Ethnicity and crime
EXPLANATION OF ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN CRIME RATES
ECON./ STRUCTURAL FACTORS
Prison population
Black overrepresented in prison
75 per 10,000 members of population aged 15/ over
Left Realism
LEA & YOUNG
Ethnic differences in the stats reflect real differences in the levels of
offending by different ethnic groups
See crime = product of relative deprivation, subculture & marginalisation
Racism → to marginalisation & Econ. Exclusion of minority ethnic groups,
who’d face ↑ levels of unemployment, poverty & poor housing
Africa- Caribbean = ↓ income jobs, this ✘ be resolved
Media’s emphasis on consumerism = promotes a sense of relative
deprivationby setting materialistic goals→ many members of minority grps.
= unable to reach by legitimate means
Response to racism
Black young males = disadvantaged within the society
Formation of delinquent subcultures
Esp. Young unemployed black males
Produces ↑ levels of utilitarian crime (e.g. theft/ robbery) =
mean of coping with relative deprivation
Young unemployed black males = marginalised+ no org.
Representedtheir interests
∴ frustration = liable → produce non-utilitarian crime (e.g.
violence/ rioting)
Acknowledge that police often act in racist ways → unjustified
criminalisation of some minority grps.
BUT believe discriminatory policing fully explains the differences in
the stats.
E.g. note that 90%of crime known to the police = reported by
members of the public
, Under these circumstances, even if police act in
discriminatory ways, unlikely that this can adequately
(充分地) account for the ethnic differences in stats.
Argue ✘ explain diff. Between minorities in terms of police racism
E.g. black ppl. = considerably ↑ rate of criminalisation than Asian
Police would have to be VERY selective in their racism— against black
but not Asian — for it to cause such diff.
EVALUATION
Role of police racism
E.g. arrest rates for Asian may be ↓ than black ✘ ∵ ↓ likely to
offend, BUT ∵ police stereotype the 2 grps. Differently, see black =
dangerous, Asian = passive
2 stereotypes may have changed since 9/11, ∵ police now regard
Asian = dangerous
∴ explain rising criminalisation rates of Asian
Neo-Marxism
GILROY
The myth of black criminality
created as a result of the police having -ve stereotypes of
African-Caribbeans & Asians
Ethnic minority come to be criminalised
∴ appear greater no. In official stats
Idea of black criminality = myth created by racist stereotype
Reality — black = no more criminal than others
Ethnic minority crime = form of political resistance against racist society +
resistance has its roots in earlier struggles against British imperialism
Similar views as critical criminology ( Wc crime = political act against
capitalism)
Most black + Asian in UK = originated in British colonies — their anti-
imperialist struggles taught them how to resist oppression (e.g. by
rioting)
∴ adopted same forms of struggle to defend themselves
when found themselves facing racism in UK
EVALUATION
1st gen immigrants in 1950-60s = law-abiding (守法)
∴ unlikely will pass down tradition of anti-colonial struggle to
children
Most crime = intra-ethnic ( criminals & victims = same ethnic background)
∴ ✘ be seen as anti-colonial struggles against racism
EXPLANATION OF ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN CRIME RATES
ECON./ STRUCTURAL FACTORS
Prison population
Black overrepresented in prison
75 per 10,000 members of population aged 15/ over
Left Realism
LEA & YOUNG
Ethnic differences in the stats reflect real differences in the levels of
offending by different ethnic groups
See crime = product of relative deprivation, subculture & marginalisation
Racism → to marginalisation & Econ. Exclusion of minority ethnic groups,
who’d face ↑ levels of unemployment, poverty & poor housing
Africa- Caribbean = ↓ income jobs, this ✘ be resolved
Media’s emphasis on consumerism = promotes a sense of relative
deprivationby setting materialistic goals→ many members of minority grps.
= unable to reach by legitimate means
Response to racism
Black young males = disadvantaged within the society
Formation of delinquent subcultures
Esp. Young unemployed black males
Produces ↑ levels of utilitarian crime (e.g. theft/ robbery) =
mean of coping with relative deprivation
Young unemployed black males = marginalised+ no org.
Representedtheir interests
∴ frustration = liable → produce non-utilitarian crime (e.g.
violence/ rioting)
Acknowledge that police often act in racist ways → unjustified
criminalisation of some minority grps.
BUT believe discriminatory policing fully explains the differences in
the stats.
E.g. note that 90%of crime known to the police = reported by
members of the public
, Under these circumstances, even if police act in
discriminatory ways, unlikely that this can adequately
(充分地) account for the ethnic differences in stats.
Argue ✘ explain diff. Between minorities in terms of police racism
E.g. black ppl. = considerably ↑ rate of criminalisation than Asian
Police would have to be VERY selective in their racism— against black
but not Asian — for it to cause such diff.
EVALUATION
Role of police racism
E.g. arrest rates for Asian may be ↓ than black ✘ ∵ ↓ likely to
offend, BUT ∵ police stereotype the 2 grps. Differently, see black =
dangerous, Asian = passive
2 stereotypes may have changed since 9/11, ∵ police now regard
Asian = dangerous
∴ explain rising criminalisation rates of Asian
Neo-Marxism
GILROY
The myth of black criminality
created as a result of the police having -ve stereotypes of
African-Caribbeans & Asians
Ethnic minority come to be criminalised
∴ appear greater no. In official stats
Idea of black criminality = myth created by racist stereotype
Reality — black = no more criminal than others
Ethnic minority crime = form of political resistance against racist society +
resistance has its roots in earlier struggles against British imperialism
Similar views as critical criminology ( Wc crime = political act against
capitalism)
Most black + Asian in UK = originated in British colonies — their anti-
imperialist struggles taught them how to resist oppression (e.g. by
rioting)
∴ adopted same forms of struggle to defend themselves
when found themselves facing racism in UK
EVALUATION
1st gen immigrants in 1950-60s = law-abiding (守法)
∴ unlikely will pass down tradition of anti-colonial struggle to
children
Most crime = intra-ethnic ( criminals & victims = same ethnic background)
∴ ✘ be seen as anti-colonial struggles against racism
