Sociology Minor Crimes Overview

Minor crimes and deviance can act as a safety valve, potentially preventing more serious crimes by releasing pent-up frustrations or desires.

Society's response to criminal acts, including condemning perpetrators, can foster unity and a sense of shared values.

Adhering to societal norms but giving up on achieving the goals.

Rejecting both societal goals and means of achieving them, and seeking to create new ones.

Rejecting societal goals and the means of achieving them, leading to withdrawal or isolation.

An increase in a specific type of crime or deviance indicates that something within society is not functioning properly, and needs change.

Some minor crimes and deviance might reduce the likelihood of more serious criminal acts by providing outlets and ways to manage frustration.

An increasing pattern of a particular crime, implies a problematic social issue that demands attention and change.

An initial act of deviance that goes unnoticed or unlabeled by others.

Deviant behavior that occurs after a person has been labeled as deviant, which reinforces the deviant identity.

A theory that suggests that deviance is a social construct created when a person is labelled a deviant.

A prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true.

A social phenomenon is created by a society and is not naturally occurring.

The process by which attempts to control deviance lead to greater amounts of deviance.

The idea that what is considered criminal or deviant can vary depending on time, place, and culture of a society.

The labelling process affects the criminal justice system by causing loss of confidence/trust in these systems due to perceived issues and imperfections.

Ethnic minorities are disproportionately targeted by police stop-and-search procedures.

Areas with high crime rates and lack of social cohesion, often populated by ethnic minorities.

The shared beliefs and attitudes amongst police officers that can lead to reinforcing stereotypes.

Racist practices embedded within the police force and other institutions.

A report following the Stephen Lawrence murder that highlighted racist policies in the police force.

Young people commit crimes due to a lack of social bonds (attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief).

Crime rates among ethnic minorities haven't decreased despite policy changes.

The process by which people of an ethnic minority group lose distinctive cultural traits and adopt the dominant culture traits of the society in which they live.

Crime data can include reports, court records, and prison records, each with different information about crimes, victims, and results.

Data collected by government agencies, often published by the ONS.

They trust official statistics as valid and reliable.

Official info on prisons shows info like demographics: ethnicity, gender, age and class.

Interactionists view statistics as socially constructed and limited in usefulness.

Crimes may not always result in a jail/prison sentence. Other penalties might exist, especially for different people.

Different interpretations and views exist (e.g., functionalism, new right, labelling theory) about how to consider crime data and the validity and reliability of differing views.

Some crimes aren't pursued due to factors such as insufficient evidence or pre-trial arrangements.

Data showing the demographics of individuals in prison. For example, it often reveals a disproportionate representation of working-class individuals compared to middle or upper classes.

The idea that law enforcement practices and policies may target certain groups or social classes more than others, impacting crime statistics and incarceration rates.

A sociological explanation for crime that suggests individuals commit crimes when they feel frustrated or pressured by a disconnect between their goals and the means to achieve them.

A sociological theory that suggests individuals commit crimes due to a lack of strong social bonds and controls, such as family, community, and education.

Crimes committed by individuals in positions of power and authority, often for financial gain, involving deception, fraud, and other unethical practices.

Types of crime commonly associated with lower socioeconomic groups, such as theft, robbery, and assault, often driven by economic desperation or opportunity.

Criminal acts often involving fraud, embezzlement, or violation of trust, often motivated by personal gain or maintaining a certain lifestyle.

A sociological term referring to the most disadvantaged and marginalized segment of society, often characterized by high rates of unemployment, poverty, and crime.

News reporting that focuses on sensationalism and entertainment value, often prioritizing dramatic and shocking stories over factual accuracy.

The media's portrayal of crime can be used as a tool to maintain control over certain social groups, often targeting minorities and marginalized communities.

Crime reporting can reinforce existing stereotypes and contribute to the oppression of certain groups, often by depicting them as inherently criminal.

The media often under-reports violence against women, particularly domestic violence, which minimizes the extent of the problem and perpetuates a culture of silence.

The media frequently presents a distorted picture of crime, often emphasizing rare and sensational events while downplaying more common crimes, creating a mismatch with official statistics.

The media plays a role in shaping our understanding of crime by constructing narratives and labeling individuals as deviant, contributing to social perceptions and responses.

News reporting often focuses on individual stories and human interest, emphasizing personal narratives at the expense of broader social contexts.

A set of criteria used by journalists to determine the newsworthiness of a story, often prioritizing immediacy, dramatisation, and higher status individuals.