Тема 13.2: Возрастная и социальная преступность

I. Study the words and the word-combinations:

Adolescence – подростковый возраст

likely - вероятный

teenage – находящийся в возрасте от 12 до 19 лет

aging - старение

consequence - следствие

experience – знать по опыту

penal - пенитенциарный

subject - подлежащий

incidence – сфера действия

attainments - достижения

juvenile delinquents – несовершеннолетние преступники

social origin – социальное происхождение

racial - расовый

disproportionately - непропорционально

minority - меньшинство

discriminatory - пристрастный

adherence - приверженность

prejudice - предрассудок

the aged / old people - старики

II. Scan through the text and answer the questions that follow.

Age, social and racial aspects of criminality.

A second aspect of criminality is that crime is predominantly an activity of the young. In both Britain and the United States, for example, the peak period for involvement in relatively minor property crime is adolescence (from 15 to 21). For involvement in more serious crimes the peak age is likely to be rather higher, from the late teenage years through the 20s. Criminality tends to decline steadily after the age of 30. Criminologists have sought explanations of this phenomenon — whether it is a natural effect of aging, the consequence of taking on family responsibilities, or the effect of experiencing penal measures imposed by the law for some crimes. Not all types of crime are subject to decline with aging. Fraud and certain kinds of theft, as well as crimes requiring a high level of businesslike organization, are more likely to be committed by older men, and sudden crimes of violence, committed for emotional reasons, may occur at any age. The relationship between social class or economic status and crime shows that a higher incidence (the number of times something bad happens) of criminality was concentrated in the slums of large cities, and studies of penal populations revealed that the level of educational and occupational attainments was generally lower than in the wider population. Studies of juvenile delinquents disclosed a high proportion of lower-class offenders, that is, criminality is closely associated with social origin. The relationship between racial or ethnic origin and criminality is a difficult question. Penal populations contain a disproportionately high number of persons from some minority racial groups, that is, the proportion of minority group members in prison is greater than the group's proportion in the general population. This may be the result of unemployment and low economic status, or discriminatory enforcement practices on the part of the police and the adherence of some minority groups to cultural standards that are in conflict with the general law.

1) Crime is predominantly an activity of the young, isn’t it? 2) What is the peak period for involvement in relatively minor property crime in Britain and the US? 3) What is the peak age for involvement in more serious crimes? 4) Criminality tends to decline steadily after the age of 30, doesn’t it? 5) What explanations of this phenomenon can criminologists give? 6) Are all types of crime subject to decline with aging? 7) Are fraud and theft more likely to be committed by older men? 8) At what age may sudden crimes of violence occur? 9) What does the relationship between social class or economic status and crime show? 10) What did studies of penal populations reveal? 11) What did studies of juvenile delinquents disclose? 12) What do penal populations contain? 13) What might be the reason for a disproportionately high number of prisoners from some minority racial groups?

III. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1) Crime is predominantly an activity of the aged. 2) The peak period for involvement in minor property crime is advanced age. 3) For involvement in more serious crimes the peak age is awkward age. 4) Criminality tends to decline after the age of 90. 5) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 is an unnatural effect of aging. 6) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 is the consequence of taking on family burden. 7) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 is the effect of experiencing simultaneously contradictory feelings towards relatives. 8) All types of crime are subject to decline with aging. 9) Older men commit bank robbery and hijacking. 10) Sudden crimes of violence may occur at baby age. 11) Criminality is not closely associated with social origin. 12) Criminality is closely associated with pains of unknown origin. 13) Ethnic majority is a group of people of a different race from the main group in a country. 14) Racial discrimination is fair treatment of people because of their race. 15) Racial prejudice is the belief that other races are as bad or as unreasonable as your own race.

IV. Restore the word order in the following statements.

1) Crime predominantly an activity of the young is. 2) The peak is period for involvement in minor property crime adolescence. 3) For involvement is in more serious crimes the peak age through the 20s. 4) Criminality to decline after the age of 30 tends. 5) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 a natural effect of aging is. 6) The decline is of criminality after the age of 30 the consequence of taking on family responsibilities. 7) The decline of is criminality after the age of 30 the effect of experiencing penal measures. 8) Not are all types of crime subject to decline with aging. 9) Fraud and theft committed are by older men. 10) Sudden crimes of violence occur at any age may. 11) Criminality associated is closely with social origin. 12) Criminality is closely with racial or ethnic origin associated. 13) Ethnic is minority a group of people of a different race from the main group in a country. 14) Racial discrimination unfair treatment of people because of their race is. 15) Racial is prejudice the belief that other races are not as good or as intelligent as your own race.

V. Translate the following words and phrases from Russian into English.

Преклонный возраст; переходный возраст; бремя; карательная мера; испытывать одновременно противоречивые чувства к близким; ограбление банка; угон самолета; младенческий возраст; боли неясного происхождения; неразумный; подростковый возраст; находящийся в возрасте от 12 до 19 лет; старение; следствие; знать по опыту; карательный; подлежащий; сфера действия; достижения; несовершеннолетние преступники; социальное происхождение; расовый; непропорционально; меньшинство; пристрастный; приверженность; предрассудок; старики.

VI. Complete the following statements.

1) A second aspect of criminality is … 2) … is adolescence. 3) For … the peak age is … 4) Criminality tends … 5) Criminologists have sought … 6) Not all types of crime are … 7) Crimes requiring a high level of businesslike organization are committed by … 8) Crimes of violence may occur … 9) The relationship between social class or economic status and criminality shows … 10) Studies of juvenile delinquents disclosed … 11) Criminality is closely associated with … 12) The relationship between racial or ethnic origin and criminality is … 13) Penal populations contain … 14) Racial criminality may be the result of …

VII. Choose one topic to speak about

a) age criminality; b) the relationship between social class or economic status and crime; c) the relationship between racial or ethnic origin and criminality.

Retell the text Age, social and racial aspects of criminality.