Past Exam Questions: November 'Crime and Deviance'

Unit 7: Crime and Deviance

Oct/Nov 2002

1. (a) Describe two reasons why official crime statistics may not reflect the true level of crime in society. (9)

(b) Assess the view that ‘low levels of recorded female crime are a reflection of their lack of criminal activity.’ (16)

2. (a) Explain, with examples, the meaning of anomie. (9)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of the ‘New Criminology’ in explaining why people commit crime. (16)

Oct/Nov 2003

1. (a) Explain, with examples, how ‘the self-fulfilling prophecy’ may contribute to levels of crime in society. (9)

(b) ‘Crime is an activity undertake by the powerless in the society’. How valid is this as a description of the perpetrators of crime in society. (16)

2. (a) Explain, with examples, the limitations of official crime statistics. (9)

(b) Assess the usefulness of self-report and victim studies in explaining the nature of crime statistics. (16)

Oct/Nov 2004

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the process by which an individual accepts a master status. (9)

(b) ‘the mass media plays a key role in labeling certain acts as deviant.’ Explain and assess this statement. (16)

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the reasons why the old apparently commit fewer crimes than the young. (9)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of Marxist theories in understanding levels of crime in society. (16)

Oct /Nov 2005

1. (a) Describe, with examples how sociologists carry out victim surveys. (9)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of New Left Realism in explaining the nature of crime. (16)

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the types of delinquent sub-cultures that can be found in societies. (9)

(b) Evaluate the contribution of feminist theories to the study of rime and deviance (16)

Oct/Nov 2006

1. (a) Describe, with two examples, what is meant by master status in relation to crime and deviance. (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that some groups, such as the elderly and females, may have little involvement in criminal activity.

2. (a) Describe, with two examples, what is meant by anomie in relation to crime and deviance (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that crime and deviance is a necessary and inevitable feature o society (16)

Oct/Nov 2007

1. (a) (i) Define the term white collar crime. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of white collar. (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that in modern industrial societies criminal behaviour is primarily working class activity. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term labeling. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of labeling in relation to crime and deviance. (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that official statistics tell us more about the processes of law enforcement than they do about who commits crime. (16)

Oct/Nov 2008

1. (a) (i) Define the term stigma. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of the way in which a stigmatization may influence levels of crime and deviance. (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that crime is the result of labeling by powerful groups. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term anomie. (3)

(ii) Identify and describe two examples of anomie in relation to crime and deviance (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that deviant behaviour is the result of dysfunctional socialization. (16)

Oct/Nov 2009

1. (a) (i) Define the term white-collar crime. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of white-collar crime (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that criminality is predominantly working class activity. (16)

3. (a) (i) Define the term Chivalry Thesis.

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two limitations of official crime statistics.

(b) Evaluate the view that women commit vey little crime. (16)