AS Ethnicity - Crime and Deviance

Some sociologists claim that a strong relationship exists between ethnicity and crime and deviance. These theories are based on the concept of inequality and marginalisation within society, where ethnic minority groups feel excluded by society and the ethnic 'hosts' of that society. For example, if a Bangladeshi were to immigrate to the UK they may possibly feel excluded as they are not adapted to our cultural norms and values. It is from this theory that sociologists view crime committed by black youths as a retaliation to the marginalisation they face.

One explanation for this relationship may be due to the racism and discrimination ethnic minorities face in institutions such as the workplace. For example, in 2009 the Department for Work and Pensions conducted a study in which they sent out 2961 false job applications either signed with a stereotypical white british name or a typical ethnic minority sounding name. However, they were equally good applications. Results from this study illustrated…