Social Groups and Crime

• What are the main sources of information about crime patterns used by sociologists?

  Official statistics, victim surveys, self-report studies
• What significant ethnic differences exist in the likelihood of involvement in the criminal justice system?

  Black people are more likely to be cautioned
• How much more likely are black people to be arrested compared to white people?

  Three and a half times more likely
• If arrested, what is more likely for black people compared to white people?

  They are more likely to be charged
• What is the likelihood of black people receiving a custodial sentence if found guilty?

  More likely to receive a longer custodial sentence
• How much more likely are black people to be in prison compared to white people?

  Five times more likely
• How do Asians compare to white people in terms of being charged and facing court proceedings?

  More likely to be charged and face court proceedings
• What do victim surveys reveal about the ethnicity of offenders in cases of mugging?

  They show a significant amount of intra-ethnic crime
• What is a limitation of victim surveys regarding crime data?

  They rely on victims' memory of events
• What did Phillips and Bowling (2012) find about white people's identification of offenders?

  White people 'over-identify' black offenders
• What types of crimes do victim surveys exclude?

  Crimes by and against organizations
• What do self-report studies ask individuals about?

  If they have committed an offence in the last 12 months
• What did Graham and Bowling (1995) find regarding dishonest or violent behavior?

  2,500 people were surveyed
• What percentage of whites admitted to committing an offence according to Sharp and Budd (2005)?

  40%
• How does the offending rate of blacks compare to whites according to Sharp and Budd (2005)?

  28% of blacks admitted to offending
• What percentage of Asians admitted to committing an offence according to Sharp and Budd (2005)?

  21%
• What do the findings of Sharp and Budd (2005) challenge regarding black people and offending?

  The stereotype of black people as more likely to offend
• What do the ethnic differences in the criminal justice system include?

  Differences in policing, arrests, and sentencing
• What does Gilroy (1983) argue about black criminality?

  It is a myth related to poor socialization
• How do minority ethnic groups resist oppression according to Gilroy?

  Through marches, demonstrations, and riots
• What does Hall et al (1979) explain about African Caribbean criminality?

  It relates to economic recession and scapegoating
• What did Fitzgerald et al (2003) find about street robberies?

  They are highest in very poor areas
• What did Sharp and Budd (2005) find about black offenders and visibility to police?

  They are more likely to be arrested due to visibility
• What is a key question regarding racial discrimination in the criminal justice system?

  Does it account for all ethnic minority crime?
• What is the relationship between ethnicity and offending according to the study material?

  It is complex and influenced by various factors
• What was the Macpherson Report (1999) about?

  It investigated the handling of the Lawrence case
• What sociologists have focused on racist victimization of ethnic minorities?

  Sociologists after the Lawrence murder case
• What is the crime-sex ratio in England and Wales in 2013?

  Men accounted for nearly three-quarters of convictions
• How many known offences do men commit compared to women?

  Men commit about four known offences for every woman
• At what age does the proportion of men found guilty of indictable offences peak?

  Ages 17-20
• How much more likely are men to be found guilty of sex offences compared to women?

  Sixty times more likely
• How much more likely are men to be found guilty of burglaries compared to women?

  Twenty times more likely
• How much more likely are men to be found guilty of criminal damage and violence against the person compared to women?

  Eight times more likely
• How much more likely are men to be found guilty of theft and handling stolen goods compared to women?

  Four times more likely
• What are two arguments regarding female crime statistics?

  Female crimes are less likely to be reported
• What does Pollak argue about the criminal justice system's treatment of women?

  It is chivalrous towards women
• What does Pollak suggest about unreported crimes committed by women?

  They include shoplifting and criminal abortions
• What is the chivalry thesis?

  Bias in favor of women in the justice system
• What do feminists argue about the criminal justice system's bias?

  It is biased against women
• What does Heidensohn (1996) argue about the treatment of women in courts?

  Women are treated more harshly than men