Learning Outcomes in Booklet 6
LO1: UNDERSTAND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF CRIMINALITY
AC1.1 Compare criminal behaviour and deviance
Criminal Behaviour:
• formal sanctions against criminals
Deviance:
• informal and formal sanctions against deviance
Learners should have understanding of:
• the implications of committing a criminal and/or deviant act
LO4: UNDERSTAND CAUSES OF POLICY CHANGE
AC4.1 Assess the use of criminological theories in informing policy development. The theories and policies are outlined below…
Criminological theories:
• individualistic
• biological
• sociological
Policy development:
informal policy making
formal policy making
crime control policies
state punishment policies
Learners should be able to apply their knowledge of each of the theories and assess their use in informing policy on crime. This could include, for example, penal populism, zero tolerance, CCTV, restorative justice, multi-agency approach.
Learning Outcomes in Booklet 5:
LO2: To know theories of criminality. This Booklet primarily focuses on sociological theories of criminality where learners are required to understand and describe each theory which include:
• social structure theories - Drukheim’s Functionalism Theory, Merton’s Strain Theory and Marxism
• interactionism theory - Becker’s Labelling Theory
• realism theories - Left and Right Realism
Learners should be able to summarise the key points of a range of the above theories
This Booklet also includes content for LO3: UNDERSTAND CAUSES OF CRIMINALITY
AC3.1 Analyse situations of criminality. Situations relating to:
• different types of crime
• individual criminal behaviour
Learners should have knowledge of a range of crimes for example, crimes against the person / property, white collar, corporate crime, etc. Learners should be able to analyse a range of crimes and criminal behaviour and understand possible causes through the application of the theories learned for LO2.
Finally, this booklet focuses on AC3.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of criminological theories to explain causes of criminality. Learners should evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of sociological theories in terms of explaining crime.
This Booklet assists learners in developing an understanding for LO2: To know theories of criminality. A particular focus on developing learners understanding of individualistic theories of criminality (AC2.2) focusing on learning theories, psychodynamic theory and psychological theories e.g. Bandura, Freud, Eysenck and Kohlberg
Learners are also required to analyse situations of criminality (AC3.1), which refers to situations relating to:
• different types of crime
• individual criminal behaviour
Learners should have knowledge of a range of crimes for example, crimes against the person / property, white collar, corporate crime, etc. Learners should be able to analyse a range of crimes and criminal behaviour and understand possible causes through the application of the theories learned for LO2.
AC3.2 - Evaluate the effectiveness of criminological theories to explain causes of criminality. Learners should evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all individualistic criminological theories in terms of explaining crime.
This booklet focuses on the following criteria from the WJEC Syllabus: AC2.1, 3.1 and 3.2.
LO2 - AC2.1 - To Describe Biological Theories of Criminality. To assist learners in developing an understanding of Biological Theories of Criminality, this booklet focuses on two types of biological theories:
genetic theories of criminality (Twin and Adoption’s Study, and XYY Chromosomal Abnormality Theory)
physiological theories of criminality (Lombroso’s Atavistic Features Theory and Sheldon’s Somatotypology).
For LO3 - AC3.1 - To analyse situations of criminality, this booklet includes information and examples/activities relating to:
• different types of crime
• individual criminal behaviour
As learners should have knowledge of a range of crimes for example, crimes against the person / property, white collar, corporate crime, etc. This booklet provides a detailed breakdown of each type of crime, including characteristics, examples and case studies. This will assist learners in analysing a range of crimes and criminal behaviour and help them to understand possible causes through the application of the theories learned for LO2.
For AC3.2 - To evaluate the effectiveness of biological criminological theories to explain causes of criminality. Learners are required to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of criminological theories in terms of explaining crime. Therefore, this booklet provides a set of evaluative criteria for each biological theory included in this booklet, with a bank of evaluative terminology/key words highlighted on page 3 to assist learners in further evaluating all theories discussed in this booklet.
This booklet focuses again on LO1 from the syllabus: To Understand Social Constructions of Criminality
This booklet will assist learners in AC1.2, which is to explain the social construction of criminality which focuses on:
• how laws change from culture to culture
• how laws change over time
• how laws are applied differently according to circumstances in which actions occur
• why laws are different according to place, time and culture
In addition, this booklet offers information and activities for learners to complete to assist them in developing an understanding of how the media and campaigns for change contribute to social constructions of criminality and unreported crime.
This booklet also assists learners in achieving LO4 of the syllabus: To Understand Causes of Policy Change
The criteria for AC4.2: To explain how social changes affect policy development is included in this booklet, with specific information on social changes including:
• social values, norms and mores
• public perception of crime
• structure of society including demographic changes
• cultural changes
Lastly, criteria for AC4.3: To discuss how campaigns affect policy making is included with specific information and examples of
• newspaper campaigns
• individual campaigns
• pressure group campaigns
Learners should use their knowledge and understanding of campaigning for change learned through Unit 1 to consider its effect on different types of policies.
This booklet includes a range of materials which assists learners in understanding social constructions of criminality, information on criminal behavior and deviance through the exploration of legal and social definitions including the study of formal and informal sanctions of a variety of criminal actions and forms of deviance. This booklet also outlines the importance of norms, morals and values and how these fundamental factors shape the social construction of crime. By the end of this first booklet, learners should have understanding of:
• how criminality and deviance is defined
• acts that are criminal
• acts that are deviant
• acts that are both criminal and deviant
• the implications of committing a criminal and/or deviant act
This Introductory Booklet offers a break down of Unit 2 Applied Certificate in Criminology syllabus and content, including a breakdown of each Learning Outcome, Synoptic Links for Unit 1, Key Terminology for Exam Preparation and a bank of WJEC Past Paper Questions that can be used as a Revision Resource. This booklet also includes the main aims of the Unit, a student etiquette and contact details for members of staff teaching the course.