The Social Distribution of Crime & Deviance (AQA A Level Sociology): Exam Questions

Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.

Item B

Official crime statistics indicate that people from some minority ethnic groups are more likely to be arrested for and convicted of crime than the white ethnic majority. For example, Black people are more likely to be stopped and searched by the police. They are also more likely to be arrested and convicted of crimes or sent to prison.

One view is that differences in crime rates between ethnic groups are the result of the way the criminal justice system labels and criminalises some minority ethnic groups. Others argue that there are real differences in criminality. For example, Left Realists highlight issues such as relative deprivation as a cause of crime and Right Realists argue there is a lack of social control in some groups.

Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that differences in crime rates between ethnic groups are mainly the result of the way the criminal justice system operates.

Read Item A below and answer the question that follows.

Item A

Informal social control involves restricting people to their role expectations. Formal social control includes the criminal justice system deciding on punishments for those who break the law.

Social control may explain gender differences in patterns of crime.

Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways that social control may explain gender differences in patterns of crime.

Read Item A below and answer the question that follows.

The different agencies of the criminal justice system, such as the police and the courts, are responsible for processing individuals who are suspected of committing crimes. Some individuals may also have greater motivation or pressure to offend, or have more opportunity to do so.

Applying material from Item A, analyse two reasons for social class differences in official crime statistics.

Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.

Item B

Official statistics show that the majority of convicted offenders come from deprived areas. Convicted offenders are more likely to be unemployed and have limited educational qualifications. Crimes of the powerful are less likely to appear in the statistics.

Functionalists argue that social class differences in offending is a result of the working class having fewer opportunities to achieve mainstream goals. Other sociologists argue that the differences are due to selective law creation and enforcement.

Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between social class and offending.

Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.

Item B

Some sociologists explain levels of offending by girls and women in terms of their socialisation or their position in patriarchal society. For example, one feminist sociologist argues that the weakening of patriarchy has led to an increase in female offending.

However, other sociologists focus on the ways in which the police and courts treat females, as well as on the impact of media stereotypes of female offending.

Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of levels of female offending.