: AQA past-paper questions pack

Crime, deviance, social order and social control

Past-paper questions pack

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Class
Date set
Date due
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Questions are numbered; the mark schemes (the answer key) follow on separate pages so the question pages can be handed out alone. www.alevelsociologytutor.com

AQA AQA AS and A-level Sociology past-paper questions since 2016 · 13 parts · mark schemes follow the questions · www.alevelsociologytutor.com · Questions and mark schemes © AQA

1. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q1 · 4 marks · AO1=4

Crime and Deviance
0 1
Outline two ways in which crime may benefit society.
[4 marks]

2. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q4 · 30 marks · AO1=12,AO2=9,AO3=9

0 4
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
Marxists believe that working class crime can be explained by the organisation and
nature of an unequal capitalist society. Furthermore, they argue that corporate and
white-collar crimes often go unnoticed and unpunished. Some neo-Marxists argue that
the working class choose to commit crime as a way of resisting their negative
experiences of capitalism.
Other sociologists argue that blaming capitalism is too simplistic. For example, racism
and patriarchy also provide explanations of crime.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist explanations
of crime.
[30 marks]
Extra space

3. June 2024 · Paper 3 · Q3 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

0 3
Read Item A below and answer the question that follows.
Item A
Informal social control involves restricting people to their role expectations. Formal
social control includes the criminal justice system deciding on punishments for those
who break the law.
Social control may explain gender differences in patterns of crime.
Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways that social control may explain gender
differences in patterns of crime.
[10 marks]

4. June 2024 · Paper 3 · Q4 · 30 marks · AO1=12,AO2=9,AO3=9

0 4
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
Realists see crime as a real and growing problem for society and highlight the damage
crime causes to communities. Left realists argue that the causes of crime are structural
and that an unequal society produces feelings of relative deprivation and
marginalisation. They argue that one way to tackle crime is to reduce inequalities.
However, right realists take the view that crime is caused by rationally self-interested
individuals who choose to commit crime. Crime can be reduced by increasing the risks
of committing crime.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the contributions of realist
explanations of crime.
[30 marks]
Extra space

5. June 2023 · Paper 3 · Q3 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

0 3
Read Item A below and answer the question that follows.
Item A
Some argue that social order is maintained in society by reinforcing social solidarity.
Others argue that the ruling class maintain social order by controlling the working class.
Punishment may help to maintain social order.
Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways that punishment may help to maintain
social order.
[10 marks]

6. June 2022 · Paper 3 · Q4 · 30 marks · AO1=12,AO2=9,AO3=9

0 4
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
Functionalists argue that crime and deviance are inevitable as not everyone can be
fully integrated into the norms and values of society. They believe that crime exists in
all societies and has many benefits, such as showing people the difference between
right and wrong.
However, other sociologists, such as conflict theorists, are more critical of the view
that crime and deviance are beneficial for all individuals and for society as a whole.
For example, the construction of crime could be seen to serve the interests of
powerful groups.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that crime and
deviance are inevitable and beneficial for individuals and for society as a whole.
[30 marks]
Extra space

7. November 2021 · Paper 3 · Q1 · 4 marks · AO1=4

Crime and Deviance
0 1
Outline two ways that the nature of capitalism may cause people to commit crime.
[4 marks]

8. November 2020 · Paper 3 · Q4 · 30 marks · AO1=12,AO2=9,AO3=9

0 4
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
Official statistics show that the majority of convicted offenders come from deprived
areas. Convicted offenders are more likely to be unemployed and have limited
educational qualifications. Crimes of the powerful are less likely to appear in the
statistics.
Functionalists argue that social class differences in offending is a result of the
working class having fewer opportunities to achieve mainstream goals. Other
sociologists argue that the differences are due to selective law creation and
enforcement.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of
the relationship between social class and offending.
[30 marks]
Extra space

9. June 2019 · Paper 3 · Q1 · 4 marks · AO1=4

Crime and Deviance
0 1
Outline two reasons why deviant subcultures exist.
[4 marks]

10. June 2018 · Paper 3 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6

0 2
Outline three criticisms of the labelling theory of crime and deviance.
[6 marks]

11. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6

0 2
Outline three functions that crime and deviance may perform.
[6 marks]

12. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q3 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

0 3
Read Item A below and answer the question that follows.
Item A
Every society sets goals for its members. However, not every member has an
equal chance of achieving these mainstream goals by legitimate means.
For example, some young people may underachieve at school. Similarly, living
in a deprived or unstable neighbourhood can be a barrier to the achievement of
mainstream goals.
Deviant subcultures respond to the difficulties of achieving mainstream goals in
different ways.
Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which deviant subcultures may
respond to the difficulties of achieving mainstream goals.
[10 marks]

13. Specimen set 1 · Paper 3 · Q4 · 30 marks · AO1=12,AO2=9,AO3=9

0 4
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
Some functionalist sociologists argue that crime and deviance are caused by the
inability of some people to gain the rewards of society, for example because of
educational underachievement. Those members of society whose opportunities
are blocked cannot achieve the goals of society by socially approved means.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of
functionalist approaches in understanding crime and deviance.
[30 marks]
Extra space

Mark schemes

1. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q1

Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 3 Q1

2. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q4

Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 3 Q4

3. June 2024 · Paper 3 · Q3

Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 3 Q3

4. June 2024 · Paper 3 · Q4

Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 3 Q4

5. June 2023 · Paper 3 · Q3

Mark scheme June 2023 Paper 3 Q3

6. June 2022 · Paper 3 · Q4

Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 3 Q4

7. November 2021 · Paper 3 · Q1

Mark scheme November 2021 Paper 3 Q1

8. November 2020 · Paper 3 · Q4

Mark scheme November 2020 Paper 3 Q4

9. June 2019 · Paper 3 · Q1

Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 3 Q1

10. June 2018 · Paper 3 · Q2

Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 3 Q2

11. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q2

Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 3 Q2

12. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q3

Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 3 Q3

13. Specimen set 1 · Paper 3 · Q4

Mark scheme Specimen set 1 Paper 3 Q4