Sociology · May / June 2016 · Paper 22 · Question 3

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How we define crime and deviance varies across time, society and culture. It is often associated with youth sub-cultures. What is agreed, however, is the existence of agencies of social control, both formal and informal.

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3(a)[2]
What is meant by the term ‘agencies of social control’? [2]
The various groups, organisations and institutions, both formal and informal, that control individuals’ behaviour. One mark for partial definition, e.g. family and peer group. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. this can be either a group that exists just to control individuals such as the police, or a group that also socialises us, such as the family.
3(b)[4]
Describe two examples of crimes that vary across time. [4]
Candidates will describe two examples of crimes that vary across time. Examiners will need to credit a wide variety of examples here that reflect the diversity of candidates experiences. The key is that candidates demonstrate how laws and definitions have changed over time through comparisons of two different periods in time. Possible answers:
Sexual crimes – rape within marriage, for example, has only recently been criminalised;
Crimes relating to health and safety legislation
Crimes relating to anti-social behaviour such as smoking in public places
Crimes relating to discrimination such as sexism, racism and ageism
Crimes that have been subject to standardisation, such as via the European Union or the Human Rights commission
Crimes involving the ages of the participants, such as in the UK children now having to stay in education until they are 18
New crimes such as those to do with technology and the internet – cybercrimes
Crimes that come about due to shifting social values such as the exploitation of children or the elderly
Crimes that are now perceived as negative, many sexual crimes that perhaps were previously tolerated/ignored
New crimes involving new technologies such as cyber-crimes and identity theft
Other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two).
3(c)[6]
Explain how informal social control is different to formal social control. [6]
Candidates need to demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which informal social control is different to formal social control. They may discuss either agents or methods of social control or a mixture of both within their answer. Expect discussion of how the agents/methods identified control individuals. Possible answers:
Informal agents of social control (family, media etc.) exist to both control and socialise us
Formal agents of social control (police, prisons etc.) exist solely to control us, this is their primary role
Informal social control tends to occur in everyday situations and typically with less serious consequences than formal
Formal social control happens less frequently than informal but typically has more serious consequences
Formal social control is based on written rules and laws whereas informal social control tends to be unwritten and more flexible/less standardised
Formal social control may be to do with aims such as public safety, protection of the public, deterrence etc.
Informal social control may be associated with processes such as role models, imitation, sanctions, rewards, manipulation, peer pressure, hidden curriculum etc.
Other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of how informal social control is different to formal social control. Responses may be short and un/under developed. Candidates may be confused as to what is meant by social control and/or confused by the differences between formal and informal control. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language, e.g. ‘ways of making people do what’s expected of them’. Band 2 (4–6) A clear and accurate explanation showing good sociological knowledge and understanding of how informal social control is different to formal social control. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected. Candidates may refer to agents, methods, processes etc. with examples. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one factor in a well-developed way or cover several factors in less detail.
3(d)[8]
Explain why criminal youth sub-cultures exist in modern industrial societies. [8]
Candidates need to be clear what is meant by the term ‘criminal youth sub-culture’ and explain why these are found in modern industrial societies. Some candidates may talk about youth generally having a different culture to their parents, e.g. rebellion. Others may talk about specific criminal youth sub-cultures such as gangs or delinquent groups such as ‘Chavs’/’Skins’. Either approach should be credited. Possible answers:
Youth sub-cultures offer young people an opportunity to develop and create their own distinct set of norms and values to mark them out as different to the older generation – committing crime is one way to do this.
Increasing role of a global media in society means that a wide variety of images and definitions of deviant/criminal youth can be seen, resulting in imitation and role modelling amongst young people i.e. copying criminal behaviour that is seen;
Status frustration – criminal youth sub-cultures may exist in order for some young people to gain the status they crave in a society where they don’t feel they get much status. This could be linked to ideas about youth unemployment, lack of money, gang culture etc.
Sociologist, David Matza, talks about young people ‘drifting’ into criminal sub-cultures. The idea that this is a phase in their life when they have few responsibilities and so can experiment with new norms and values in this stage of transition – crime being one such thing.
Resistance and rebellion – criminal youth sub-cultures are typically dominated by working class ethnic minority males and have been explained by Marxist sociologists as an opportunity for these disadvantaged youths to express their dis-satisfaction with society and all the pressures to consume that it places upon them through crime.
Excitement – Postmodern sociologists in particular talk about young people joining criminal sub-cultures in order to engage in thrill seeking and risk talking behaviour i.e. joy-riding.
Culture of masculinity – young males are socialised through several agencies into the need to prove their masculinity – criminal behaviour is one way to do so.
Labelling theory – young people are stereotyped as criminals and targeted by the police and thus this may become their master status via a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Peer group pressure – young people may be pressured into criminal behaviour and activities by their peer group.
Criminal socialisation – young people in certain localities and environments may grow up learning criminal norms and values i.e. the illegitimate opportunity structure.
Unemployment/lack of legitimate opportunity- young people may find it hard to get work and thus turn to crime for the money they need.
Other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of why criminal youth sub-cultures exist in modern industrial societies. Candidates may not fully understand what is meant by a criminal youth sub-culture. Responses may be short and undeveloped. e.g. ‘young people want to have fun together committing crime’. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 (4–6) Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding of why criminal youth sub-cultures exist in modern industrial societies. Candidates may say that e.g. ‘criminal youth sub-cultures are places where young people can feel important and use crime as a way to achieve status’. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed. Band 3 (7–8) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of why criminal youth sub-cultures exist in modern industrial societies and will be well developed and explained. Candidates may discuss specific examples of criminal youth sub-cultures and therefore different reasons for their existence i.e. resistance and rebellion associated with the Skinheads, alternative norms and values with gangs etc. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately, overall. Answers will be well focused on the question and there will be a range of reasons presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout.
3(e)[15]
To what extent do the media influence ideas about crime? [15]
Candidates need to show an understanding of whether the media affects how we think about crime and how it might do this. Candidates may focus on the acts of crime and/or criminals. Either approach should be credited. Possible answers: For
The media provide knowledge about crime and deviance for most people in society, from the government to the police to the public so are clearly influential
The media is selective in its crime coverage often resulting in an exaggerated and distorted picture which may make people fear certain crimes more than others i.e. murder, sexual crimes and physical attacks are all over-reported
The media label and stereotype some groups and behaviours as criminal and deviant, portraying them as folk devils and thus creating a moral panic i.e. teenage muggers
The formal agents of control such as the police and the courts may be influenced by what they see in the media and feel that they should take harsh measures against certain groups and activities
Those negatively labelled by the media may react with a self-fulfilling prophecy and live up to the negative stereotypes that have been created of them
Official crime statistics do not show a true picture of crime but are regularly discussed and presented in the media hence affecting public perception
Most of us are unlikely to be victims of very serious crimes and so our understanding of these crimes and who commits them are likely to come from the media, particularly in this global age
Other reasonable response. Against
Just because we see or read something in the media doesn’t mean that we necessarily believe it, most people today are aware of media bias and distortion
Police activities such as stop and search rates and targeting are more likely to influence how crime is thought of than the media
The courts and judicial systems sentence criminals and thus have a lot more power than the media in terms of deciding how serious or not a crime is
The media merely reports crime stories based on facts and statistics – it is these that influence ideas about crime, not the media itself
The media does report in white collar crime and therefore its crime reporting is not simply stereotyping, it is more diverse than this
Just because a particular social group is labelled as a criminal by the media doesn’t mean that a moral panic or a self-fulfilling prophecy will occur
The Government puts pressure on both the courts and the police in terms of crime policy and therefore it is they, not the media, that affects how crime is thought about
Other agents of social control may have more of an impact on our ideas about crime than the media – family/peer group etc.
Other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–4) Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of whether the media influence ideas about crime. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided. e.g. the media tells us who the criminals are. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points or provide a weak definition of key terms, e.g. how the media present certain people and actions affects how we think about them, in the question. Band 2 (5–8) In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of whether the media influence ideas about crime. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited use of sociological terms or concepts. Candidates may discuss some reasons why the media do influence ideas about crime i.e. stereotypes, moral panics etc but responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided responses are unlikely. Lower in the band, the response will be rather narrow in the points covered and there will be little development. Higher in the band, more points will be covered and there will be limited development of some points. Alternatively, a list-like answer with little development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks Band 3 (9–12) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of whether the media influence ideas about crime. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. Candidates may be able to present a range of points to support the idea that the media do influence ideas about crime, but also be aware of some of the arguments against this i.e. police powers, role of the courts etc. There will be a two-sided response but this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of well-developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 (13–15) Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of whether the media influence ideas about crime. There will be a strong grasp of the argument as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. For example, candidates may say that the media has a large role to play in determining what we think of as crimes and who we think of as criminals. Processes such as labelling may stereotype certain groups as criminal leading to people believing this to be true. The group in question may then live up to their label through a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, most people are aware that the media exaggerates the picture of crime through its sensationalist reporting and therefore are unlikely to believe everything that they see and read etc. Responses will be two-sided and balanced. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent…?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion. Candidates should show consideration of points for and against the idea of whether the media influence ideas about crime, citing some of the examples given. Section D: Media

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