"Assess the view that ethnic differences in crime rates are the result of the ways the CJS Operates"
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Mind Map on "Assess the view that ethnic differences in crime rates are the result of the ways the CJS Operates", created by millieprice97 on 28/10/2014.
"Assess the view that ethnic differences in
crime rates are the result of the ways the CJS Operates"
BLACKS ARE GENERALLY MORE CRIMINAL THAN
WHITES - CJS ISN'T RACIST BECAUSE OF
SOCIETAL FACTORS
1. Lea and Young (left realists) identified that in fact ethnic differences in crime rates were not
the result of the ways in which the CJS operates and that its actually other socital factors:
They said how blacks were not victims of a racist police
force, but were actually more criminal than whites particually for street crime.
THEY ARGUED THAT THE FOLLOWING 3 THINGS HAD AN INFLUENCE:
1. RELATIVE DEPRIVATION
Afro-caribbean people typically come from a w/c background of perhaps single
parent families and they may then feel they are deprived of things that think they
deserve to get it. To obtain it they resort to crime to get what they feel they are
entitled too.
Now-a-days youths feel imense pressure to fit in and get whatever 'cool
gadgets' are about which their peers have. There is a huge gap between what
they can actually achieve and what they want. This then causes frustration so
they turn to crime
2. MARGINALISATION
Afro-Caribbean people may feel a sense of resentment and frustration as
they are a minority group and may feel discriminated against.
They may feel they are “on the edge” of society, both in the political and
economic sense. In addition, afro-Caribbean may feel they lack formal
organizations to represent their political interests, and often resort to
violence and rioting as a form of political action.
3. SUBCULTURES
Afro-Caribbean children from relatively deprived backgrounds form
subcultures together as they share the same norms and values and
beliefs
They then form deviant subcultures e.g. gangs and then commit crimes
In addition, there are also other reasons for higher rates of
crime amongst Afro-Caribbean’s.
1. family structure - 60% of young black males live with
just one parent (normally the mother) this perhaps showing
that a child only has one role model. If the child is male and
lives with only his mother, he may lack a male role model and
influence to discipline him.
2. educational success - In 2006 only 23% of Afro-Caribbean boys
achieved 5 GCSE’S. This therefore shows that if they are not
achieving any or hardly any qualifications at school, when
they leave they may find it hard to find a job, leaving them in
poverty causing them to commit crime to gain access to
necessary things such as food
3. mass media- may be a reason for higher rates of street crime
amongst Afro-Caribbean’s. They’re is a huge influence of
black ‘rap artists’ in the media today and according to some
New Right and conservative thinkers ‘Rap music’ encourages
‘bling, violence and criminality’. Therefore young
Afro-Caribbean children from a young age are seeing this on
the TV, radio, Internet and are wanting to be like them and
be in possession of expensive things so go to the lengths of
crime to get this.
CJS IS RACIST - BLACKS
AREN'T MORE CRIMINAL
1. STOP AND SEARCH RATES: Ethnic minorites are more likely to be stopped and
searched than white's
PER 1,000 OF THE POPULATION - BLACK
PEOPLE WERE S&S 7 TIMES MORE THAN WHITE
PEOPLE IN 2009/10
This shows that the police are racist as there are not 7 times more
black people in prision than white - so police are basing their
resonable suspision on colour and race - THEREFORE BLACK PEOPLE
ARE FEATURED MORE IN S&S RATES
2. ARREST AND CAUTION RATES: Ethic minories are
more likely to be arrested and cautioned than whites
PER 1,000 OF THE POPULATION - AFRO CAR WERE
ARRESTED 3.3 TIMES MORE THAN WHITES
If arrested, Afro Car were more likely to
be charged and face court than recieve a
caution
This shows that the police are perhaps racist in some ways when
arresting & cautioning as there are not 3.3 more blacks in prision than
whites - So they are again basing their responable suspision to arrest or
caution on colour and race - THEREFORE BLACKS ARE FEATURED MORE
IN A&C RATES
3. PRISON : black people from ethnic minorities are more likely to be
sentenced to prison than white people for the same crime.
Black people are 5 times more likely to be in prison than
white people
this showing that the criminal justice system (the courts)
are racist as custodial sentences are more likely to be given
to black offenders and black and Asians are over represented
in prisons and are more likely to be given longer sentences
Therefore the courts are basing their judgment on their
colour and race rather than the crime that’s been committed.
Self-report studies conclude that black people have similar
rates of offending to whites if not lower, this concluding that
according to this black people are no more criminal and white
people, yet there are more black people in prison, meaning
the criminal justice system is racist and that ethnic
differences in crime rates are the result of the ways in which
the criminal justice system operates.