Topic 6 - Explaining the differences in offending

Lea + Young (1993) - ethnic diffs in stats reflect real diffs. Acknowledge police often racist -> unjustified criminalisation, donn't believe discriminatory policing fully explains diffs in stats. Over 90% crimes known to police reported by public rather than discovered by police.

Can't explain diffs b/ween minorities in terms of police racisms - selective racism.

Stats represent real diffs, caused by real diffs in levels relative deprivation + marginalisation.

Criticisms:
 - police stereotype groups diff - explains why rates diff.

Diffs in stats don't reflect reality. Groups no more criminal than any other - result of police + CJS acting on racist stereotypes. Ethnic minority crime form of political resistance against racist society - roots in earlier struggles against British imperialism - similar to critical crimonology. 

Criticisms:
 - 1st gen immigrants law-abiding, unlikely passed down tradition of anti-colonial struggle to children
 - most crime intra-ethnic

Argue r/c normally able to rule subordinate classes through consent - crisis - high inflation, rising unemployment -> unrest, opp to cap grew, r/c may need to use force to maintain control. Use of force needs to be seen as legit, or may -> more widepsread resistance eg moral panic - no coincidence happened at same time as crisis of capitalism.

Criticisms:
 - Downes + Rock (2011) - inconsistent in claiming black street crime not risisng, also said it was rising b/c of unemployment
 - don't show how capitalist crisis -> moral panic

Neighbourhood: Fitzgeral et al (2003) - rates highest in poorest areas, deprived young people in contact w/ more affluent gorups. Young black people likely to live in these areas.

Getting caught: Sharp + Budd (2005) - black offenders more likely to have been arrested b/c more likely to commit crimes eg robbery where can be identified, raises visibility.