Criminology

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Exam Questions

What “criminal”, “deviant” and “antisocial” mean in criminologyNew White collar crime: organised, corporate and professionalNew Moral crime and “moral offences”New State crime: human rights abusesNew Technological crime: e-crime and cyber-enabled offencesNew Individual crime: hate crimeNew Individual crime: honour crimeNew Individual crime: domestic abuseNew Analysing crime by offence type, victim type and offender typeNew Analysing crime by level of public awarenessNew Why crimes go unreported: fear and intimidationNew Why crimes go unreported: shame and stigmaNew Why crimes go unreported: disinterest and “not affected”New Why crimes go unreported: lack of knowledge and complexityNew Why crimes go unreported: lack of media interest and low public concernNew Culture-bound crime and barriers to reportingNew Unreported crime case focus: domestic abuseNew Unreported crime case focus: sexual offences (including rape)New Unreported crime case focus: vandalism and “minor” property crimeNew Unreported crime case focus: perceived victimless crimesNew Consequences of unreported crime: the ripple effectNew Consequences of unreported crime: unrecorded crime and distorted prioritiesNew Consequences of unreported crime: decriminalisation and legal changeNew Consequences of unreported crime: procedural change and police prioritisationNew News and newspaper representations of crimeNew TV and documentary representations of crimeNew Film and drama representations of crimeNew Social media representations of crime: blogs and networkingNew Gaming and music representations of crimeNew Moral panic: what it is and how it formsNew Stereotyping offenders and “ideal victims”New Media impact on perceptions of crime trendsNew Media impact on fear of crime and attitudes to punishmentNew Comparing crime sources: Home Office stats vs CSEWNew Reliability, validity and ethics in crime data collectionNew Strengths and limitations of official statisticsNew Strengths and limitations of victimisation surveysNew What a “campaign for change” is and what it tries to achieveNew Campaign aims: changing policy, law, funding and agency prioritiesNew Campaign aims: changing awareness and public attitudesNew Comparing campaigns: purpose, audience, methods and outcomesNew Measuring campaign effectiveness against objectivesNew Media types in campaigns: blogs, viral messaging and social networkingNew Media types in campaigns: advertising, radio and televisionNew Media types in campaigns: film, documentary and printNew Evaluating campaign media: reach, persuasion and audience targetingNew Choosing a crime-related campaign focus for planningNew Setting aims and objectives for a campaign planNew Defining and justifying the target audienceNew Selecting methods, media and materials for the campaignNew Building a campaign budget and financial justificationNew Creating timescales, resource plans and rolesNew Designing campaign materials: structure and sequencing informationNew Designing campaign materials: images and attention-grabbing featuresNew Designing campaign materials: persuasive language and calls to actionNew Designing campaign materials: align with aims and audienceNew Designing materials: leaflet conventionsNew Designing materials: poster and advert conventionsNew Designing materials: blog and social page conventionsNew Writing a justification: presenting a clear case for actionNew Using evidence to support a campaign argumentNew Referencing credible sources for campaign work (controlled assessment focus)New

Crime and deviance: similarities and differencesNew Social construction of criminality: how laws vary by cultureNew Social construction of criminality: how laws change over timeNew Social construction of criminality: context and circumstance in applying lawNew Social construction of criminality: why groups experience law differentlyNew How “unreported crime” links to social constructions of crimeNew Biological explanations: what “genetic theories” claimNew Jacobs XYY study: claims and evaluation pointsNew Twin and adoption studies: what they test and what they suggestNew Physiological explanations: Lombroso and atavismNew Physiological explanations: Sheldon and body typesNew Individualistic explanations: learning theories overviewNew Social learning theory: Bandura and modelling crimeNew Individualistic explanations: psychodynamic overviewNew Psychodynamic explanation: Freud (id/ego/superego) and offendingNew Individualistic explanations: psychological traits overviewNew Personality explanation: Eysenck and criminal personalityNew Sociological explanations: social structure overviewNew Marxism: crime, power and inequalityNew Functionalism: crime as normal, functions and strain/anomie linksNew Sociological explanations: interactionism overviewNew Labelling: primary/secondary deviance and self-fulfilling prophecyNew Sociological explanations: realism overviewNew Left realism: relative deprivation, marginalisation and subculturesNew Right realism: individual responsibility, control and opportunityNew Applying theories to crime types: person/property crimeNew Applying theories to white collar and corporate crimeNew Applying theories to state and moral crimesNew Applying theories to individual behaviour in case scenariosNew Evaluating theories: strengths, weaknesses and evidence baseNew Comparing theories: which best explains which crimes (and why)New How theories influence policy: informal vs formal policy makingNew Crime control policies and the theories behind themNew State punishment policies and the theories behind themNew Policy examples through theory: zero tolerance, CCTV and penal populismNew Policy examples through theory: restorative justice and multi-agency approachesNew Social change and policy: values, norms, mores and shifting attitudesNew Social change and policy: demographic change and social structureNew Social change and policy: cultural change and public perception of crimeNew Campaigns and policy making: newspaper campaignsNew Campaigns and policy making: individual campaignsNew Campaigns and policy making: pressure group campaignsNew

What happens after a crime is detected: the investigation pathwayNew Crime scene investigators: role and typical tasksNew Forensic specialists and forensic scientists: roles and differencesNew Police officers and detectives: investigative decision-makingNew The CPS in investigations: working relationship with policeNew Pathologists and cause-of-death evidenceNew Other agencies: SOCA and HMRC (why they get involved)New Evaluating effectiveness of roles: cost limitationsNew Evaluating effectiveness of roles: expertise limitationsNew Evaluating effectiveness of roles: availability limitationsNew Forensic techniques: fingerprints, DNA and trace evidence basicsNew Surveillance techniques: physical and digital surveillance overviewNew Profiling techniques: what profiling can and can’t doNew Intelligence databases: National DNA Database and investigative valueNew Interviewing eyewitnesses: reliability and procedure basicsNew Interviewing experts: purpose and limitsNew Matching techniques: crime scene vs lab vs station vs “street”New Matching techniques to crime types: violent crime investigationsNew Matching techniques to crime types: e-crime investigationsNew Matching techniques to crime types: property crime investigationsNew Physical evidence vs testimonial evidence: key differencesNew Evidence processing: collection and contamination risksNew Evidence processing: transfer and continuityNew Evidence processing: storage and chain of custodyNew Evidence processing: analysis and interpretationNew Who processes evidence: roles and accountabilityNew Evidence in case studies: how processing affected outcomes (Barry George)New Evidence in case studies: how processing affected outcomes (Sally Clarke)New Evidence in case studies: how processing affected outcomes (Angela Cannings)New Evidence in case studies: how processing affected outcomes (Amanda Knox)New Rights of suspects during investigation and interviewNew Rights of victims during investigation and trial preparationNew Rights of witnesses and witness protection considerationsNew Rights through to appeal: what “safeguards” look likeNew CPS legal framework: charging role and why it mattersNew Prosecution of Offences Act and CPS responsibilitiesNew Full Code Test: evidential stageNew Full Code Test: public interest stageNew Pre-trial processes: case building and case managementNew Bail decisions: purposes and risksNew Court personnel roles: judge, prosecution, defence and legal teamsNew Plea bargaining: what it is and impacts on justiceNew Courts: magistrates’ court vs Crown Court pathwaysNew Appeals: why appeals happen and what they challengeNew Rules of evidence: relevance and admissibilityNew Disclosure of evidence: purpose and fairnessNew Hearsay rule and key exceptionsNew Evidence rules shaped by legislation and case lawNew Influences on outcomes: strength and type of evidenceNew Influences on outcomes: media pressure and publicityNew Influences on outcomes: witness credibility and errorsNew Influences on outcomes: expert evidence and expert biasNew Influences on outcomes: politics and policy climateNew Influences on outcomes: judiciary and judicial directionsNew Influences on outcomes: barristers and legal strategyNew Laypeople in criminal cases: the role of juriesNew Laypeople in criminal cases: the role of magistratesNew Strengths and weaknesses of jury decision-makingNew Strengths and weaknesses of lay magistratesNew Reviewing information sources: what “validity” means in practiceNew Testing for bias, opinion and context in case materialsNew Testing for currency and accuracy in case materialsNew Using evidence, transcripts, judgements and Law Reports as sourcesNew Drawing conclusions: what makes a verdict “safe”New Drawing conclusions: what makes a verdict “just”New Miscarriages of justice: warning signs from evidenceNew Judging sentencing as “just” using case info (controlled assessment focus)New

The criminal justice system in England and Wales: what it is forNew Law making via government processes: how legislation is createdNew Law making via judicial processes: judges and case lawNew Linking law making to campaign pressure and public opinionNew Criminal justice system agencies: police functions in the wider systemNew Criminal justice system agencies: courts and decision-making rolesNew Criminal justice system agencies: formal punishment and enforcementNew Relationships between agencies: cooperation and tension pointsNew Models of criminal justice: due process modelNew Models of criminal justice: crime control modelNew Comparing due process and crime control in real scenariosNew Social control: internal forms (rational ideology)New Social control: internal forms (tradition)New Social control: internalisation of rules and moralityNew Social control: external forms (coercion)New Social control: external forms (fear of punishment)New Control theory: why people obey the lawNew Aims of punishment: retributionNew Aims of punishment: rehabilitationNew Aims of punishment: deterrence (reducing reoffending)New Aims of punishment: deterrence (deterring others)New Aims of punishment: public protectionNew Aims of punishment: reparationNew Forms of punishment: imprisonmentNew Forms of punishment: community sentencesNew Forms of punishment: financial penaltiesNew Forms of punishment: dischargeNew Assessing punishment forms against aims: what “effective” looks likeNew Agencies in social control: police (aims, funding, philosophy, practices)New Agencies in social control: CPS (aims, funding, philosophy, practices)New Agencies in social control: judiciary (aims, funding, philosophy, practices)New Agencies in social control: prisons (aims, funding, philosophy, practices)New Agencies in social control: probation (aims, funding, philosophy, practices)New Charities as social control agencies: roles and reachNew Pressure groups as social control agencies: roles and influenceNew Agency contributions: environmental approaches (design, gated lanes)New Agency contributions: behavioural approaches (ASBOs, token economy)New Agency contributions: institutional and disciplinary approachesNew Agency contributions: rule making and staged/phased systemsNew Gaps in state provision and how non-state agencies respondNew Limits on social control: repeat offenders and recidivismNew Limits on social control: civil liberties and legal barriersNew Limits on social control: resources, support and financeNew Limits on social control: local vs national policy constraintsNew Limits on social control: environmental constraints on preventionNew Limits on social control: “moral imperative” offendingNew Evaluating agency effectiveness using evidence and sourcesNew Evaluating sources about agencies: bias, opinion and circumstancesNew Evaluating sources about agencies: currency and accuracyNew

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Criminology

Exam Questions

Changing Awareness of Crime (Unit 1)

Criminological Theories (Unit 2)

Crime Scene to Courtroom (Unit 3)

Crime and Punishment (Unit 4)

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