Crime and Deviance - Assess the strengths and limitations of using group interviews as a means of investigating young offenders. [15 marks]

Read Item C Below and answer the question that follows

Item C;

Investigating Young Offenders

Young offenders are likely to have certain characteristics, such as underachievement in school. Many will use slang and street language. Young offenders may also be from a working-class background. Some may be members of an anti-school subculture, and as such are likely to resent authority. Membership of a criminal subculture may also mean that young offenders feel pressured by the group.

Young offenders may be in custody or may live in temporary or less stable accomodation. Although offenders will be known to the criminal justice system, their age may mean that data relating to them are not freely available. 

Young offenders often feel socially excluded and marginalised from society, and so they may welcome the chance to talk about their experiences. 

03 - Using material from Item C and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of using group interviews as a means of investigating young offenders. [15 marks]

The strengths of a group interview to investigate young offenders is that the group can feel relaxed and unintimidated around the interviewer. They can be in a sceario where they know that what they say will be taken seriously by the interviewer and can freely discuss their behaviour and reasons for it without fear of further prosecution. This is because of confidentiality between the interviewer and the interviewee. The…