CRIMINOLOGY UNIT 2 ALL IN ONE;
SUMMARY, QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the definition of deviance?
Behavior different from society's norms- Unusual good, unusual
bad and unusual eccentric/bizarre
What is the definition of crime?
A form of deviant behavior that involves serious, harmful acts
that are wrong against society- so disruptive the state must
intervene on behalf of society to forbid and punish by law
What is the legal definition of crime?
Any action forbidden by the criminal law
Define actus reus
guilty act
Define mens rea
guilty mind
Define an Act of Strict Liability and give a definition
Where the presence of actus reus without mens rea (e.g.
justifiable homicide)
What is the social definition of crime?
,Not all harmful acts are criminal (Pollution laws set emission
limits), not all criminal acts are particularly harmful
(trivial/victimless crimes) and the public often have a different
view of what are really crimes compared with the legal
definitions (protests). Not all criminal laws are enforced by the
police (smoking weed)
Define summary offences
Summary offences are crimes which have been committed but
are not serious in nature e.g. a speeding fine. Often processed
in a magistrates court
Define an indictable offence
A more serious crime that has to be judged in a crown court by
a judge and jury
Define values
The general principles for how we should live our lives, they tell
us what is right and wrong. Some values are universal (e.g.
respect for human life) and some are specific to different
societies (e.g. accumulation of wealth)
Define norms
Rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior
of its members in particular situations (e.g. being polite to
elders)
Define moral code
,A basic set of rules, values and principles held by an individual,
group, organization or society as a whole (e.g. The Police Code
of Ethics which includes accountability, integrity, openness,
fairness, leadership, respect, honesty, objectivity and
selflessness)
Define social control
A way society tries to ensure it's members behave as others
expect them to, it does this by applying formal and informal
sanctions (e.g. carrot and stick)
Define informal sanctions
People who deviate from society's expectations are informally
sanctioned (e.g. shunning, laughing at, frowning upon behavior,
name calling, ignoring, labelling)
Define formal sanctions
The penalties that are laid down by law that can be imposed by
courts or police depending on the offence, by the Criminal
Justice System (CJS). Examples of formal sanctions may include
community service, prison sentence or fines
Define court sanctions
Sanctions given out by the court (e.g. custodial sentences,
community sentences, financial penalties and conditional
discharge)
Define police sanctions
, Sanctions given out by the police (e.g. cautions, conditional
caution and penalty notice)
What are the implications of a criminal record?
As well as the punishment being imposed, the offender will
have a criminal record which will have further implications:
exclusion from certain jobs (baring). ViSOR (Violent and Sex
Offender Register), travel ban, restriction on adoption, not
allowed to partake in Jury service, not allowed to be standing
for elected office, have to declare unspent convictions when
applying for work and claiming insurance
What is the social construct of crime?
Refers to something that has been made or defined by society,
rather than occurring naturally. Criminality is which ever acts a
society defines as criminal, crime is fluid and a social construct
that can change between culture and time (e.g. gay marriage
act of 2013)
Define culture
The social behavior and norms in human societies. It's the
shaped values, beliefs, customs and traditions of a specific
group of people (e.g. knowledge and stories, language,
traditions and rituals, techniques and skills, tools and object the
arts, food and drink, values, greater community)
How do laws change from culture to culture?
SUMMARY, QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the definition of deviance?
Behavior different from society's norms- Unusual good, unusual
bad and unusual eccentric/bizarre
What is the definition of crime?
A form of deviant behavior that involves serious, harmful acts
that are wrong against society- so disruptive the state must
intervene on behalf of society to forbid and punish by law
What is the legal definition of crime?
Any action forbidden by the criminal law
Define actus reus
guilty act
Define mens rea
guilty mind
Define an Act of Strict Liability and give a definition
Where the presence of actus reus without mens rea (e.g.
justifiable homicide)
What is the social definition of crime?
,Not all harmful acts are criminal (Pollution laws set emission
limits), not all criminal acts are particularly harmful
(trivial/victimless crimes) and the public often have a different
view of what are really crimes compared with the legal
definitions (protests). Not all criminal laws are enforced by the
police (smoking weed)
Define summary offences
Summary offences are crimes which have been committed but
are not serious in nature e.g. a speeding fine. Often processed
in a magistrates court
Define an indictable offence
A more serious crime that has to be judged in a crown court by
a judge and jury
Define values
The general principles for how we should live our lives, they tell
us what is right and wrong. Some values are universal (e.g.
respect for human life) and some are specific to different
societies (e.g. accumulation of wealth)
Define norms
Rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior
of its members in particular situations (e.g. being polite to
elders)
Define moral code
,A basic set of rules, values and principles held by an individual,
group, organization or society as a whole (e.g. The Police Code
of Ethics which includes accountability, integrity, openness,
fairness, leadership, respect, honesty, objectivity and
selflessness)
Define social control
A way society tries to ensure it's members behave as others
expect them to, it does this by applying formal and informal
sanctions (e.g. carrot and stick)
Define informal sanctions
People who deviate from society's expectations are informally
sanctioned (e.g. shunning, laughing at, frowning upon behavior,
name calling, ignoring, labelling)
Define formal sanctions
The penalties that are laid down by law that can be imposed by
courts or police depending on the offence, by the Criminal
Justice System (CJS). Examples of formal sanctions may include
community service, prison sentence or fines
Define court sanctions
Sanctions given out by the court (e.g. custodial sentences,
community sentences, financial penalties and conditional
discharge)
Define police sanctions
, Sanctions given out by the police (e.g. cautions, conditional
caution and penalty notice)
What are the implications of a criminal record?
As well as the punishment being imposed, the offender will
have a criminal record which will have further implications:
exclusion from certain jobs (baring). ViSOR (Violent and Sex
Offender Register), travel ban, restriction on adoption, not
allowed to partake in Jury service, not allowed to be standing
for elected office, have to declare unspent convictions when
applying for work and claiming insurance
What is the social construct of crime?
Refers to something that has been made or defined by society,
rather than occurring naturally. Criminality is which ever acts a
society defines as criminal, crime is fluid and a social construct
that can change between culture and time (e.g. gay marriage
act of 2013)
Define culture
The social behavior and norms in human societies. It's the
shaped values, beliefs, customs and traditions of a specific
group of people (e.g. knowledge and stories, language,
traditions and rituals, techniques and skills, tools and object the
arts, food and drink, values, greater community)
How do laws change from culture to culture?
