Crime and Deviance

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infoWhy this? In sociology, crime is defined as any act that breaks the law, while deviance is the behavior that deviates from societal norms, even if not illegal. Both concepts are socially constructed, which suggests, what is considered criminal or deviant varies across time, place, and culture. It is crucial for students to understand why there are so many different understandings regarding this, students should be able to apply evaluative and critical skills.

scheduleWhy now? This unit is part of the AQA GCSE scheme and students are required to study this. The unit allows students to unpack views on crime within media and general debates alongside students gaining skills to critically analyse and evaluate.

The difference between criminal and deviant behaviour
How crime is measured
Strengths and weaknesses of methods of measuring crime
Sociological explanations for criminal behaviour
Functionalist explanations of crime
Feminist explanations of crime
Marxist explanations of crime
Interactionist explanations of crime
Social factors that impact criminal behaviour (gender, ethnicity, age and social class)
Formal and informal social control and their sanctions
Punishments for criminal and deviance behaviour
The media and crime

rocket_launchYou must be able to

Identity and explain key theoretical explanations on crime and deviance
Explain key concepts within each theory
Explain the difference between formal and informal social control
Evaluate each theories explanation on crime and deviance
Consider alternative theories and why they are still relevant in society today
Understand why social factors can influence criminal behaviour (gender, ethnicity, age and social class)
Evaluate methods of measuring crime
Evaluate the reliability of the media when it comes to reporting crime
Evaluate the effective of prison sentencing when it comes to punishing crimes

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