Unit 4 SCLY4 - Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods; Stratification and Differentiation with Theory and Methods
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EXAMPLE MEDIA AND CRIME ANSWERS
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Unit 4 SCLY4 - Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods; Stratification and Differentiation with Theory and Methods
Institution
AQA
A/A* example sociology a level answers in the topic of media and crime...
CONTAINS 4,6,10 AND 30.
Outline two ways in which the media give a distorted view of crime (4 marks)
Outline three ways media influences levels of crime in society (6 marks)
Applying material from Item A, analyse t...
Unit 4 SCLY4 - Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods; Stratification and Differentiation with Theory and Methods
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Outline two ways in which the media give a distorted view of crime (4 marks)
● It over represents violent and sexual crime. Ditton and Duffy suggests 46% of crime in the news is
sexual or violent when it in reality only represents 3% of actual crime.
● Crime is reported as a series of separate events without structure and without examining underlying
causes.
Outline three ways media influences levels of crime in society (6 marks)
• Desensitises people to crime and deviance. Through repeated exposure viewing crime no longer has a shock
factor and so we may see it as normalised making people more likely to commit it.
•The media glamorises offending as a good option for a exciting and consumerist lifestyle making people more
likely to offend.
•Also provides knowledge transmission which teaches us how to commit crime and the techniques needed.
Some sociologists argue that the media play a vital role in causing criminality.
The media often focus stories on certain groups in society, which can lead to criminality. While the arrival of new types
of media has created new opportunities for criminals.
Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which the media may cause criminality (10 marks)
One way the media may cause criminality is the media causes moral panics by “focusing stories on certain
groups in society”. Moral entrepreneurs, who disapprove of a particular behaviour, may use the media to put
pressure on the authorities to take action and even change the law. For example, by helping to label marijana
smoking as illegal and criminal, the media helped to cause crime. An important element to this is creating a
moral panic, which is an over reaction by society to a perceived problem, which exaggerates its severity. The
media identify a group as a folk devil ( a threat to society’s values). The media then present this group in a
negative, stereotypical fashion and exaggerate the problem. This leads to a crackdown on the group and leads
to a self fulfilling prophecy in which more deviance occurs that amplifies the problem that caused the panic.
Cohen examines a real life example of a moral panic caused by the media in the mods and rockers disturbance
at England seaside resorts. Cohen argued the media exaggerated the event both in terms of numbers and
extent of violence. Then the media predicted further conflict would arise from the mods and rockers. Finally,
the symbols of mods and rockers (clothes, bikes, scooters) were negatively labelled and associated with
deviance. Collectively causing a deviance amplification spiral where police control grew producing
marginalisation and a self fulfilling prophecy where conflict got worse. Moral panic theory can be criticised for
assuming society's reaction is a disproportionate over reaction. Left realists argue people’s fear of crime is
rational and so we cannot decide what is proportionate. It also does not explain how the media are able to
amplify some problems but not others.
Another way the media causes crime is by “creating new opportunities for criminals”. The internet, a type of
media, has allowed criminals to use technology to commit new types of crime. This is known as cyber crime
which Thomas and Loader describe as computer-mediated activities that are either illegal or deviant. Wall
identifies four categories: Cyber trespass, cyber fraud, cyber pornography and cyber violence. Cyber fraud
includes crimes such as identity theft, ‘phishing’ and violation of intellectual property rights (file sharing and
illegal downloading). Cyber pornography involving minors and opportunities for children to access porn online.
Finally, cyber violence which involves psychological harm or inciting physical harm. Cyber violence includes
cyber stalking such as sending unwanted, threatening or offensive messages and hate crimes against minority
groups. The internet has also allowed the Dark web to develop which is highly profitable and can give criminals
access to resources on websites like silk road for illegal drug use and weapons. However, the new information
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