Tim Heaton

Crime and deviance

Introducing the Sociology of Crime and Deviance - Crime Statistics - Socio-cultural Explanations of Crime and Deviance - Interactionist Explanations of Crime and Deviance - Conflict Explanations of Crime and Deviance - Realist Explanations of Crime and Deviance - Crime, Deviance and Ethnicity - Crime, Deviance and Gender - Criminal Justice and the Victims of Crime

Introducing the sociology of crime and deviance

By the end of this chapter you should: understand the philosophy underpinning this book; recognise the problematic nature of the terms crime and deviance; have reflected on whether there is such a thing as the sociology of deviance and criminology; be aware of the subject matter of the subsequent chapters in this book.

Socio-cultural explanations of crime and deviance

By the end of this chapter you should: understand the importance of culture in explaining crime; have developed a critical understanding of the origins of sociocultural explanations of crime and deviance; understand cultural explanations of crime and deviance; be familiar with various forms of control theory; be able to evaluate subcultural and control theories; be aware of recent developments in socio-cultural theory, including postmodernist views on the city and underclass; have reflected on a student answer to an exam question; have practised an exam question in this area.

Interactionist explanations of crime and deviance

By the end of this chapter you should: understand early and recent developments in labelling theory; know what is meant by the politicisation of deviance; be able to evaluate labelling theory; have a critical understanding of the role of the media and law enforcement agencies in amplifying deviance; appreciate phenomenological and ethnomethodological views on deviance; have a grasp of postmodernist views of crime; have reflected on a student answer to an exam question; have answered an exam question in this area.

Realist explanations of crime and deviance

By the end of this chapter you should: have a critical understanding of the origins of and reasons for the emergence of realist explanations; be able to outline and assess right- and left- realist explanations of crime and deviance; appreciate that within the right- and left- realist approaches there are a variety of traditions; be familiar with postmodern views on crime; have an understanding of routine activities theory and lifestyles theory; have practised exam questions in this area.

Crime, deviance and gender

By the end of this chapter you should: have a critical understanding of statistical data on gender and crime; be able to explain female involvement in crime; be able to outline and evaluate theories that propose that women are less criminally inclined; be familiar with debates on masculinities and crime; understand and be able to assess social constructionist approaches to gender and crime; appreciate how crime and the fear of crime affect the lives of women; be familiar with debates and explanations of sexual and domestic violence; have reflected on a student answer to an exam question; have answered an exam question on crime and gender.

Crime, deviance and ethnicity

By the end of this chapter you should: be familiar with statistical data on ethnicity and crime and appreciate the limitations of this data; have an understanding of early and recent theoretical positions regarding ethnicity and crime; be able to evaluate a range of approaches to ethnicity and crime; recognise patterns of victimisation amongst ethnic groups; have had some exam practice in this area.

Criminal justice and the victims of crime

By the end of this chapter you should: be familiar with issues surrounding the role of the police and policing; be familiar with Marxist and postmodernist approaches to the law; be aware of feminist and postmodernist views on the workings of the criminal justice system; understand traditional and recent theoretical views on the role of prisons and punishment in society; have gained further knowledge on victimology; have practised an exam question in this area.

Conflict explanations of crime and deviance

By the end of this chapter you should: be able to outline and evaluate different conflict explanations of crime and deviance; appreciate the way that crime is structurally caused and socially constructed; be familiar with the relationship between capitalism and crime; have a knowledge of the function of the law in relation to crime in capitalist societies; recognise the nature and significance of selective law enforcement in capitalist societies; understand and be able to explain different types of white-collar crime; have had practice at answering exam questions in this area.

Changes in educational policy and systems in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s

By the end of this chapter you should: understand the reasons for changes to examinations and assessment in the 1980s and 1990s and the competing views expressed about the changes; have a critical understanding of the new vocationalism; have reflected on student answers to an exam question; appreciate conflicting debates surrounding the 1988 Education Act; recognise the implications of the Dearing Report; be sensitive to changes in education and training for 16–19-year-olds and higher education. You should understand the reasons for the changes and the conflicting views expressed about the changes; be familiar with the privatisation process taking place in schools; have practised structured exam questions yourself.