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Unlock This CourseCrime doesn't stay the same - it changes as society changes. In recent decades, new forms of criminal and deviant behaviour have emerged alongside traditional crimes. These contemporary crime issues reflect our changing world, including technological advances, shifting social attitudes and globalisation.
Key Definitions:
Crimes committed using computers and the internet, including hacking, identity theft, online fraud, cyberbullying and distributing illegal content. The UK's Computer Misuse Act (1990) and more recent legislation aim to tackle these offences.
Crimes motivated by prejudice against someone's race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity. UK legislation has expanded over time to recognise more protected characteristics and impose stricter penalties.
Cybercrime has exploded alongside internet usage, costing the UK billions of pounds annually and affecting millions of people. Unlike traditional crimes, cybercrime can cross national borders instantly and perpetrators can hide their identities.
Unauthorised access to computer systems, often to steal data or cause damage. In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack affected NHS computers across the UK.
Stealing personal information to commit fraud. This can involve phishing emails, fake websites, or data breaches of major companies.
Using digital platforms to harass, threaten or intimidate others. This is particularly common among young people and can have severe psychological impacts.
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet only accessible with special software. While it has legitimate uses, it's also a hub for illegal activities including drug trading, weapons sales and sharing of illegal content. The infamous Silk Road marketplace was shut down by the FBI in 2013, but similar sites continue to emerge. This demonstrates how technology creates new spaces for criminal activity that are difficult for authorities to monitor and control.
Hate crimes have received increasing attention in recent years. According to Home Office statistics, reported hate crimes in England and Wales have more than doubled since 2013, with over 100,000 incidents recorded annually in recent years.
Hate crimes aren't just harmful to individual victims - they send a message of fear to entire communities. They're often described as 'message crimes' because they communicate that certain groups aren't welcome or safe in society.
In the UK, police forces record hate crimes based on five monitored strands: race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and transgender identity. However, sociologists note that many hate crimes go unreported due to victims' fear, distrust of authorities, or normalisation of abuse.
Hate crime rates often spike following major social or political events. For example, there was a significant increase in reported hate crimes following the Brexit referendum in 2016 and after terrorist attacks. This demonstrates how wider social tensions can manifest in targeted violence.
Drug offences remain a significant part of the UK criminal justice system's workload. However, approaches to drug-related crime are changing, with some areas experimenting with diversion schemes and harm reduction approaches rather than purely punitive measures.
The relationship between drugs and crime is complex. Some crimes are directly related to drug laws (possession, dealing), while others occur to fund drug use (theft, robbery) or under the influence of substances. Organised crime groups often control drug supply chains, leading to violence between rival groups.
Some areas are moving towards public health approaches to drug issues. For example, Durham Constabulary's Checkpoint scheme diverts some drug users away from prosecution and into treatment. In Scotland, drug consumption rooms have been proposed to reduce harm and public disorder.
County lines is a form of criminal exploitation where urban drug gangs expand their operations into smaller towns. They often use children and vulnerable people to move and store drugs and money, taking over local properties as bases (known as 'cuckooing'). This phenomenon demonstrates how drug markets adapt to police tactics and exploit social vulnerabilities. It also highlights how victims of exploitation can simultaneously be perpetrators of crime, challenging simple criminal/victim distinctions.
Terrorism represents one of the most serious contemporary crime issues, with significant impacts on security policies, civil liberties and community relations. The nature of terrorism has evolved significantly in recent decades.
Terrorism involves using violence or the threat of violence to advance political, religious or ideological causes. In the UK, threats come from various sources including international terrorism, domestic extremism and Northern Ireland-related terrorism.
Sociologists study how individuals become drawn to extremist ideologies. Factors can include personal grievances, search for identity and belonging, exposure to extremist content (especially online) and social networks. The UK's Prevent strategy aims to identify and support those at risk of radicalisation.
Terrorism has led to expanded surveillance powers, new criminal offences and preventative measures. Critics argue these can restrict civil liberties and disproportionately affect certain communities. After the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, there was both increased security at venues and community solidarity initiatives.
Different sociological perspectives offer varying explanations for contemporary crime issues:
Sees crime as resulting from anomie (normlessness) in rapidly changing societies. New technologies and social changes create situations where norms haven't yet developed, leading to deviance.
Views contemporary crimes as reflecting capitalist inequalities. Cybercrime may be a form of resistance against corporate power, while hate crimes divert attention from class conflict to divisions between workers.
Focuses on how certain behaviours come to be labelled as criminal. For example, the same online behaviour might be seen as "hacktivism" or "cybercrime" depending on who does it and who defines it.
Societies face significant challenges in addressing these evolving crime issues. Effective responses often require:
When discussing contemporary crime issues in your exam, remember to consider both the causes and consequences of these crimes. Try to include specific examples or statistics to support your points and consider different sociological perspectives. Think about how these issues might affect different social groups in different ways and how responses to them reflect wider social values and power structures.