His theory had two basic elements, firstly it pointed out that criminal behaviour is learned by the interaction within intimate personal groups through communication this includes techniques for committing the crimes (Bernard et al., 2010 p.180). Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) contest this statement explaining the average delinquent act may be committed before the interactions with other delinquents as the crime may need no special skills (Smith & Brame 1994). The delinquent behaviour and the pleasure derived from the act may cause the attraction to and joining of a delinquent social group meaning this behaviour is not learned
The term eyewitness testimony (EWT) is actually a legal term, referring to the use of eyewitness (or earwitness) to give evidence in court concerning the identity of someone who has committed a crime. Psychologists tend to use the term ‘eyewitness memory’ instead of ‘testimony’ when carrying out research to test the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. Loftus and Palmer (1974) were interested in the accuracy of memory after witnessing a car accident, in particular to see if leading questions distorted the accuracy of an eyewitness’s immediate recall. Forty-five students were shown seven films of different traffic accidents. After each film the participants were given a questionnaire which asked them to describe the accident and then answer a series of specific questions about it.
Both Dan Gardner’s “The Missing Piece of the Gang-Violence Debate” and Bruce K. Alexander and Stefa Shaler’s “Addiction in Free Markets” see drugs as a social problem. However, while they hold the view that drugs are not the main problem which encourage addiction and bloodshed respectively, Alexander and Shaler focus mainly on dislocation, while Gardner focuses on black market created by outlawing of drugs. Alexander and Shaler center on social dislocation merging into a free-market system which makes individuals insignificant. Gardner argues that drug addiction causes the social problems of urban violence and homicide. While these differences shape the essays’ handling of development and detail, the authors’ main ideas are contradictory.
This then lead for official statistics and the law enforcement to show a bias towards working class boys. This research shows how deviance only exists because people have decided to attach a label, thus the labelling theory is useful in explain how a deviant and criminal behaviour is classed as this. However, it fails to explain why some people certain crime and deviance in the first place before they are labelled. Also, as said in Item a ‘’deviant individuals are labelled when their actions are discovered and provoke reactions from society. However, this reaction will take differing forms, depending on how the nature of the action is perceived.’’ But as well as this, labelling theorists look at the effects and reaction it causes the individual to take.
Due to this, the New South Wales government implemented new restrictions on provisional licence, making it illegal for P1 drivers carry more than one underage passenger between 11pm-5am. This is another way of how justice is achieved in law reform on young drivers and it is also believed that restricting night time driving and passenger numbers for young drivers has been found to be very effective in reducing accidents. Furthermore another issue that also
Outline and evaluate functionalist explanations of crime and deviance Crime and deviance can be defined as behaviour which breaks the law or goes against society's norms and values. Downes and Rock defined deviance as behavior which may be considered as banned or controlled behavior which is likely to attract disapproval or punishment. Crime is harder to define, however Pease (2002) defined crime and deviance as an action that is deemed so disturbing by citizens or disruptive to society that state intervention is justified. The macro perspective of Functionalism sees society working like the human body, this is described through the organic analogy. The agents of socialization work together to form equilibrium within society.
A Social Problem In America alone people take about two hundred and thirty three trips in cars each year, of all these, one out of two thousand of these trips are being taken by drunk or drugged individuals. Statistics show that one of three traffic tragedies involve drunk drivers. Approximately nine thousand eight hundred seventy eight people died in car crashes in the year 2011. Due to these high numbers it was determined that this was a social problem in which the whole nation should pay close attention
For example the large basins where homeless people used to bathe were replaced by smaller basins, making it harder for them to abuse this property. However the situational crime prevention method is criticised for only being effective when focused on petty opportunistic crime, and also for assuming that deviants make a rational decision prior to their act. Situational crime prevention is also criticised for failing to reduce crime, but simply displacing it. This is done through 4 ways: changing the space where the crime is committed, committing the crime at a different time, changing the target, or by committing a different type of crime. Another approach for crime prevention is environmental crime prevention.
Using materials like anti-climb paint or neighbourhood watch schemes they make the target harder to achieve, or more risky. This process is called target hardening. An advantage of this is that it directly influences the criminal by allowing them to stop and think about the real consequences to their actions. Another concept that right realists believe should be implemented is a zero tolerance policy. A zero tolerance policy is a tough system of policing that was put into practice in New York, USA, in which even minor offences are punished.
In 2015, it was found that male drivers were involved in 54.8% in alcohol-related crashes, while females were involved in 42.4% of the fatal crashes. In research from WalletHub, shows that the state of Ohio was one of the most lenient states when it came to laws about drinking and driving. Every person that is on the road, driver or passengers, are all affected by this issue. It is the matter of life or death. Many people are concerned about this issue because they are not safe.