The sociology of crime and deviance explores various factors influencing criminal behavior, focusing on institutional discrimination, age patterns, and societal influences.
- Institutional racism in police force manifests through disproportionate targeting of BAME individuals, with black people being 9 times more likely to face stop and search
- The relationship between age and crime rates peaks between 15-24 years, with rates declining after age 25 as individuals settle into jobs and stable lives
- The impact of media on ethnic stereotypes reinforces negative perceptions of minority groups, contributing to their criminalization
- Social class significantly influences crime patterns, with working-class individuals more likely to commit traceable crimes
- Gender plays a crucial role in crime statistics, with males comprising 94% of prison populations
- Strain Theory explains criminal behavior as a response to inability to achieve societal goals through legitimate means
