Factors Affecting Criminal & Deviant Behaviour: Age (AQA GCSE Sociology): Exam Questions

Identify and explain one disadvantage of using a case study to investigate a teenage gang.

Item A

From Item A, examine one weakness of using government-reported statistics to research youth crime.

Item A

Identify and explain one factor which may account for the relatively high level of crime that is committed by young people, according to Item A.

Identify and explain one disadvantage of using overt observation to study anti-social behaviour amongst young people.

Identify and explain one ethical issue you may need to consider when investigating anti-social behaviour by teenagers.

Discuss how far sociologists would box agree that criminal behaviour amongst young people is a significant problem in society.

Item A

There are concerns from some social commentators about the relatively high level of youth crime in society.

The Ministry of Justice produced a report entitled ‘Youth Justice Statistics: 2018 to 2019’, in which they presented the national statistics on recorded criminal behaviour amongst young people (below the age of 18). The report stated that there were 21 700 children either cautioned or sentenced in that time. Of this group:

• 85% were male
• 15% were female
• 73% were White
• 27% were Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
• 23% were aged 10–14
• 77% were aged 15–17.

Source: Ministry of Justice, 2020

Identify and explain one factor which may account for the relatively high level of crime that is committed by young people, according to Item A.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that youth crime can be explained by negative labelling.

Discuss how far sociologists agree that the level of youth crime reflects how well parents control their children.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that youth crime can be explained by negative labelling.