Sociology, crime and social policy | AQA A-Level Sociology
Updated: Aug 25
For Specification 7192
AQA A-Level Sociology | Free Revision Notes
Estimated study time: 80 minutes
Sociological research does more than describe crime. Evidence and theories can influence how social problems are understood and which responses policymakers consider appropriate. This Sociology, crime and social policy A-Level Sociology revision page examines the relationship between sociological theory, research evidence and crime-related policy. It also explores why sociologists disagree about whether policy benefits society as a whole or reflects particular interests. The topic brings together science, values and the sociology of crime [Science, values and the sociology of crime] with AQA's required study of crime control, prevention, punishment and the criminal justice system.
Learning Objectives 🎯
By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:
Define social policy and explain its relationship with Sociology.
Explain how sociological research into crime may influence social policy.
Analyse how different sociological theories may lead to different policy priorities.
Apply sociological evidence to crime control, prevention, punishment and criminal justice.
Compare consensus and conflict views of the purpose of social policy.
Evaluate the contribution Sociology can make to crime-related social policy.
Revision Notes 📚
Sociology, crime and social policy A-Level Sociology revision overview
AQA explicitly requires students to examine the relationship between Sociology and social policy. In Crime and Deviance, students must also study:
crime, deviance, social order and social control
the social distribution of crime
crime control
surveillance
prevention
punishment
victims
the criminal justice system and other agencies.
The topic is therefore about connections.
Sociologists may:
investigate a crime-related issue
collect and analyse evidence
offer a theoretical explanation
identify possible causes or consequences
contribute evidence or ideas to debates about social policy.
However, there is no automatic progression from "sociologists discover a fact" to "government adopts a policy".
Different theories interpret the same problem differently, different evidence may lead to different conclusions, and policymakers may have priorities that are not determined by Sociology alone.
What is social policy?
Social policy refers to organised attempts to respond to social issues through policies affecting society and social institutions.
AQA's 2025 Paper 3 item described social policy as potentially having a role in:
solving social problems
reforming social institutions
improving society
helping society operate smoothly and efficiently.
Crime-related social policy can therefore include responses involving:
crime prevention
crime control
surveillance
punishment
the criminal justice system
other agencies involved in responding to crime.
These are all explicit areas of the AQA Crime and Deviance specification.
From sociological research to social policy
A useful model is:
social issue → sociological research → evidence → explanation → policy debate → policy response → evaluation
Each stage requires sociological judgement.
Stage 1: identifying a social issue
Sociologists first decide what needs investigation.
Crime research might examine:
patterns of offending
victimisation
inequalities in criminal justice
effectiveness of crime prevention
surveillance
punishment.
Research into recent patterns and trends in crime [Recent patterns and trends in crime] may, for example, draw attention to changes that policymakers consider important.
Stage 2: collecting evidence
The sociologist then chooses suitable research methods.
Evidence might come from:
official statistics
questionnaires
interviews
observations
documents
other primary or secondary sources specified by AQA.
This connects directly with research methods and the study of crime [Research methods and the study of crime].
The quality of the evidence matters. Policy based on invalid or unrepresentative evidence may misidentify the nature of the problem.
Stage 3: explaining the evidence
Evidence does not explain itself.
Different sociological perspectives may interpret the same crime pattern differently.
For example, a high recorded crime rate in a disadvantaged area might be interpreted in terms of:
inequality
relative deprivation
social control
individual choice
labelling
selective law enforcement.
Different explanations imply different policy responses.
Stage 4: developing policy responses
If a theory explains crime through unequal social conditions, policies may focus on changing those conditions.
If a theory explains crime through opportunities and rational choice, policies may focus more directly on increasing the risks or reducing the opportunities associated with offending.
The relationship between theory and policy is therefore:
Different explanations of a social problem can suggest different solutions to that problem.
Sociological theory and social policy
AQA assessment material makes clear that students need to understand sociological perspectives on the purpose of social policy, not simply memorise examples of policies.
In 2021, AQA asked students to outline and explain two sociological perspectives on the purpose of social policy. The mark scheme recognised functionalist, New Right, social democratic, Marxist, feminist and postmodern views.
For this crime-focused lesson, the key task is to apply this theoretical debate to policies concerning crime and social control.
Consensus approaches to social policy
Consensus theories emphasise shared interests, social order and the functioning of society.
A consensus approach may therefore view social policy as a way of:
addressing social problems
maintaining social order
improving institutions
helping society function effectively.
AQA's 2025 social-policy item states that consensus theorists may see social policy as having a central role in solving problems, reforming institutions and improving society.
Applied to crime, policies could be judged according to whether they:
reduce offending
protect members of society
support rehabilitation
maintain social order
improve the effectiveness of relevant institutions.
This provides a clear link with social order and social control [Social order and social control].
Functionalist approaches to social policy
AQA's social-policy mark schemes recognise the functionalist view that the state and social policy can operate for the benefit of society and promote gradual positive change.
Applied to crime, this suggests that policies can help society respond to behaviour that threatens social order.
Policies relating to:
criminal justice
punishment
rehabilitation
crime prevention
may therefore be interpreted as attempts to maintain social stability and improve social institutions.
However, conflict theorists question whether policy necessarily benefits everyone equally.
Conflict approaches to social policy
Conflict theories emphasise unequal interests and power.
They question the assumption that social policy is a neutral response designed simply to benefit society as a whole.
Instead, conflict theorists may ask:
Who defines the problem?
Whose behaviour attracts policy attention?
Which groups benefit from the policy?
Which groups experience greater control?
Whose interests are represented in policymaking?
This is especially important for crime because policies involve defining, detecting, controlling and punishing behaviour.
Marxist approaches to social policy
AQA recognises the Marxist view that social policy may be shaped by the capitalist nature of the state.
Applied to crime, Marxists may question whether policies:
concentrate disproportionately on some forms of crime
overlook crimes committed by powerful groups
reinforce existing social inequalities
contribute to the control of less powerful groups.
This links closely with social class and crime [Social class and crime].
A conflict approach therefore does not simply ask:
Does the policy reduce crime?
It may also ask:
Which crimes and which groups does the policy focus on, and why?
Feminist approaches to social policy
AQA's 2025 social-policy item explicitly identifies the feminist argument that some social policies may represent men's interests and disadvantage women.
Applied to crime, feminist approaches direct attention towards the relationship between:
gender
power
victimisation
criminal justice
social control.
A feminist sociologist may therefore examine whether crime-related policies recognise gendered experiences adequately or reproduce unequal power relationships.
This shows why gender and crime [Gender and crime] can provide evidence relevant to wider policy debates.
New Right and policy
AQA's 2021 social-policy mark scheme recognises the New Right view that state intervention should be limited because excessive intervention can undermine responsibility and independence.
In Crime and Deviance, closely related realist arguments may emphasise:
individual responsibility
rational choice
increasing the risks associated with crime
reducing opportunities for offending.
AQA's 2024 realist question contrasted two approaches clearly:
Left realists connected crime to structural inequality and suggested reducing inequalities.
Right realists treated offenders as rationally self-interested individuals and argued that crime can be reduced by increasing the risks of offending.
This demonstrates the direct relationship between theory and policy.
Different explanations produce different policy priorities.
Left realism and social policy
AQA's Crime and Deviance assessment material recognises the Left Realist focus on:
inequality
relative deprivation
marginalisation
damage caused by crime to communities.
If crime is partly connected with structural disadvantage, then policies might attempt to tackle those conditions rather than relying solely on punishment.
AQA's 2024 item specifically states that reducing inequalities can be proposed as a response to crime from this perspective.
AQA has also recognised a multi-agency approach, where agencies work together to understand the issues individuals face and provide support intended to reduce offending.
This connects with crime prevention [Crime prevention].
Right realism and social policy
If crime is interpreted primarily through rational choice and individual responsibility, policy may focus more heavily on controlling immediate opportunities for offending.
Relevant AQA crime material includes:
target hardening
surveillance
increasing the risk of detection
situational crime prevention
environmental crime prevention
zero tolerance.
The theory-policy relationship is therefore:
crime results partly from choices and opportunities → raise the costs and risks of offending → reduce opportunities → attempt to reduce crime
This links directly with crime control [Crime control].
Crime prevention as social policy
AQA requires students to examine different approaches to crime prevention.
Crime prevention provides one of the clearest examples of Sociology influencing policy debate because different explanations of crime suggest different preventative strategies.
Explanation emphasised | Possible policy emphasis |
Opportunities for crime | Situational prevention and target hardening |
Risks and rational choice | Increasing risks associated with offending |
Inequality and deprivation | Social and community prevention |
Complex social problems | Multi-agency responses |
Need for formal regulation | Criminal justice and punishment |
The important exam skill is to explain the connection.
Do not simply write:
Left realists support one policy and right realists support another.
Instead write:
Because Left Realists connect crime with relative deprivation and marginalisation, policies that address inequality fit their explanation of the causes of offending. Right Realists place greater emphasis on rational choice, so policies designed to increase the risks of offending are more consistent with their theoretical position.
Punishment and policy
Punishment is another major area in which sociological theory can contribute to policy debate.
AQA requires students to examine:
the purposes of punishment
sociological explanations of punishment
approaches to punishment.
Sociological research may therefore ask:
Does punishment deter?
Does it rehabilitate?
Does it maintain social order?
Does it have unintended consequences?
Is punishment applied equally?
AQA's 2024 mark scheme recognised possible limitations of punishment including:
labelling
learning further criminal behaviour
lack of deterrence
failure to address underlying causes
bias in the criminal justice system.
Evidence like this matters to social policy because policymakers need to consider not just what a policy is intended to achieve, but also whether sociological evidence suggests that it actually achieves it.
This is developed in punishment [Punishment].
The criminal justice system and policy
The criminal justice system is itself central to crime-related social policy.
AQA requires students to study its role alongside other agencies.
Sociologists can examine:
crime detection
policing
sentencing
punishment
rehabilitation
inequalities in criminal justice
relationships between different agencies.
Evidence about the criminal justice system may therefore contribute to debates about how policies should operate.
AQA's 2025 Crime and Deviance item, for example, described criminal justice institutions as detecting crime and being responsible for punishment and rehabilitation, while asking students to analyse why these roles might not always reduce crime.
This reinforces a key distinction:
A policy's intended purpose and its actual consequences are not necessarily the same.
You will study these agencies in greater depth in the criminal justice system and other agencies [The criminal justice system and other agencies].
Sociology can identify unintended consequences
One important contribution of Sociology is evaluating effects that policymakers may not have intended.
For example, a policy designed to reduce crime might:
displace crime elsewhere
increase the labelling of particular groups
fail to address underlying causes
produce unequal consequences
create new forms of social control.
AQA's surveillance material, for instance, recognises that surveillance may:
displace crime to areas with less surveillance
disproportionately target particular groups
contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy
fail to detect crimes that remain hidden.
Sociology can therefore contribute to policy not only by suggesting solutions but by critically evaluating their consequences.
Sociological evidence and evidence-based policy
AQA's 2025 social-policy mark scheme includes evidence-based policy among concepts relevant to the relationship between Sociology and social policy.
Evidence-based policy means using relevant evidence to inform decisions about social policy.
In the study of crime, this could involve assessing evidence concerning:
patterns of offending
experiences of victimisation
crime prevention
punishment
surveillance
criminal justice.
The advantage is that policy can be informed by systematic evidence rather than assumption alone.
However, evidence does not automatically tell policymakers what they ought to do.
Evidence does not create policy by itself
Suppose research suggests that one crime-prevention strategy has limitations.
That evidence is important, but policymakers still have to make decisions about:
priorities
resources
acceptable levels of social control
competing interests
which outcomes matter most.
Sociology can therefore inform policy without completely determining it.
This is particularly important because the same evidence may be interpreted through different theories.
Theory shapes the interpretation of evidence
Imagine data showing that recorded offending is concentrated among disadvantaged groups.
Different theories could interpret this differently.
A structural inequality explanation
The pattern may be interpreted as evidence that deprivation or inequality contributes to offending.
Policy implication: address underlying social conditions.
A Right Realist interpretation
The policy focus may instead be on individual responsibility, control and the risks associated with offending.
Policy implication: increase deterrence or reduce opportunities.
A conflict or labelling interpretation
The figures may partly reflect selective enforcement and criminalisation rather than simply actual differences in offending.
Policy implication: examine the operation of criminal justice agencies and how groups are treated.
This demonstrates why understanding sociological theories and crime [Sociological theories and crime] is essential to understanding social policy.
Research methods affect policy evidence
The method used to collect evidence also matters.
Official statistics may show broad patterns, but their validity may be questioned.
Interviews may provide detailed insight into experiences, but findings may be based on smaller groups.
Observations may reveal behaviour inaccessible through questionnaires, but access and ethical problems can arise.
Therefore:
Policy decisions are only as well informed as the evidence on which they are based.
Students should be able to evaluate both the policy and the sociological evidence used to support it.
Values and crime-related policy
Social policy also connects with debates about values.
Sociologists may disagree over:
what counts as the most important social problem
which outcomes policy should prioritise
how much social control is acceptable
whose interests policy should protect.
Policy itself involves values because it concerns what society ought to do, whereas research can attempt to establish evidence about what is happening.
This creates an important distinction:
Sociological evidence can describe and explain. Social policy also requires decisions about desired outcomes.
For this reason, Sociology can inform policy without necessarily providing one unavoidable answer.
Policymakers and sociologists may have different priorities
A sociologist may judge a policy mainly in terms of whether the evidence supports its assumptions.
A government or other policymaker may also consider factors such as:
cost
practical implementation
public priorities
competing policy aims.
The AQA specification does not require you to become a specialist in the political policymaking process. The relevant sociological point is simpler:
The relationship between Sociology and policy is not automatic or one-directional.
Sociology may influence policy, but policy choices are not produced by Sociology alone.
Social policy may also influence Sociology
The relationship can operate in the opposite direction.
Once a policy has been introduced, sociologists can investigate:
how it operates
who experiences it
whether it achieves its aims
whether it has unintended consequences
whether effects differ between social groups.
Policy therefore creates further opportunities for sociological research.
A simple cycle is:
research → policy → sociological evaluation → new evidence → policy debate
Social problems and sociological problems
A social policy perspective often begins with an issue understood as a social problem, something seen as requiring action or intervention.
Sociologists may go further by asking how the issue should be explained.
For crime, policymakers may begin with:
How can crime be reduced?
A sociologist may also ask:
How is crime defined?
How reliable are crime statistics?
Why are some groups more likely to be criminalised?
Which crimes are most visible?
Who experiences the greatest harm?
What unintended consequences might a policy have?
Sociology therefore contributes not only possible solutions but also a more critical understanding of the problem itself.
Strengths of Sociology's contribution to social policy
It provides systematic evidence
Sociological research can identify patterns, experiences and relationships relevant to crime.
It evaluates policy effectiveness
Research can test whether crime-control or prevention strategies achieve their intended goals.
It reveals unintended consequences
Sociologists may identify displacement, labelling, unequal treatment or other outcomes not anticipated by policymakers.
It offers competing explanations
Different perspectives encourage policymakers to consider alternative understandings of crime rather than assuming one explanation is automatically correct.
It highlights social inequalities
Research can examine differences connected with:
social class
gender
ethnicity
power.
These are central to AQA's Crime and Deviance content.
It can investigate experiences as well as statistics
Qualitative evidence may reveal how policies affect individuals and groups, complementing large-scale quantitative evidence.
Limitations of Sociology's contribution to social policy
Sociologists disagree
Different perspectives may produce different explanations and therefore different policy recommendations.
There may be no single "sociological solution".
Evidence can be limited
Research may suffer from problems of:
validity
reliability
representativeness
access
interpretation.
Theory influences interpretation
Different sociologists may draw different conclusions from similar evidence.
Values matter
Judgements about which social outcomes should be prioritised cannot be settled entirely through evidence.
Policies may have unintended effects
Even a policy based on sociological reasoning may not operate exactly as intended.
Policymakers are not sociologists
Research may inform policy without determining which policies are ultimately chosen.
Comparing theoretical views of social policy
Perspective | Broad view of social policy | Possible crime-policy emphasis | Potential criticism |
Consensus / functionalist | Policy can solve problems and improve the functioning of society | Crime control, rehabilitation and institutional improvement | May assume policy benefits everyone equally |
New Right / Right Realist | State intervention should be limited; individual responsibility is important | Increasing risks, surveillance and situational prevention | May neglect structural causes of crime |
Social democratic / Left Realist | Policy can address social inequalities and social problems | Reducing inequality, social and community prevention, multi-agency approaches | Structural changes may be difficult to achieve and may not explain all offending |
Marxist | Policy may reflect capitalist interests | Critical analysis of criminalisation and unequal control | May overemphasise class |
Feminist | Policy may reflect patriarchal power | Examining gendered experiences of crime, victimisation and criminal justice | Different feminist approaches may reach different conclusions |
Post-modern | Sceptical of universal solutions and broad policy claims | Emphasises diversity and varied experiences | May offer less clear guidance for large-scale policy |
Policy is not the same as theory
A common examination mistake is to describe a sociological theory without making the link to policy.
The correct chain is:
theory → explanation of the social problem → view of the role of the state/policy → type of response supported or criticised
For example:
Right Realists emphasise rational choice and argue that offenders may weigh risks against potential benefits. Therefore, policies designed to increase the risks associated with offending are consistent with their theoretical explanation.
This is much stronger than:
Right Realists think crime is bad and support strict policies.
Policy is not the same as an example
The reverse mistake is listing policies without explaining the sociological theory behind them.
For example:
Surveillance, target hardening and reducing inequality are crime policies.
This is descriptive.
A stronger answer explains why different sociologists would support or criticise these responses.
AQA's 2021 examiner report found exactly these two weaknesses: some students could describe two theories but failed to link them to social policy, while others discussed policy but could not give sufficiently specific policy examples.
How to evaluate crime-related social policy
A useful evaluation framework is:
1. Does the policy match the proposed cause?
If a theory says inequality causes crime but the policy only increases surveillance, the response does not address the theory's identified cause.
2. Is the evidence valid?
A policy based on recorded crime patterns may be weakened if those records provide an incomplete or socially constructed picture.
3. Does the policy work?
Intended effects must be distinguished from actual effects.
4. Are there unintended consequences?
Consider:
displacement
labelling
unequal targeting
failure to address underlying causes.
5. Who benefits?
Conflict theories encourage examination of whether a policy affects social groups equally.
6. Is another explanation more useful?
A strong evaluation may compare alternative theories and ask whether another explanation suggests a more convincing response.
A reasoned judgement on Sociology and social policy
Sociology can make an important contribution to crime-related social policy because it can:
provide evidence
identify patterns
explain causes
evaluate policies
reveal inequalities
challenge assumptions
identify unintended consequences.
However, Sociology cannot produce a single automatic policy answer.
Research evidence requires interpretation, theoretical perspectives differ, and social policy involves judgements about which outcomes society should prioritise.
The most defensible conclusion is therefore:
Sociology can improve the evidence and reasoning behind crime-related social policy, but sociological research informs policy rather than determining it.
Key Words 🔑
Key word | Student-friendly definition | How it may be used in an exam |
Social policy | Organised attempts to respond to social issues through policies affecting society and its institutions. | Explain the relationship between sociological knowledge and responses to crime. |
Evidence-based policy | Using relevant evidence to help inform decisions about social policy. | Explain how sociological research may influence crime policy. |
Crime prevention | Strategies intended to reduce the likelihood of crime occurring. | Apply different theories to policies designed to prevent offending. |
Social control | Processes used to regulate behaviour and encourage conformity. | Analyse the relationship between crime policy and social order. |
Situational crime prevention | An approach that seeks to reduce immediate opportunities for offending. | Link rational-choice explanations to crime policy. |
Social and community crime prevention | Prevention aimed at social conditions and communities rather than only immediate criminal opportunities. | Link structural explanations to policy responses. |
Multi-agency approach | Different agencies working together in response to crime-related issues. | Explain how policy may address complex causes of offending. |
Relative deprivation | A sense of deprivation arising from comparison with others. | Explain why some approaches support policies aimed at reducing inequality. |
Social inequality | Unequal distribution of resources, opportunities or power between social groups. | Apply conflict or realist perspectives to crime-related policy. |
Unintended consequence | An outcome produced by a policy that was not part of its original aim. | Evaluate policies such as surveillance or punishment. |
Hints from the Examiner Reports 💡
Examiner hint: Always connect the theory to social policy. In the 2021 Theory and Methods question, some students described two sociological theories accurately but did not explain what those theories implied about social policy. That prevented them from fully answering the question.
Examiner hint: Be able to apply policy ideas rather than discussing theory in the abstract. The same 2021 report found that some students understood ideas about policy but could not provide specific examples of social policy.
Examiner hint: Use an item as guidance, then move beyond it. In the 2025 social-policy question, stronger students developed the item using their own sociological knowledge, whereas weaker responses repeated large sections of the item.
Examiner hint: Keep theory and policy in the same paragraph. The 2025 report states that successful students understood both the theoretical nature of the debate and social policy. This is more effective than writing one section on theories followed by an unrelated list of policies.
Examiner hint: Evaluate the point you have just made. AQA reports repeatedly identify AO3 as the most challenging skill. Avoid writing a long paragraph about an alternative perspective with no link back to the policy argument being assessed.
Examiner hint: A good conclusion needs a judgement. Examiner reports warn that conclusions can become descriptive or add little. Decide how far Sociology can influence policy, what limits that influence and why.
Common Mistakes ⚠️
Mistake: Describing sociological theories without mentioning policy
Why this is incorrect: A question about Sociology and social policy requires you to explain how a theoretical perspective views the purpose, desirability or direction of policy.
How to improve: Finish every theoretical explanation with:
Therefore, this perspective would be likely to support, criticise or prioritise...
Mistake: Listing crime policies without explaining the theory
Why this is incorrect: Knowing that surveillance or social prevention exists does not show understanding of the Sociology-policy relationship.
How to improve: Explain the theoretical assumption behind the policy.
Mistake: Assuming sociological evidence automatically creates policy
Why this is incorrect: Research informs policy debates, but evidence still has to be interpreted and policy choices involve priorities and values.
How to improve: Use the phrase "may influence" rather than assuming direct causation between research and government action.
Mistake: Treating all sociologists as agreeing on the causes of crime
Why this is incorrect: Consensus, conflict, realist and social action approaches explain crime differently.
How to improve: Show how the same evidence could produce different policy responses depending on the theoretical interpretation.
Mistake: Assuming policy success because a policy was introduced
Why this is incorrect: The existence of a policy does not prove that it achieves its aims.
How to improve: Evaluate outcomes, limitations and unintended consequences.
Mistake: Treating recorded crime statistics as neutral policy evidence
Why this is incorrect: Recorded crime may be affected by reporting, policing, recording and law enforcement.
How to improve: Evaluate the research evidence before using it to justify a policy.
Mistake: Using an unrelated criticism
Why this is incorrect: Writing a memorised criticism of Marxism or functionalism earns little evaluation if it does not address the role of policy.
How to improve: Explain how the criticism changes the usefulness of the theory for understanding or shaping crime policy.
Mistake: Confusing crime prevention with punishment
Why this is incorrect: AQA lists crime control, prevention and punishment as distinct areas.
How to improve: State exactly what type of policy response you are discussing and what it is intended to achieve.
Exam-Style Questions ✍️
Question 1
Which one of the following best describes evidence-based policy?
A. Policy determined entirely by public opinion
B. Policy informed by relevant research evidence
C. Policy based only on official statistics
D. Policy that cannot be evaluated
[1 mark]
Question 2
Define the term social policy.
[2 marks]
Question 3
Outline two ways in which sociological research may contribute to crime-related social policy.
[4 marks]
Question 4
Explain two reasons why sociological evidence may not lead directly to a particular crime policy.
[6 marks]
Question 5
A sociologist argues that offending is partly caused by inequality and relative deprivation. Another sociologist argues that offending occurs when individuals decide that the likely benefits of crime outweigh its risks.
Explain how these explanations could lead to different crime-prevention policies.
[6 marks]
Question 6
Outline and explain two sociological perspectives on the purpose of social policy.
[10 marks]
Question 7
Read Item A below and answer the question that follows.
Item A
Sociological research may identify the causes and consequences of crime and evaluate strategies designed to reduce offending. However, different theoretical perspectives may interpret the same evidence differently.
Some approaches emphasise structural inequalities, while others place greater emphasis on individual choice and immediate opportunities to offend.
Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which sociological theory may influence crime-related social policy.
[10 marks]
Question 8
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
Sociologists can provide evidence about patterns of crime, victimisation and the effects of crime-control strategies. Such evidence may help policymakers identify social problems and assess whether policies achieve their aims.
However, sociologists disagree about the causes of crime and the purpose of social policy. Conflict theorists may also question whose interests social policies serve.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the contribution Sociology can make to crime-related social policy.
[20 marks]
Answers and mark scheme
Question 1
Answer: B, policy informed by relevant research evidence. [1 mark]
Sociological research can contribute evidence to policy decisions, although evidence does not determine policy automatically.
Question 2
Award up to 2 marks:
1 mark for identifying social policy as an organised response to a social issue.
1 additional mark for explaining that it operates through policies affecting society or social institutions.
Question 3
Award 2 marks for each clearly outlined contribution.
Possible answers include:
sociological research can identify patterns and trends in crime, giving policymakers evidence about the extent or distribution of a problem
sociologists can investigate possible causes of crime, which may influence the type of policy considered
research can evaluate crime-prevention or crime-control strategies
sociologists can identify unintended consequences of policies
research can examine inequalities in the criminal justice system.
Maximum 4 marks.
Question 4
Award up to 3 marks for each developed reason.
Possible answers include:
Different theoretical interpretations: The same evidence can be interpreted differently. A structural sociologist may interpret a crime pattern through inequality, while another sociologist may emphasise individual choice. The resulting policy recommendations may therefore differ.
Problems with evidence: Crime statistics and other evidence can have limitations. If the evidence does not provide a completely valid picture of offending, policymakers cannot simply treat it as an unquestionable basis for policy.
Values: Evidence can establish patterns and consequences, but social policy also involves decisions about which outcomes should be prioritised.
Maximum 6 marks.
Question 5
Award up to 3 marks for each clearly developed explanation.
Structural explanation:
If inequality and relative deprivation contribute to offending, a suitable policy response could focus on reducing inequalities or using social and community crime prevention. The policy attempts to address the structural conditions identified as contributing to crime.
Rational-choice explanation:
If individuals offend after considering risks and benefits, policies may focus on increasing the risks of crime or reducing opportunities through situational prevention, surveillance or target hardening.
For full marks, students must make the link:
cause → theory → policy response.
Maximum 6 marks.
Question 6
A strong response should explain two different sociological perspectives.
Indicative material includes:
Functionalist / consensus perspective
social policy can contribute to solving social problems
policy can reform institutions
gradual change may improve society
crime policy may contribute to social order and the effective operation of institutions.
New Right perspective
excessive state intervention may undermine responsibility
minimal state involvement is generally preferred
crime responses may emphasise individual responsibility and control.
Social democratic perspective
policy may address inequalities and redistribute resources
in a crime context, tackling structural inequalities may contribute to prevention.
Marxist perspective
social policy may reflect capitalist interests
crime policy can be examined as a form of social control
policies may not benefit all social classes equally.
Feminist perspective
policy may reflect patriarchal interests
crime-related policy can be evaluated in terms of gender and power.
AQA's 2021 mark scheme uses these perspectives as indicative material for its own 10-mark social-policy question.
8 to 10 marks: Very good knowledge and understanding of two perspectives, with clear application to social policy and appropriate analysis.
4 to 7 marks: Reasonable to good knowledge of two perspectives, with some application and analysis.
1 to 3 marks: Limited knowledge, often describing theories or policies without establishing the relationship between them.
Evaluation is not required.
Question 7
A strong response should use two distinct hooks from Item A.
Hook 1: structural inequalities
A sociological perspective that explains crime through structural inequality may support policies aimed at reducing deprivation, marginalisation or other conditions associated with offending. The theory therefore shapes which causes policymakers are encouraged to address.
Hook 2: individual choice and opportunities
A theory emphasising rational choice may support policies that raise the risks of offending or reduce immediate opportunities for crime, for example through situational prevention.
Further analysis might note that the policies are different because the theories identify different causes of crime.
For higher marks:
identify the item hook
explain the theoretical assumption
connect it to a policy response
analyse why that response follows from the theory.
8 to 10 marks: Two developed applications with clear sociological analysis.
4 to 7 marks: Some successful application of one or two theoretical ideas.
1 to 3 marks: Limited theory or policy description with little connection between them.
Question 8
A strong response should evaluate both the potential contribution of Sociology and its limitations.
Arguments that Sociology makes an important contribution may include:
sociological research can identify patterns and trends in crime
research can identify differences in victimisation and offending between social groups
Sociology provides explanations of possible causes of crime
research can assess crime-prevention strategies
sociologists can evaluate punishment and rehabilitation
Sociology can identify unintended consequences of policy
research may reveal inequalities or selective social control
sociological evidence can challenge assumptions underlying policy
qualitative evidence can reveal experiences not visible in statistics
evidence-based policy may allow decisions to be informed by systematic research.
Evaluation and limitations may include:
sociologists disagree about the causes of crime
competing theories may recommend different policies
research evidence may have problems of validity, reliability or representativeness
official statistics may not measure all crime
theoretical perspectives affect interpretation
values may influence research priorities
conflict theories question whether policies benefit all groups equally
a policy may have unintended consequences
sociological evidence informs but does not determine political and policy decisions.
Relevant theoretical debate may include:
consensus approaches, which see policy as capable of improving society and solving social problems
New Right or Right Realist approaches emphasising responsibility and control
social democratic or Left Realist arguments linking policy to social inequalities
Marxist criticism of policy as shaped by unequal power
feminist criticism of policies that reproduce patriarchal interests.
Explicit evaluation might look like this:
Sociological research into surveillance may reveal that it reduces opportunities for some offences, which could support its use as a crime-control policy. However, research may also identify displacement or unequal targeting. Sociology's contribution is therefore strongest when it evaluates both intended and unintended outcomes rather than assuming that a policy is effective simply because it has been introduced.
Judgement:
A strong conclusion should distinguish influence from control. Sociology can improve policymaking by supplying evidence, explanations and critical evaluation. However, it cannot provide one universally accepted policy solution because sociologists disagree theoretically, evidence has limitations and policy involves value judgements as well as empirical findings.
17 to 20 marks: Sound, conceptually detailed knowledge of sociological views of policy, accurate application of Item B, explicit analysis and evaluation, and an appropriate conclusion.
13 to 16 marks: Accurate, broad or deep knowledge with good application but more limited explicit evaluation.
9 to 12 marks: Largely accurate but limited knowledge, with evaluation often consisting of juxtaposed perspectives.
5 to 8 marks: Limited undeveloped knowledge, perhaps drifting into general discussion of social policy or crime theories.
1 to 4 marks: Very limited relevant sociological material.
AQA's 2025 social-policy mark scheme uses this same level structure for a 20-mark question, with the highest band requiring conceptually detailed knowledge, accurate application, explicit analysis and evaluation, and a reasoned conclusion.
The 2025 examiner report also found that stronger responses understood both the theoretical debate and social policy, while weaker responses relied too heavily on the item or lacked clear policy examples.
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