Item B

Official statistics suggest that there is a clear relationship between ethnicity and
offending. These show black people, and to a lesser extent, Asians as being over-
represented in the criminal justice system. In the view of some sociologists, this is
because at each stage in the system, from policing to sentencing, institutional racism
distorts the picture of ethnic patterns of offending. However, left realists argue that there
are real differences in offending rates and these differences can be explained in terms of
factors such as relative deprivation and marginalisation.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the sociological explanation of
the relationship between ethnicity and offending.
(30 marks)
PLAN:
Introduction: Outline debate
Trends / Statistics
Ethnic minorities commit more crime vs. The CJS is institutionally racist.

Paragraph one
- Black people – Over-represented
o 2.8% population vs. 13.2% prison population (2013)
- Asians
o 5.8% populations vs. 7.9% prison population Structure:
 Point
- Realism
 Explanation/evidence
o Real differences in the rate of offending  Analyse/application
- A03: Neo-Marxism: solid construct  Criticise
Paragraph two – Institutional racism > Punishment
“However the validity of OS is questionable”
- McPherson report
- Philip and Bowling AO3/Evaluation:
- SAS stats According to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
o Arrests Constabulary and Fire and Rescue services found that 1
o Prosecutions in 4 black people searched for drugs were found to be
o Convictions carrying them, compared to 1 in 3 white people.
o Sentencing
Paragraph three – Left Realism
- Some reasons why Afro-Caribbean’s are more likely to offend
o Marginalisation
AO3/Evaluation:
o Relative deprivation
Right realism
o Sub-cultures
Paragraph four – Neo-Marxism – Political statement against racism
- Gilroy
- Hall
Paragraph five – Victimisation
- “It’s also important to consider victimisation when looking at the relationship between
offending and ethnicity”
o Asians are &% victims of crime than the 6.9% black people
 - AO3: Impact of victimisation
Conclusion: IS THERE A CLEAR RELATIONSHIP?