Crime and deviance

Crime and gender.

Women commit less crimes then men because of socialistion they are taught that some things are seen as devient or even crimminal. Boys are allowed toys that make them act devient. What are the 3 main reasons why women commit less crime? 1. less opuritunnity 2. Behaviour is more closely monitored. 3.Women often do domestic chores e.e House work, cook food and look after the children.

Crime and Age

Explanations for Patterns of Crime: Age

Opportunities

for criminal

behaviour

 More young people (aged 14 – 25 – the peak ages for criminal activity) live in urban areas which provides more opportunities for

crime: more shops, offices, businesses, cars, houses etc.

 Fewer opportunities for serious work-related crimes because young are rarely in positions of authority.

More opportunities for work-related crime for older people.

 Middle and upper class youth have fewer opportunities for crime because they are more-likely to be in full-time education up to age

of 21 / 22 than working class youth.

 Working class youth more-likely to be in low-paid, low skill work (or unemployed). Criminal behaviour may be used as a source of

excitement as well as money.

Women will have fewer opportunities to commit crimes if they have a home / children to look after.

 After age 25 we see a steep drop in criminal activity as people take-on new roles such as wage-earner, parent, spouse etc. The

possibility of jail time becomes a relatively more-serious matter because of the impact it will have on the perpetrators life and

responsibilities.

Given that the vast majority of crime is relatively petty, older people may cease to follow a lifestyle (clubbing…) that gives them

opportunities for these crimes.

 As people get older they take-on more personal responsibilities (work / career for example) and social responsibilities (children or a

partner for example) which makes them consider the effect their behaviour might have on people they love / value.

Lack of responsibilities might also lead to the opposite happening  more crime being committed because the perpetrator doesn’t

have to consider others.

 Young people are rarely in a position to commit major work-related crimes (such as computer fraud) because their work roles are

usually fairly low-level and do not involve having authority over others. They are more likely to be managed at work rather than being

a manager.

The lifestyles of the middle-aged and the elderly may be more-focused on the home (watching TV…) than outside the home.

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