity, and social class) can help explain why ethnic minorities are more likely to commit crime. For example, young ethnic minority males living in inner cities may experience relative deprivation, marginalization, and subcultures that contribute to higher crime rates.

Institutional Racism

The CJS (Criminal Justice System) is argued to be institutionally racist, as evidenced by the highest dissatisfaction with the police among young people, black suspects, and those living in poor areas. However, some argue that this view is not accurate in the present day.

Triple Quandary Theory

Toney Sewell's Triple Quandary Theory suggests that African Caribbean boys commit more crime due to factors such as feeling rejected by society, forming subcultures or gangs for support, and being influenced by media that promotes consumerism and mistreatment of women.

Gender and Crime Statistics

Official statistics show that men commit more crimes than women, with 80% of crime being committed by men and 96% of the prison population being men.

Chivalry Thesis

The chivalry thesis suggests that women are treated more leniently by the criminal justice system due to its male dominance. Evidence for this thesis includes women being less likely to receive a sentence for a first offense compared to men.

Non-Sociological Explanations for Gender Differences in Crime

Biological explanations argue that women tend to be less violent and aggressive than men. Psychological explanations suggest factors such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or different personality traits.

Functionalist Sex Role Theory

This theory argues that gender differences in crime are influenced by the socialization of boys and girls, with boys overcompensating for the lack of a father figure and exhibiting exaggerated masculinity.

Feminist Control Theory

This theory suggests that male-dominated patriarchal societies control women more effectively than men, making it difficult for women to break the law. Women are controlled in the home, in public, and at work, leading to lower crime rates among women.

Control theory

Women in poverty face stricter controls than men, limiting their opportunities to commit crime.

Class deal

The exchange of work for money to live comfortably and enjoy life.

Gender deal

The exchange of love, companionship, and domestic work for a partner and financial support.

Liberation thesis

Argues that women are "playing catch up" with men in terms of committing crime.

Ladette culture

Media portrayal of a culture characterized by binge drinking, fighting, and going out.

Triple quandary

Concept that explains the challenges faced by black working-class youths in terms of opportunities in school and the job market, leading them to join gangs and commit crimes.

Masculinity as a social construct

The idea that masculinity is an accomplishment that men constantly work at presenting.

Accommodating masculinity

The concept that men from different backgrounds have to adapt their masculinity to fit societal expectations.

Strain theory

Deviance is a result of the strain caused by the structure and culture of society.

Subcultural theory

Individuals who are unemployed due to lack of job opportunities may join subcultures where crime is prevalent.

Illegitimate opportunity structure

The existence of criminal subcultures that provide opportunities for economic gain.

Capitalism as criminogenic

The argument that capitalism promotes competition, greed, and selfishness, leading to crime.

Dual class consciousness

The idea that individuals have an awareness of both their working-class and middle-class identities.

Labelling theory

The process by which individuals are labelled as deviant and how this affects their future behavior.

Broken window theory

The theory that visible signs of disorder and neglect in a neighborhood can lead to an increase in crime.

Rational choice theory

Women in poverty may commit crimes as a rational decision to improve their living conditions due to low qualifications and weak family attachments.

AO3

Evaluation:

undefined

The process of critically assessing a theory or argument.

undefined

Mooney argues that there is "not a single scrap of evidence" linking lone-parent families to crime, highlighting the lack of empirical evidence in this area.

undefined

AO1

Control theory:

undefined

A sociological perspective that examines why individuals refrain from committing crimes.

undefined

Control theory suggests that individuals who have strong commitments to conventional activities such as work, family, and education are less likely to engage in criminal behavior.

undefined

AO2

Hirschi:

undefined

A criminologist who proposed the social bond theory, which states that individuals with weaker social ties are more likely to engage in criminal activities.

undefined

Hirschi argues that working-class people have fewer social controls in their lives, making the costs of committing crimes lower for them compared to middle-class individuals.

undefined

Commitment:

undefined

A bond that pulls individuals away from criminal behavior and towards conformity, involving a strong dedication to conventional activities.

undefined

Commitment to work, family, and education can reduce the likelihood of engaging in criminal activities.

undefined

Attachment:

undefined

A bond that pulls individuals away from criminal behavior and towards conformity, involving strong emotional connections to the people around them.

undefined

Attachment to family, friends, and other social relationships can discourage individuals from engaging in criminal activities.

undefined

Belief:

undefined

A bond that pulls individuals away from criminal behavior and towards conformity, involving a strong belief in the moral code of law and respecting the rights of others.

undefined

Having a belief in the importance of following the law and respecting the rights of others can deter individuals from committing crimes.

undefined

Involvement:

undefined

A bond that pulls individuals away from criminal behavior and towards conformity, involving active participation in the community through clubs and groups.

undefined

Involvement in community activities can provide individuals with a sense of belonging and purpose, reducing the likelihood of engaging in criminal activities.

undefined

White-collar crime:

undefined

Crimes committed by individuals in higher social positions who abuse their authority or work positions for personal gain.

undefined

Jordan Belfort, portrayed in the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street," engaged in white-collar crime by manipulating stock prices for personal financial gain.

undefined

Corporate crime:

undefined

Offenses committed by large companies or individuals acting on behalf of those companies, with the primary benefit going to the company rather than individuals.

undefined

Starbucks, despite having a $1.2 billion turnover, managed to avoid paying corporation tax, highlighting an example of corporate crime.

undefined

Crimes of the powerful:

undefined

Term used to describe crimes committed by individuals or corporations in positions of power or influence.

undefined

The 2008 banking crisis, where major banks were responsible for the economic crisis, but faced no consequences and were bailed out with taxpayers' money, exemplifies crimes of the powerful.

undefined

Tax havens:

undefined

Countries or regions that offer favorable tax conditions to individuals or corporations, often used to evade paying taxes in their home countries.

undefined

Ireland and Dubai are known as tax havens, where individuals and companies can take advantage of loopholes to minimize their tax obligations.

undefined

Ford Pinto case:

undefined

A case involving the Ford Motor Company and their decision to continue producing the faulty Ford Pinto car, which had a design flaw causing it to erupt in flames in rear-end collisions.

undefined

Ford chose not to fix the problem despite knowing the risks, as it was cheaper to pay out to victims than to recall and fix the faulty cars, highlighting a case of corporate crime.

undefined

Sociological explanations of working-class crime:

undefined

Theories and perspectives within sociology that aim to explain why individuals from working-class backgrounds may be more likely to engage in criminal behavior.

undefined

Some Marxist sociologists argue that working-class crime is a rational response to the competitiveness and inequality of capitalist society, while critics argue that there are other factors influencing crime that are not solely structural.

undefined