WJEC Level 3 Applied Certificate & Diploma Criminology sample

UNIT 2 CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES Relevant theories of criminality – Nick Leeson Eysenck’s personality theory According to this theory, criminals are more likely to be extrovert, impulsive and thrill seeking. It could be argued that Leeson was willing to take chances in financial transactions, running the risk of being caught but enjoying the thrill of making money. Social structure theory or Marxism Given the large amount of money that Leeson made, which included bonuses of up to £150,000, it may be that he wanted to avoid falling into the disadvantaged working class in society. Marxists may argue that as the proletariat are heavily policed, white-collar crimes such as fraud are not monitored by the police and this is why he avoided detection for so long. Can you remember Jane? Jane dreams of a life with fast cars and exotic holidays but only receives the minimum wage working as a nanny for a top lawyer in London. She was never very interested in school where her teachers told her she would end up in a dead-end job. For the last few months she has been stealing clothes from stores and last week was caught by a member of the security staff. She has to return to the police station next week to see if she faces criminal charges. 1. Analyse how the labelling theory may account for Jane’s criminality. [7 marks] The points below show how each detail of the question relates to Marxism and other sociological theories. ‘Jane dreams of a life with fast cars and exotic holidays’ ‘only receives the minimum wage’ Example question Scenarios are written VERY carefully – every single piece of information is there for a reason. Think about why the examiner has given each piece of detail in the scenario – what could it relate to? Mention it in your answer. Exam tip She cannot afford luxuries, she is working class and may need to supplement her income. Possible consideration of the strain theory as she might innovate by working outside the means that society provided for her. Alternatively, Marxism. as the scenario clearly highlights the inequality between her and her employer. Could relate to strain theory – society’s aims/goals? Or a link to Marxism: Jane is proletariat so cannot afford these luxuries; our capitalist society encourages greed and therefore encourages crime. 112