Understanding Criminology Revision Lecture 24th March 2009

Understanding Criminology Exam 15th May 1.30-3.30pm Mainly in the Sugden Sports Hall (11 students elsewhere: check your own timetable)

We will address Relevant Topics Mock Paper Model Answers Any Questions? Ask them as we go along

General Advice Mainly Term Two covered Don’t forget Term One Theory A balance of Theory, Research and Policy Use your Seminar Readings Remember an exam answer is an essay Don’t feel that you cannot use material and understanding that you have gained in other units, but avoid repetition across answers in this paper

Specific Topics The Media and Crime Individual Motivations to Commit Crime The Economics of Crime Young People and Crime Situational Crime Prevention Drug use and crime Crimes of the Powerful Politics and society and ‘law and order’

The Media and Crime What crime does the media focus on? How does this differ from more objective sources of information? Why does the media do this? Models of the relationship between the media producer, the media consumer and the government

Individual Motivations to Commit Crime Psychological Approaches Morality Self-control as a “General Theory of Crime” Individualistic v. Social Theories of Crime

The Economics of Crime Links between social class, poverty, unemployment, consumption and crime Changing Economic Picture: recession; boom and bust; Fordism -> post-Fordism Social Exclusion and the Underclass

Young People and Crime The historical picture of young people and crime Youth Culture and the Social Construction of a Problem The Age-Crime Curve Patterns of Criminalisation

Situational Crime Prevention Definitions of different types of CP Why Situational CP is popular Is it effective? Realism v. Root Causes

Drug Use and Crime Patterns of Drug Use Experimentation v. Problematic Drug Use Drug Use-> Crime? Crime -> Drug Use?

Crime of the powerful White Collar and Corporate Explanations Differences and Similarities with ‘mainstream’ crime Portrayal Policing Political priorities Prosecution

Contemporary Law and Order Politics What is new about today’s approach to crime? Has this affected crime rates? Has this produced a change in the public’s perceptions of crime? How has this affected government?

Understanding Criminology Mock Paper 2 questions in 2 hours   Q1. What is meant by a “fully social theory of deviance”? Q2. Does the media reflect, or cause, crime? Q3. How can economic issues affect crime levels? Q4. How has the understanding of young people’s criminality changed in recent years? Q5. What is meant by ‘situational crime prevention’, and what are the merits of such an approach? Q6. What are the aims and limitations of different ways of responding to drug use? Q7. How accurate is the view that crime is predominantly committed by the powerless in society? Q8. What is distinct about the current government’s approach to crime?

Model Answers Read the answer you have been given, and answer the following: Give it a mark What was good about it? What was not good about it?