Y11 Exam Unit - Crime Key Studies Key term Definition Study Findings Any form of behaviour that breaks the law Crime Merton’s • People’s aspirations and goals are shaped by their culture eg Punishment where offenders will sentenced to go to or Custodial sentences (1938) strain American Dream = economic success Young offenders institute theory • Some people experience a strain between the goals of society and A measure of the level of criminal activity in a society based on Functionalist the means of achieving them. This may lead to Crime rate recorded by the police (normlessness) The unknown amount of criminal activity that is not reported or • They may seek out an illegitimate route to economic success eg Dark figure of crime recorded to the police crime Any form of behaviour that does not conform to the norms of a Becker’s • Argues is created by society Deviance society – this can be influenced by time, place, social situation and (1963) • Powerful social groups create deviance by making the rules and culture interactionist applying these to others Formal rules and social controls that tell everyone within society Formal agencies of perspective • People can develop deviant careers if labelled as deviant what is and is not acceptable e.g. the police, the courts, the interactionist • The deviant label can become a master status (main identity) social control government • Labelling can lead to the self-fulfilling prophecy The approval or disapproval of people around us that can influence Informal agencies of and control our behaviour e.g. family , friends, peer group, schools, social control Heidensohn’ • Women commit less crime because they are more closely controlled work, religion s (1985) in society Official crime Government statistics on crime based on official sources e.g. police control • In a patriarchal society, women have stronger social control placed statistics records theory on them which can reduce opportunities for crime A that asks respondents to identify crimes they have Feminist • At home, women are controlled by domestic responsibilities, at work Self-report study committed, but for which they have not been caught by fear of damaging reputation and in public by fear of male violence What is considered criminal and deviant changes over time or when Carlen’s • Carlen explains why working-class women commit crime Social construction it takes place, therefore is socially constructed. No act is in itself (1988) class • She argues they are promised two rewards for conforming- ‘class of crime criminal or deviant- it largely depends on how other member of and gender deal’ (money and material items from working hard) and ‘gender deal’ society see it e.g. homosexuality deal (happy domestic life with husband and children) A survey that asks respondents about their experience of crime, Victim survey Feminist • She found WC women committed crime when these rewards were regardless of whether or not those crimes have reported blocked due to: poverty, living in care, drug addiction. Collective The shared beliefs that bind communities together and regulate • They had nothing to lose and everything to gain conscience individual behaviour Deviant behaviour that develops over time due to labels. e.g. Cohen’s • Argues delinquency is carried out by groups not individuals, and that Deviant career labelled a troublemaker at school and then goes onto commit crime (1955) groups often commit non-utilitarian (not motivated by money) crimes later in life subcultural • Working class boys experience status frustration at not succeeding in The exaggeration of a particular social issue as a consequence of theory middle class school Deviancy media coverage, e.g. anti-social behaviour by groups of young Functionalist • They join/ form a delinquent subculture with an alternative status amplification people hierarchy where they will gain status for deviance Homework Read: Key terms Definition

Classic Texts: Robert Merton "Social Theory & Social Structure" 1938 1: Knowledge Organisers Behaviour at the edge of what is normally https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-robert-merton- These provide the basic knowledge Edgework allowed for accepted; risky or radical social-theory-social-structure-1938 behaviour, e.g. stealing and racing a car for each topic which needs to be Classic Texts: Frances Heidensohn "Women & Crime" 1985 known off by heart. This may include Crime based on prejudice towards others https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-frances- key concepts, key theories and the Hate because of their race, religion, sexual heidensohn-women-crime-1985 crime orientation, disability or because they are named sociologists and their research Classic Texts: Albert Cohen "Delinquent Boys" 1955 transgender findings for each topic. https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-albert-cohen- are allowed to leave prison and delinquent-boys-1955 enter the wider community under Probation 2: Meanwhile, elsewhere Classic Texts: Paul Willis "Learning to Labour" 1977 supervision, provided they follow certain What we learn in our lessons only https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-paul-willis- conditions set by the court offers a glimpse of the world. To learning-to-labour-1977 Reported Crime that is reported to the police - not all widen our understanding, one page Classic Texts: Pat Carlen "Women, Crime & Poverty" 1988 crime crime is recorded research sheets will be used to https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-pat-carlen- A sense of frustration arising in individuals Status explore what else is going on around women-crime-poverty-1988 or groups because they are denied status frustration the world in contemporary society to Classic Texts: Howard Becker "Outsiders" 1963 in society match the topics we are studying. https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-howard-becker- Recorded as ‘violence against the person’, outsiders-1963 Violent which covers grievous bodily harm (GBH), These need to be researched using crime assault, kidnap, child abduction, the links and resources provided and Watch: harassment and threats to kill completed. Criminal acts committed by people in high Drill Music: Is it right to blame the genre for violence? BBC News White status positions, such as accountants, collar doctors or solicitors, during their work, 3: Revision https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toupivpKpPM&pbjreload=101 crime fraud, tax evasion and ‘fiddling’ expense Preparing for Sociology assessments accounts at work. is an essential part of each topic, as Listen: A situation of normlessness in which the these assessments allow teachers BBC sounds Knife Crime: Mo Junnah Busts the myths Anomie norms that regulate people’s behaviour breaks down and pupils the chance to check their https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000kq6c progress in Sociology. Revising gives The idea that the criminal system More or less: Is crime rising https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08ns2lw Chivalry treats female offenders (especially those you the chance to show off what you Thesis who conform to stereotypes) more know. leniently than male offenders