Environmental/ Ecological Approaches

Question 1

What does the environmental/ ecological approach examine?

Answer 1

Relationship of crime to places and times

Also interested in impact change has on populations/ locations

Question 2

What city did Shaw + McKay study?

Answer 2

Chicago in the late 19th early 20th century
= 1 of the fastest growing cities in the USA
- result of huge immigration into Chicago

Question 3

How many zones did Shaw + McKay ÷ the city into?

What did they call them?

Answer 3

÷ into 5 concentric zones

Each had different economic + social profiles, as a result they each had different crime rates

Question 4

According to Shaw + McKay, where did the most crime occur?

Give 4 reasons as to why this is

Answer 4

Zone 2 - Zone of Transition

1. High levels of population turnover - more successful residents move to outer areas, leaving most likely to offend
2. High levels of social disorganisation - informal mechanisms of social control (e.g family/ community) = weak/ absent
3. Cultural transmission - crime becomes socially acceptable, next generation = socialised into seeing crime as the norm, successful criminal = role models
4. = significant levels of poverty

Question 5

Why do Shaw + McKay argue that high levels of social disorganisation leads to higher crime rates?

Answer 5

The informal mechanisms of social control (e.g family/ community) which normally prevent people from engaging in criminal behaviour = absent/ weak

Question 6

What do Shaw + McKay mean by ‘cultural transmission’?

Answer 6

Crime becomes socially acceptable
Next generation = socialised into seeing crime as the norm
See successful criminals as role models

Question 7

Give 2 criticisms of Shaw + McKay’s work

Answer 7

1. Been criticised for confusing where people live with where they commit crimes
2. Bottoms points out that the concentric zone model doesn’t fit European cities. As such British research has failed to reproduce the clear patterns on concentric zones

Question 8

What theory does Clarke use to explain c+d?

Answer 8

Opportunity Theory

Clarke argues: = best way to explain why + where offences occur

Question 9

What 2 factors does Clarke argue effects the likelihood f an offence being committee?

Answer 9

1. Target attractiveness (how attractive = target to offender)
2. Accessibility (how easy object = to steal, ease of escape + likelihood of offence being witnessed)

Question 10

What type of theorist use the opportunity theory?

Answer 10

Right Realists - believe if criminal knows they’re more likely to be caught, they will be less likely to commit the crime (rational choice theory)

• they therefore encourage the use of ‘situational crime prevention’

Question 11

Hobbs et al (2000) argues that crime rates vary depending on…

Answer 11

Vary depending on the time of day

Question 12

Describe Hobbs et al (2000) concept of ‘nocturnal economy’

What evidence do they use to support this claim?

Answer 12

Past 15 years = increase pubs/ clubs culture of younger people in British S
2003 = over 210 million club admissions, value of £2.5 million
= what Hobbs refers to as NOCTURNAL ECONOMY

Question 13

What fraction of all violent crimes in urban areas occur the weekend?
What time do these occur between?

(Hobbs et al)

Answer 13

3/4 of all violent crime occurs during the weekend between 9pm-3am

Question 14

Give 2 advantages of the ecological/ environmental approach to c+d

Answer 14

1. Been influential in G + policing policies (strong links to both left + right realism)
2. Helped police + local authorities to adapt policing strategies e.g. changing licensing hours of local pubs + bars

Question 15

Give a disadvantage of the ecological/ environmental approach to c+d

Answer 15

Doesn’t explain the reasons WHY people commit offences