Last Updated on January 17, 2019 by Karl Thompson
This could form the basis of a 10 mark question in the crime and deviance paper, in which case, you would have an item, which will direct you to two of the reasons mentioned below, which you must use if they are in the itme to get 10/10!
A mark scheme and some suggested answers to the above question*
8-10
- Answers in this band will show good knowledge and understanding of relevant material on two reasons.
- There will be two developed applications of material from the item
- There will be appropriate analysis/evaluation of two reasons.
To get into this mark band you need to identify one reason, develop it, analyse it (so three good sentences of development/ analysis) and then repeat this for your second reason.
4- 7
- Answers in this band will show a basic to reasonable knowledge and understanding.
- There will be some successful application of material from the item.
- There will be some analysis/evaluation
This means you’ve identified, developed and analysed one reason well, but not effectively developed or analysed the second reason.
1-3
- Answers in this band will show limited knowledge of one or two reasons
- There will be limited application of material from the item.
- There will be limited or no analysis/evaluation.
You shouldn’t be down here.
Possible Criticisms
These could form the basis of any one of your two points.
- Underlying patterns of offending are different…
- The characteristics of offenders are different….
- It’s the public that’s racist, the police just respond….
- Racism is subjective, thus difficult to define
- Racism is difficult to research in practice.
Example which should get you 5/10
Repeat with one of the other reasons to get 10/10
The first reason why it is doubtful that police racism explains the higher imprisonment rates of ethnic minorities is that there is some evidence that ethnic minorities might commit more crime.
Development For example, many ethnic minority groups experience higher levels of relative deprivation and marginalisation (applying left realism) which could explain actual underlying higher levels of offending.
Analysis Thus it might be these factors related to class and deprivation which explains the higher levels of policing and stop and search (and corresponding imprisonment) in minority areas rather than police racism. The police are not necessarily racist – they are just responding in an objective, rather than a racist way to really existing high crime rates in poorer areas, where ethnic minorities are more likely to live.
*Answers not endorsed by the AQA. These are my best guesses as to a safe minimum for getting full marks. NB – You may as well go with my best guess as the exemplars produced by the AQA don’t necessarily reflect the standards they mark to anyway.
