SOC209H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Welfare Fraud, Victimology, Risk Assessment
Criminal justice and diversity
October 16, 2017
Difference
• not reflected in criminal justice system that all groups of people do drugs – usually
targeted at lower class
• multi-layered – intersectionality
• law creates and maintain difference - justice system retains bias – advantage of people
over others [17/18 ages for criminal charges] – law codifies perceptions
• matters because makes difference in consequences and punishment
• can be congested and challenged – inequalities
• Gender
o social constructions related to biological, actively create gender
o victimology – highly gendered – crime prevention targets women and has a lot to
do with perception than realities of crime – pervasive fear of sexual assault –
language of victimization is associated with language of weakness, gendered as
men don’t want to be victims (weak), we ignore what happens to most people
(facts); men are more involved in crime
o statistical profile of offenders in prison – pervasive victimization is high for both
genders – difference in who is in prison
Offence profiles
• reading on criminal justice system and offenders profile with gender
• theft under $5000; mostly in august and December [school and Christmas]
• drug; couriers, more deals and traffic but lower value
• assault; rates going up generally based on on-the-spot practices (charging men or
charging both and dealing with repercussions in court), domestic assault
• prostitution; can’t make money off someone in prostitution, visible activates are charged,
Pickton – targeting vulnerable people who have no protection
• welfare fraud; government going after mostly women for fraud. groups don’t have power
(lawyers) to fight
Race and Crime
• high rates of crime in first nations and Inuit communities; socially disorganized, no
medical or education programs – crime is an indicator of social problems
• high police contact – more likely to be policed
• attitudes might be negative due to police practices of stopping, questioning, reporting and
arresting – sealing the cycle overrepresentation [e.g. 80% of aboriginals in prison even
though only 2% in local population]
Risk assessment
