Unit 1 AC1.3 full marks that I used in my controlled assessment and I received an A*. This writeup was marked by my 2 criminology teachers who are also Criminology Examiners.
AC1.3 Writeup Explain the Consequences of Unreported Crime
Ripple Effect
A ripple effect describes how the impact of crime can spread beyond the immediate victim
throughout their family, friends and community. In other words, it ripples out much wider than the
initial victims. Consider the offence of domestic abuse and the number of people this could affect.
Abusers are often abused as children or have witnessed the abuse of parents as children. If this goes
unreported it can appear that it is acceptable, or children are socialised into this behaviour which
goes unpunished and then repeat it as adults, causing a ripple effect. It can also affect other family
members and neighbours who witness or hear incidents, or friends who may be distressed at the
violence, or even work colleagues who will be affected if the victim is absent from work.
Cultural Consequences
Due to cultural differences, some activities may not be considered criminal in one country but are in
another. Because of cultural differences, crimes may not be recorded or reported insufficiently.
Understanding cultures that are very different to our own can be tricky. People frequently choose to
overlook or turn a blind eye to behaviours or customs that differ from our own. Because they may
feel that it is not their responsibility to meddle, criminals and potential criminals may think that they
can act without repercussions. As a result, it can create a belief that culture supersedes law. For
example, female genital mutilation is illegal in the UK but culturally there are some communities
who believe it is an acceptable thing to do. Similarly, with honour killing, while alien to a Western
society, there are many cultures that believe it is appropriate to take such drastic action. However, it
can also be positive as it allows non harmful traditions to be followed which encourages diversity.
In the case of Kristy Bamu, a 15-year-old boy being accused of involvement in witchcraft and then
killed by members of his own family. The family were originally from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, where witchcraft or Kindoki is practised and exorcisms are carried out in some churches.
Kristy was tortured over the course of several days before being drowned in a bath during an
exorcism. This is common in DRC but very illegal in any western country.
Decriminalisation and Legal Change
Decriminalisation is the action or process of ceasing to treat something as illegal or as a criminal
offence. Crimes that are considered ‘harmless’ or ‘victimless’ may be decriminalised as they are no
longer perceived as a ‘real’ crime. When people do not report on a crime as much it will often be
treated as a minor offence or as a ‘deviant’ act by the state. For example, the use of cannabis can be
quite open in some places in the UK, because the police choose not to act. Eventually, the
government has little choice but to decriminalise such offences because it has to accept that the
criminal act cannot be controlled because people no longer take notice of the law.
Such actions are common, widespread crimes that people do not see as 'real' offences so they
become decriminalised. Although there are still laws against them, the punishments have been
reduced, and less time and money are spent trying to find perpetrators of these crimes and this is a
positive because more time and money can be spent on fighting more serious crimes like human
trafficking or murders.
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