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Crime by ethnicity, gender and social class

Past-paper questions pack

Name
Class
Date set
Date due
Score/ 198

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 · 15 parts · mark schemes follow the questions · www.alevelsociologytutor.com · Questions and mark schemes © AQA

1. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6
0 2 Outline three ways in which the media may contribute to an increase in crime rates. [6 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 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6
0 2 Outline three reasons for ethnic differences in patterns of crime. [6 marks]
4. 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]
5. June 2023 · Paper 3 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6
0 2 Outline three reasons for social class differences in patterns of offending. [6 marks]
6. June 2022 · 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 There are differences between social classes in levels of deprivation and access to resources. There are also higher recorded levels of violence committed by people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. There are reasons for social class differences in becoming a victim of crime. Applying material from Item A, analyse two reasons for social class differences in becoming a victim of crime. [10 marks]
7. November 2021 · Paper 3 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6
0 2 Outline three reasons for gender differences in levels of recorded crime. [6 marks]
8. November 2021 · 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 crime statistics indicate that people from some minority ethnic groups are more likely to be arrested for and convicted of crime than the white ethnic majority. For example, Black people are more likely to be stopped and searched by the police. They are also more likely to be arrested and convicted of crimes or sent to prison. One view is that differences in crime rates between ethnic groups are the result of the way the criminal justice system labels and criminalises some minority ethnic groups. Others argue that there are real differences in criminality. For example, Left Realists highlight issues such as relative deprivation as a cause of crime and Right Realists argue there is a lack of social control in some groups. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that differences in crime rates between ethnic groups are mainly the result of the way the criminal justice system operates. [30 marks] Extra space
9. 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
10. June 2019 · 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 sociologists explain levels of offending by girls and women in terms of their socialisation or their position in patriarchal society. For example, one feminist sociologist argues that the weakening of patriarchy has led to an increase in female offending. However, other sociologists focus on the ways in which the police and courts treat females, as well as on the impact of media stereotypes of female offending. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of levels of female offending. [30 marks] Extra space
11. June 2018 · Paper 3 · Q1 · 4 marks · AO1=4
Crime and Deviance 0 1 Outline two ways in which gender may influence the risk of being a victim of crime. [4 marks]
12. June 2018 · 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 The different agencies of the criminal justice system, such as the police and the courts, are responsible for processing individuals who are suspected of committing crimes. Some individuals may also have greater motivation or pressure to offend, or have more opportunity to do so. Applying material from Item A, analyse two reasons for social class differences in official crime statistics. [10 marks]
13. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q1 · 4 marks · AO1=4
Crime and Deviance 0 1 Outline two reasons for ethnic differences in criminal conviction rates. [4 marks]
14. 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]
15. Specimen set 1 · Paper 3 · Q2 · 6 marks · AO1=6
0 2 Outline three reasons why females may be less likely than males to commit crimes. [6 marks]

Mark schemes

1. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q2
Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 3 Q2
2. June 2025 · Paper 3 · Q4
Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 3 Q4
3. June 2024 · Paper 3 · Q2
Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 3 Q2
4. June 2024 · Paper 3 · Q3
Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 3 Q3
5. June 2023 · Paper 3 · Q2
Mark scheme June 2023 Paper 3 Q2
6. June 2022 · Paper 3 · Q3
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 3 Q3
7. November 2021 · Paper 3 · Q2
Mark scheme November 2021 Paper 3 Q2
8. November 2021 · Paper 3 · Q4
Mark scheme November 2021 Paper 3 Q4
9. November 2020 · Paper 3 · Q4
Mark scheme November 2020 Paper 3 Q4
10. June 2019 · Paper 3 · Q4
Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 3 Q4
11. June 2018 · Paper 3 · Q1
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 3 Q1
12. June 2018 · Paper 3 · Q3
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 3 Q3
13. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q1
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 3 Q1
14. June 2017 · Paper 3 · Q3
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 3 Q3
15. Specimen set 1 · Paper 3 · Q2
Mark scheme Specimen set 1 Paper 3 Q2