Skip to content
    Sociology A-Level

    Structural Explanations of Crime

    What Structural Explanations of Crime means in Sociology A-Level, as defined for AQA.

    Definition of Structural Explanations of Crime

    Examination of how social institutions and the organization of society (e.g., class hierarchy, patriarchy) drive criminal behavior. Includes Merton’s Strain Theory and Marxist critiques of 'criminogenic capitalism'.
    AQA · Theory and Methods (Crime and Deviance paper)

    Topics that use Structural Explanations of Crime

    Related terms

    Using Structural Explanations of Crime in the exam

    Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.

    Practise Sociology questions

    Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.

    Start free

    7 days Premium · Then free forever · No card, no charge

    All Sociology A-Level terms