INEQUALITY , CRIME

AND VICTIMIZATION
INTRODUCTION TO CRIME AND SOCIETY
DLE 1224
 INTRODUCTION
Crime is a crucial problem for society for many years.
Therefore it has become a necessity for criminologists to find the
causes for criminal behaviour and understand why some people
resorting to crime.
Some criminologist link physiological factors such as gender and race
with crime and criminal behaviours.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
GENDER AND CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOUR
Men committed more crimes than women do.
According to a study carried out by the office of National Statistics of
America, it was reported 80% of criminal acts were perpetrated by
males.
This has been a general consensus all around the world.
In Malaysia, statistics in 2012 shows that there were 68 443 prisoners
in Malaysian prisons.
61 451 were male prisoners while 6992 were female prisoners.
This shows that are more male criminals than female criminals.
 WHY THERE ARE MORE MALE
CRIMINALS THAN FEMALE?
a) Biological differences.
Estrogen in women protects physical health and mental well being. It moves women
toward developing harmonious relationships, staying connected, and toward a
preference for avoiding conflict.
While testosterone in men is a fast-acting, aggressive hormone and driver of sex. Men
have 10 to 100 times more testosterone than women, enabling men to engage in
interpersonal conflict and competition.
b) Sex role theory.
The sex role theory argues that boys and girls are socialised differently, therefore
resulting in boys becoming more delinquent.
c) Masculinity.
men commit crime as a means of constructing their masculinity.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RACE
AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOURS.
According to Cesare Lembroso there is a strong link between race and crime by saying
many of the characteristics found in savages and coloured races are also found in
delinquents.
In America for example, statistics have shown higher rates of arrest and imprisonment
for people of the African American origin.
In Malaysia, according to a report from Utusan newspaper in 2005, there were 316
Indian prisoners in Penjara Simpang Renggam, Johor.
This amount is made up of 45% from the total amount (702) of prisoners in the said
prison.
Indians are more prone to commit crime because of unemployment and poverty.
Source: http://210.187.28.204/Journal/BI/riseofcrime.pdf
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL
CLASS AND CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOUR.
When studying social class and criminal behaviour, the social class can
be categorised into 3 types
A. White collar workers = higher social class.
B. Blue collar works = manual labour / lower social class.
C. unemployment = Individual who do not work/ cannot find work.
The reason for all three classes to commit crime is money. However
their justification might be different
 VICTIMIZATION AND GENDER
Gender and Victimization Males are more likely than females to be
the victims of violent crime. Men are almost twice as likely as women
to experience robbery.
Women are six times more likely than men to be victims of rape,
domestic violence, and sexual assault.
From the facts above, we can deduce that women is more likely to be
victims in sexual related crime.
While men are more prone to be a victim when it involves violent
crime.
 VICTIMIZATION AND RACE
In America, African Americans are more likely than whites to be
victims of violent crime because of income inequality.
Racial and minority group members are often forced to live in
deteriorated urban areas beset by alcohol and drug abuse, poverty,
racial discrimination, and violence.
Their lifestyle places them in the most at-risk population group.
VICTIMIZATION AND SOCIAL CLASS
The poorest Americans are also the most likely victims of violent and
property crime.
People who live in a poor neighbourhood is more likely to be a victim
of crime.
Wealthy people spends a lot of money for security and safety. Not
likely to be a victim of crime.
 THEORIES OF VICTIMIZATION
There are 4 theories:
A. Victim Precipitation Theory
B. Lifestyle Theory
C. Deviance Place Theory
D. Routine Activities Theory
VICTIM PRECIPITATION THEORY
 LIFESTYLE THEORY
Crime is not a random occurrence, but rather a function of the
victim's lifestyle. People who belong to groups that have extremely
risky life
Example: homeless, runaways, drug users - are at high risk for
victimization; the more time they are exposed to street life, the
greater their risk of becoming crime victims.
 DEVIANCE PLACE THEORY
Deviant Place Theory The greater their exposure to dangerous places,
the more likely people will become victims of crime and violence.
Deviant places are poor, densely populated, highly transient
neighbourhoods in which commercial and residential property exist
side by side.
 THE ROUTINE ACTIVITY THEORY
Our daily and routine activities, also known as our lifestyle, can sometimes put us in a
vulnerable position.
The routine activity theory is a theory of crime based on behavioural patterns of individuals
and the situational factors surrounding the crime, such as when it occurred and with whom.

Essentially, routine activities theory states that a crime will occur when three conditions are
met:
A. The presence of a potential and motivated offender who is willing and seeking to commit a
crime.
B. The presence of vulnerable and suitable targets, either person or property.
C. An absence of capable and willing guardians to protect, supervise or ward off a potential
offender.