Read the following. What possible social causes of crime can you identify in the passage? A local housing estate has developed a bad reputation for crime and violence in the local area. The area is one of low rent private houses and council housing. Many people who live on benefits are in the area and incomes are generally low, even if people work. There is little work available locally; most of the jobs are for women who are employed part time as cleaners or in supermarket checkouts. Many of the families have only one parent, usually women who bring up their children on their own. The local school has a poor reputation and less than half of the pupils get five good GCSE grades. The police patrol the area regularly and they target gangs of young people who gather in the play area to drink and chat.

Does the way that society is organised cause some people to be criminal? Can we blame society itself for crime and deviance? Discussion

What are sociological theories of criminality? Unit 1 – Assessment Criteria 1.3 Describe sociological theories of criminality.

Assumptions of sociological theories of crime Crime is caused by the impact of society on individuals who form part of society. There are dynamics within certain social groups that lead individuals to choose a criminal solution to their problems.

There are many approaches to understanding crime in sociology Marxism (Structural theory) Interactionism Functionalism (Social structure) Realism is a combination of different approaches

Click and drag the statements to the Venn Diagram Functionalism Marxism Crime is caused by poverty and inequality Crime is natural to society People are labelled as criminal by society It is less important to study crime than seek solutions Interactionism

Names to research Robert Merton (Functionalist theory) Willem Bonger (Marxist theory) Howard Becker (Interactionist theory) Jock Young (Realist theory)

Robert Merton People aim for success in society but do not always achieve them so they develop strategies, some of which result in crime. conformists Live according to society’s aims, norms and values in order to achieve goals innovators Accept society’s aims, norms and values but have no legitimate way of attaining success so develop criminal behaviour ritualists Play by the rules but do not really expect to succeed, so they go through the motions retreatists Give up on social goals and on striving for them, so often take up alcohol and drugs rebels Set their own goals and their own methods of achieving them http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1423083/Robert-Merton.html

Willem Bonger Crime is caused by an unequal society. Poor people live in miserable conditions. Poor people commit crime to survive. People with power punish the poor more harshly than the rich.

Can this be criticised? Carry out some individual research on Marxist views of crime. This site has a useful booklet to download: http://www.sociology.org.uk/pcdevmx.pdf

Evaluating Marxism For: Against:

What makes an action criminal? According to Interactionists, crime depends on the situation rather than the action and it is how people respond that creates crime. You are naked in your bathroom. criminal deviant both You are naked on a naturist beach in Greece. criminal deviant both You are naked in the middle of a shopping mall on a Saturday. criminal deviant both

Howard Becker All people commit criminal acts, but only some people are caught. This results in some people gaining a label as a criminal. This label becomes part of their identity, so they commit more crime.

Person gains label as criminal Initial action Seen as criminal Person gains label as criminal Not seen as criminal Nothing happens

Realism Crime is a problem. It requires solutions. People who are Marxist in approach say crime is caused by discontent. People who are Functionalist say crime is caused by bad parenting.

Harsh and strict policing Solution to crime Form of realism Realism Left Realism Sensitive policing Right Realism Harsh and strict policing

Decriminalising drugs Effective solutions to crime? Good community Most effective Harsh sanctions CCTV Police on beat Stop and search Stamping out racism More employment More equal society Strict punishments Least effective Decriminalising drugs

Public policy and social theory Since the 1990s, the police and the government have given more status to Right Realist approaches to crime. They encourage the use of CCTV and Neighbourhood Watch schemes. They have used Zero Tolerance approaches to crime. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/right_realism_crime.htm

Discussion questions Does society cause crime? If not, then what does? Have the policies of the New Right been effective in stopping crime? Discussion

Personal Research Look up Inner City Riots. There have been a number of these over the years. You could research the Brixton Riots and the Scarman Report into the riots (both 1981) What were the consequences of these for the police? What have people suggested is the cause of urban rioting?

Independent Study before the next topic Do further reading and research on the social approach. Make revision lists of arguments in favour or rejecting the social approach to the origins of crime. Independent Study before the next topic

Scenario Local Asian owned shop under attack A group of young people have been stealing cars and riding them around the poor estates around town. There have been accidents caused by this. When the police tried to control the behaviour, this erupted into further violence including an attack on my shop. Talking head here?

Assessment skill Write a short report (one side of A4) applying one social theory of the origins of crime to the scenario. Make a reasonable suggestion as to how the behaviour of the youths might be addressed using any one social theory. Do not copy and paste from any website or textbook. Refer to the sources that you used.

Final self review How has your understanding of sociological approaches affected or changed your opinions towards criminals or criminal behaviour?