IMPACT OF CRIME ON SOCIETY AND SOLUTIONS TO CRIME Key question What effect does crime have on society? Learning objective: To explore impact of crime on society and solutions to crime. Learning outcomes: To be able to identify and explain different policies introduced by the government to prevent and reduce crime. To explore the impact crime has on victims, communities and society.

Learning journey Difference between crime and deviance, legal and illegal deviance Social control (informal and formal) – reminder from Yr10 Media representations of crime How do Sociologists study crime: victim and self-reporting studies? Who breaks the law? – age, ethnicity and gender Explaining crime – biological vs. sociological theories: peer group pressure, opportunity, socialisation Official crime statistics – detecting, reporting and recording of crime, the dark figure of crime Victims of crime, government solutions to crime, social problems of youth crime and racism Revision and end of Topic exam question Who breaks the law? – social class and locality Explaining crime – labelling theory and subcultural theory Explaining crime – Functionalist theory and Marxist theory

Starter: What would you do and why  Speeding: All the offenders were caught driving at 50 mph in a 30 mph built-up area. They are all pleading guilty.  Mr A 50 year-old wealthy businessman, who earns £100,000 per annum.  Mrs B 28 year-old single parent, unemployed, on her way to pick up the children from school.  Mr C 18 year-old student, says he was late for class  Mr D 26 year-old van-driver, with three recent previous convictions (9 points on his licence) for the same offence. He would lose his job without a licence - magistrates have the discretion not to disqualify someone if this would cause 'exceptional hardship'.  Possible sentences you can impose:  Fine: Maximum £400; note that any fine imposed should not take more than one year to payoff.  Also three automatic penalty points on the driving licence. Once 12 points are reached, disqualification for six months to two years normally takes place.  In pairs, discuss what sentence you would give for each offender and explain your reasons why? 10 Mins

What would you do and why  Shoplifting: All plead guilty to stealing a small number of clothes from a local fashion shop.  Mrs F 45 year-old compulsive stealer, with a complicated psychiatric history, and three previous convictions for same offence. She is not poor and does not need the goods she steals; she says she can't stop herself.  Mr G 18 year-old sixth former; his first offence, he says 'he did it for a bet'.  Mr H 32 year-old unemployed family man on a low income. He stole clothes for his children. ;  Mr J 28 year-old schoolteacher. He says it was 'a moment of madness, which he deeply regrets'.  Possible sentences you can impose:  Fine: Maximum anything up to £2,000 and/or up to six months' imprisonment.  Probation order (from 4 months to three years).  Community service.  Conditional discharge (one or two years, no sentence is imposed but if a further offence is committed within the time period then you are sentenced for the initial offence as well as the further offence).  In pairs, discuss what sentence you would give for each offender and explain your reasons why?

Task 1  Read the cards – the headings cards are different policies introduced by the government to deal with the problem of crime, the description cards are explanations of how the policy is meant to deal with crime.  Match the heading cards with its descriptions. You can work in pairs.  Highlight and label the cards with P (prevention) or R (reduction) using different colours  Extension – for each policy, decide if it is primarily meant to prevent crime from happening or reduce crime. Label the cards with P (prevention) or R (reduction). Now, add an explanation of how the policy helps either prevent or reduce crime. CCTV This method is a form of surveillance – monitoring behaviour of people through the use of technology. It has been introduced extensively in many streets, rail stations, buses and shops to help prevent and detect crime. It also makes people feel safer when they are out. Prevention – people know they are being watched / filmed so are less likely to commit an offence. 20 Mins

Task 1: Solutions to crime  CCTV - This method is a form of surveillance – monitoring behaviour of people through the use of technology. It has been introduced extensively in many streets, rail stations, buses and shops to help prevent and detect crime. It also makes people feel safer when they are out.  Electronic tagging - This method is an alternative to prison. It involves fitting an electronic tag to the ankle of an offender. It is then programmed to track the location of the offender to make sure they abide by the curfew, e.g. from 7am to 7 pm they must be at home.  Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) - This is a two year court order which bans an offender from specific areas (e.g. a shopping centre), from spending time with a particular group (e.g. friends) or behaving in a certain way (e.g. drinking in public).  Community service - This alternative to prison is imposed on offenders who have been found guilty or, or have admitted, an offence. It includes the offender doing something for the benefit of the community, e.g. cleaning up graffiti.  Prison - This is the harshest form of punishment in Britain. It can be from a number of weeks to life.  Zero tolerance policing - This method involves the police tackling all crimes, including low level crimes such as vandalism and petty theft.

Task 2  Work in pairs.  Complete the worksheet on how crime affects the victims, communities and society. 20 Mins

Impact of crime 1. Fear of crime – people start to fear that they will become the next victim of crime. The BCS shows that most people are worried about violent crime and burglary. As a result they feel that they have to rely on themselves for protection, e.g. by installing burglar alarms. Fear of crime can also lead to tension in communities if people start to believe that community relations are breaking down. As a result, in recent years there has been an emphasis on engaging communities to fight crime, e.g. Neighbourhood Watch which provides advice on home security.

Review  What do you think is the best solution to crime?