Summary

Summary WJEC CRIMINOLOGY APPLIED DIPLOMA UNIT 2 REVISION KIT FOR COLLEGE/A-LEVEL STUDENTS

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Module
Criminology Unit 2 Revision Kit

Institution
WJEC

This document is a revision guide I created and utilised while studying for my criminology course; it allowed me to rapidly access knowledge needed to earn a B. This guide therefore covers aspects of; Crime and Deviance, Norms and Values, Social Construction, and Differential Reinforcement are all...

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Uploaded on September 6, 2023
Number of pages 18
Written in 2023/2024
Type Summary

criminology
unit 2
unit 4
wjec
ac11 ac33
applied law
biological theories
individualistic theories
sociological theories
norms and values
morals
differential reinforcement

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND
DEVIANCE
Crime = legal laws. Criminal behaviour = behaviour forbidden by criminal
law. For an action to be considered a crime it must have two elements: 1)
Deviance = any behaviour that differs from the ‘normal’ e.g.
behaviour which most in society do not do
actus reus – ‘a guilty act’ 2) mens rea – ‘a guilty mind’ Deviant behaviour can be different in 3 general ways:
When defining crime the defendant must (A) done something the law 1) Behaviour is unusual and considered good.
forbids & (B) done so with bad intentions. This broadly applicable when E.g. risking one’s own life to save someone else.
defining crime. 2 important exceptions legal professionals need to 2) Behaviour considered unusual and eccentric/bizarre.
consider: E.g. Hoarding, talking loudly to oneself, various types of mental
Strict liability = some cases mens rea not required and an unlawful act alone illnesses such as OCDs.
can lead to successful conviction, e.g. breaches of H&S Law – factory owner 3) Behaviour considered unusual and bad/disapproved of.
E.g. Murder, physically attacking someone, smoking tobacco, theft
negligent in maintaining the safety of their machinery still liable for prosecution
regarding any injuries/death by unsafe/faulty machinery. H EXAMPLES: both criminal & deviant - murder; sexual offences;
ealth and safety at work Act (1974) burglary; (violent crimes are usually criminal & deviant)
Most SL offences are ‘regulatory offences’ (regulate business behaviour). Also criminal but not deviant - Downloading music/movies illegally,
applied to E.G. speeding/dangerous driving. speeding
Self defence = Assaulting someone with deliberate intention to cause harm is a deviant but not criminal - Crossdressing; homosexuality; hoarding
criminal act, if in self defence = not a crime (if force used was reasonable). excessive tattooing/facial tattoos
Tony Martin Case study
Social definitions of criminal behaviour - examines harm done to environment/individuals - Not all harmful acts are criminal
E.g. anti pollution laws - business still allowed to emit a certain amount of pollutant into rivers/environment despite damage to the
environment. Trivial/victimless acts still classed as crimes.
Regulation for harmful noncriminal acts may be attempted through ‘code of ethics’
professional associations e.g. police, teachers, doctors
have a code of ethics. Corporations/business also e.g. BP & environmental ethics, supermarkets & living wage contracts etc
Critics claim ‘ethical codes’ are like a toothless dog (very few can be legally applied, many are voluntary)
E.G. UK water firms dumping raw sewage into UK rivers/seas – no legal laws broken here, social laws were: When doing things we usually
follow complex set of social rules acquired by being members of society – e.g. queue to board bus; choosing a particular seat on bus;
communication on bus (verbal/non verbal)

,NORMS AND VALUES
Values = General principles/opinions held by most people in society regarding principle that determines what is correct, desirable, or morally proper - let us k
or wrong: Some values universal, Other values, localised to a specific culture e.g. western value on individualism/accumulation of personal wealth. E.g. orien
place value and respect on elderly.
Norms = refer to rules that determine/regulate appropriate and expected behaviour within culture, group, or society. Norms linked to values e.g. the opinion
people hold (values) determine their behaviour (norms), can be universal or localised.
APPLYING N&V - how change can be viewed using 2 key ideas: 1) Historical Relativity - how n&v change over time e.g. UK was acceptable to employ young ch
sweeps. 2) Cultural Relativity - how n&v are different across different cultures/countries e.g. practice of more than one marriage partner being acceptable)
Moral codes = formed by individuals sharing and internalising norms and values, AKA ‘mores’ or ethical codes - When majority of people in society share the
norms & values, moral codes are established to help society function, by providing ‘philosophical framework of ethics’ to regulate peoples’ opinions/behavio
adherence to moral codes reinforced through sanctions: All sanctions applied to control and determine behaviour - known as social control. Crimes = acti
criminal law.
• Informal Sanctions = rules not formally written, rule breaking is disapproved of in ‘informal ways’ e.g. ignoring someone/gossiping. in terms of se
• Negative Sanctions - punishing behaviour that society disapproves of. classified by n
– was the crim
• Positive Sanctions – Rewarding behaviour that society approves of.
violence or d
• Formal Sanctions – where written rules exist to punish wrong doing (eg college rules, UK legal system etc..) vary due to severity of crime:
Court Sanctions Police Sanctions
Custodial Sentences - Incarceration in a prison/YoI for a Cautions – warnings by police to people aged 10 or over E.g. Summar
few days up to life. for minor crimes e.g. graffiti. Deals with low level first serious offen
Community Sentences - Served in community rather than time offending. which are trie
jail – e.g. probation orders; curfews, attending courses Conditional Cautions court.
(safer driving, anger management etc…); mandatory drug Similar, if offender agrees to stick to rules/restrictions (eg Indictable Off
testing , community payback (unpaid labour); fines. treatment for drug abuse). If the conditions are broke can offences (eg m
Conditional Discharge - offender must not commit more be charged initial crime. tried at Crow
offences for given period. Penalty Notices for disorder - issued for minor offences judge and jur
Absolute (or unconditional) Discharge - defendant (e.g. shoplifting). If the penalty paid offender not
technically guilty but punishment would be inappropriate convicted. If contests the notice case will go to trial.
- not classes as a conviction.

, SOCIAL CONSTUCTION OF
CRIMINALITY
Theory - social constructionism
Law changing overtime – EXAMPLES:
Adultery - Sexual liaisons between people, one or both married to another person. Laws traditionally influen
states, meaning and knowledge are religious belief systems and still found in theocracies (where gov strongly influenced by religious belief system
socially created. Social Common in societies where women occupy a subordinate position (lower status).
constructionists believe things that Adultery laws are unequal e.g. different severity of punishment for male/female offenders - Influenced by rel
are generally viewed as natural or conservative public opinion & sexism/patriarchal social structures.
normal, e.g. understandings of
gender, race, class, and disability, Homosexuality - Sexual acts between same sex, Shares criteria of adultery regarding social taboo. E.G. theoc
are socially constructed - & emphasis placed on importance of nuclear family juxtaposed with strong conservative social values.
consequently not accurate reflection illegal in 72 countries (July 2020), Many countries where homosexuality not crime still do not recognise same
of reality. From social marriages.
constructionist perspective – crime Key legal changes in the uk: England & Wales – 1967/Scotland – 1980/N. Ireland – 1982 (lesbianism was neve
= classification of behaviour defined Cannabis - Laws differ between countries - Personal use, cultivation, importing & supplying all carry a range o
by people with the power & sanctions where the drug is illegal.
authority to make laws, e.g. identify e.g. UK, possession can be punished up to 5 years in prison and 14 years for supply. Also current rise in medic
some behaviour as offensive and
possession and supply means have been decriminalised in various countries. Legal status reflects different n&
render its perpetrators subject to
punishment (imprisonment). Societies of individual's tend to be more lenient e.g. Portugal.
Gun control - gun control laws very strict, e.g. ownership limited.
EXAMPLES: Mental health checks in place and regular application for a gun licence.
Housewives – born or made? USA - open approach, linked to cultural beliefs (individual rights) and politics (American constitution – right to
Society (1950s – 1980s) held UK – legal changes introduced due to Michael Ryan case (1987)/Dunblane (1996) where 16 children were sho
‘idealised image’ of a woman’s role outcry/concern forces changes in UK laws. ‘The Gun Control Network’ & ‘The Snowdrop Campaign’.
in home. society expected women Child protection - ‘childhood’ continually evolving and excellent example of social constructionism, e.g. Philip
of a certain age to conform to its Centuries of Childhood (1960). In most of world, childhood now seen as a special time and several laws are in
expectations - Criticists argued protect children
created stereotypical views of EXAMPLES: Child labour laws/ Compulsory schooling/ Welfare legislation/ Childrens’ rights/ Laws and policie
women and labelled those who did
apply to children/ Age of criminal responsibility?
not conform as deviant (bad mother,
loose woman, house is dirty etc) Capital (execution) & corporal punishment (violence upon the person) - Both radically reduced/made illega
countries. Reasons - Breach of the right to life (Human Right)/ Miscarriages of justice (eg the Birmingham Six
four)/ The death penalty/corporal punishment does not act as a deterrent.

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