Crime and Law
Types of Crime
Type of Crime
White-Collar
Crime
Blue-Collar Crime
Corporate Crime
Crime of Hatred
Cybercrime
Domestic Abuse
Crime Involving
Fire
Violent Crime
Description
Examples
Description
Carried out by businesses or corporations, or a person acting on behalf of a
corporation.
Involves a computer or a network including exploitation of the internet.
Issues becoming more high profile today.
A pattern of behaviour which involves the abuse by one partner against
another; can take many forms,
Deliberately using fire to intentionally and maliciously set fire to buildings,
wild-land areas, vehicles or other property with the intent to cause damage.
Professionals who work in trained services and sales (offices) – not manual
labour. Often hidden crimes that go unnoticed / reported
The offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim - act can
be the objective (murder) as well as being means to an end (robbery)
Member of a working class who performs skilled or unskilled labouring jobs
i.e. – construction. More obvious in society.
When an offender targets their victim because they are a member of a social
group (i.e. race, religion, sexuality)
Examples of Crime – show your understanding
Sort the following examples into the correct type:
Illegal use of a
firearm
Computer hacking
Verbal racist abuse
Burglary
Violence towards
spouse
Tax Avoidance
Dealing in illegal
substances
Identity theft
Shoplifting
Copyright theft
Homicide
Assault
Vandalism
Graffiti
Mugging
Driving without a
licence
Online Tax fraud
Selling alcohol to
Mis-selling insurance
people under 18
Online Banking Fraud
Kidnapping
Key Definitions
Other types of crime include:
o Knife Crime
o Gun Crime
o Human Trafficking
o Anti-Social Behaviour
o Drug Crime
Who Commits Crime?
The idea that every group in society is
equally likely to commit a crime is incorrect.
Statistics show that some groups of people
are more likely to commit crime than others.
People are more likely to commit crime if
they are:
Younger. The peak age for
committing crime is 19 and 20
for males and 26-30 for females.
For offences (minor crimes e.g.
breach of the peace) the peak
age is lower for both males and
females.
Male. The majority of crime (80%) is committed by
men. Almost all violent crime is committed by men.
Living in a city (or urban) area. The majority of crime
happens in city areas, particularly in city centres at
weekends or in areas with poorer quality housing.
Activity 1
Scott Anderson
Aged 19
Lives in the
Gorbals,
Glasgow
Laurie Strachan
Ages 80
Lives in
Seafield, West
Lothian
Morgan Kenyon
Aged 28
Lives in Leith in
Edinburgh
Steven Hailstones
Aged 45
Lives in Linlithgow,
West Lothian
Which of the following people is most likely to commit
a crime and least likely to commit a crime?
Give a reason for both of your choices.
Causes of Crime - Explanations
• Causes of crime are complex and often involve
linking many factors together to get a better
understanding
 To avoid stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination
• Some of the main issues that can be linked to
today’s society are:
• Poverty – especially in current economic climate –
recession
• Long Term Unemployment
• Social Environment
• Mental Health Problems
• Influence of Alcohol and Drugs
Cycle of Poverty
The Causes
of Crime
Lack of
belonging
Lack of pride in
Community
Poor Housing
SOCIAL
CAUSES
Peer
Pressure
Lack of selfesteem
Exclusion from
school
Social
Exclusion
Unable to claim
benefits
Recession
Economic
Causes
Poverty
Area of
deprivation
Densely populated
area
Lack of
facilities
Geographical
Lack of positive
role models
Upbringing
Physical Abuse
Family
members
involved in
crime
Greed
Culture
Importance attached
to material belongings
Activities
1. Create a detailed spider diagram illustrating the
main causes of crime. Use pages 104 – 107 of
‘National 4/5 Modern Studies Leckie and Leckie’
book to complete this.
2. Collect a copy of the table on the next slide –
you must complete this table in detail as this
could potentially be an exam question.
Examples and Explanations for Crime
Cause of Crime
Family Background
Peer Pressure/Gang
culture
Poor Environment Geography
Economic
circumstances -Poverty
Circumstances – social
exclusion
Greed
Alcohol / Drugs
Explanation of why this leads to
crime
Example of type of
crime…
Re cap
Family
Background
Causes of Crime
The main causes of Crime
P–
A–
P–
E–
R–
S–
Poverty
Area (geographical
location)
Peer Pressure
Education (lack of it)
Role Models
Social Exclusion
Poverty
• The areas of Scotland which have large cities
tend to have higher rates of crime.
• Strathclyde – which contains Glasgow has the
highest level of crime in Scotland – 700, per
10,000 people
• Dumfries and Galloway has the lowest levels
of crimes – 400, per 10,000 people.
• Glasgow is the most deprived city and local
authority area in Scotland.
• 1 in 3 Glaswegian children lives in a household
where no one works compared to the Scottish
average 1 in 5.
• More than ¼ of all serious assaults were
committed in Glasgow.
• 170 gangs in the Glasgow area compared to
169 in London (over 6 times the size!)
Area or Geographical Location
• Inner cities e.g. Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow breed crime
• Crime acceptable e.g. joy riding/vandalism
• Criminal Sub Culture (Where people grow up believing crime
to be normal). In Glasgow schemes – gangs/ Saturday night
booze and blade culture.
• Some areas have high unemployment - causes crime as some
steal to make basic needs.
• Inner cities have a high drop out / truancy rates from school
• Run down inner city areas lack of facilities – boredom –
vandalism/joy riding etc.
Peer Pressure
• Friends are involved in crime
• Encourage or pressure others into crime
• Less likely to commit a crime e.g. vandalism,
take drugs etc. if your peers don’t do it
• Gangs – commit crimes to get into/as part of a
gang e.g. theft, joy riding
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVOlwxvx
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Education
• Lack of education
no
qualifications/poorly paid job
Poverty
• Truancy
opting out
Social Exclusion
not involved in
society / no peers to encourage you to reject
crime.
• Leads to boredom
more likely to get
involved in petty crime e.g. vandalism
Role Models
o Negative role models or a lack of positive ones
o
Celebrities
o
Family
o UK Government estimates that there are 120,000 troubled
families whose children are at a high risk of repeating their
parents’ criminal lifestyles
o Lack of love, addictions to alcohol/drugs and an atmosphere
of tension/violence are key causes of crime.
o Where a young person is deprived of strong role models,
strong relationships and happiness from an early age may well
be a key cause of crime.
Activities
1. Copy the following statement:
 “People are responsible for their own behaviour and have
only themselves to blame if they get involved in criminal
activities”
(a) Explain why some people might AGREE with this
statement and why some people might DISAGREE. (2 paragraphs
for each – Use PEE)
(b) In your conclusion – state whether you agree or
disagree and why
(c) Do drugs lead people into criminal activity? Or are those
who use drugs already prone to such activity? Discuss.
Drugs and Alcohol
• Cause of crime?
• An indirect link?
• Survey – 7 out of 10 accused of murder had
been drinking or on drugs
• Nearly 7,000 of Scotland's prisoners were
drunk at the time of committing the offence.
Activities
Modernity Scotland Textbook pages 80-81 – “Alcohol
and Crime”
• What are the consequences of alcohol abuse (cost)?
• Describe, in detail, new laws (Acts) the Scottish
Government have passed relating to Alcohol in
recent years.
• Explain arguments FOR and AGAINST the acts – do
they do the job
2010 Int 2 KU
The why
question!
How to answer a question like this
• 8 marks = 4 paragraphs
• PEE in every paragraph
• Explain questions expect you to say Why
something happens. (You should have
because in your answer)
• If you get more than four paragraphs done,
add another reason why.
Example of one reason…
One reason some people commit crimes is due
to economic issues such as poverty.
Poverty can leave people unable to afford or
take care of everyday needs such as food,
clothing and shelter as well as luxuries and
technology. Therefore they may feel the need to
turn to crime to make money, such as drugs or
organised crime, or steal items they cannot afford.
Another economic reason people may commit
crimes is due to long term unemployment…
• Many young people turn to crime as a result of social exclusion. They may
have been left out of certain aspects of society because of a number of
factors including poverty, unemployment, lack of education or positive
role models and even the area they live in. (Introduction)
• Young people who have had a poor education are more likely to offend
than those who are well-educated. (P) The lack of qualifications means
they are more likely to have low-paid jobs or be unemployed, meaning
little or no money for things like technology or fashion items. (Exp) They
may turn to shoplifting, for example, to get the items they feel they should
have. (EG)
People who live in poor areas are often tempted into a life of
crime. (P) Poorer areas tend to have few facilities and young
people, in particular, can become bored. (EXP) Boredom can
sometimes tempt people to get involved in activities which are
not legal. They might even join a gang and engage in anti-social
behaviour such as street fighting with other gangs. (EG)
• A lack of positive role models can often lead young people
into criminal behaviour. (P) If a child’s parents or older
siblings have no respect for the law or other people’s
property, he or she will grow up with the same attitude. (EXP)
As a result, the child will be more likely to get involved in
things which are illegal such as vandalism. (EG)
• Peer pressure is another factor which can lead to criminal
behaviour amongst young people. (P) They may be
persuaded or led by others into taking illegal drugs, for
example. (EXP) Addiction could lead to further criminal
activity such as stealing money or goods to sell, to pay for
more drugs. (EG)
• Poverty, more generally, can lead people to commit crimes.
(P) Sometimes people living in a poor area or suffering longterm unemployment will not even have money to buy
essentials. (EXP) For example, they may be forced into shoplifting food to feed their family. (EG)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8T9LiPq
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