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9699 · 1.2

Social control, conformity and resistance — practice questions

Practice and worked examples for 9699 Social control, conformity and resistance. Short previews only — attempt the full question in MarkScheme against the official scheme.

Worked example 1

Evaluate the Marxist view that formal social control benefits the ruling class. [15 marks]

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Marxist argument: Law protects private property; Chambliss — vagrancy laws serve economic interests; selective enforcement (corporate vs street crime); ISA (school, media) + RSA (police) reproduce obedience.

Supporting evidence: Statistics on class bias in policing/sentencing; neo-Marxist Hall — moral panics over mugging.

Criticisms: Functionalist — law protects all citizens (Durkheim); feminist — Marxism neglects patriarchy; Left realist — working class also victimised by crime; not all laws serve capital (environmental, health).

Evaluation: Marxism usefully highlights power but may be economically deterministic — combine with interactionism (labelling) for fuller picture.

Conclusion: Partially valid — control has class dimensions but also cross-class legitimacy.

Worked example 2

A government study tracked 5,000 former prisoners for two years after their release to measure reoffending rates. Of these, 1,500 had participated in an in-prison vocational training programme, while 3,500 had not. The study found that 375 of the trained prisoners reoffended, compared to 1,575 of the untrained prisoners.

(a) Calculate the reoffending rate for each group. (b) Calculate the percentage point difference between the two groups. (c) Using your calculations, analyse what this data suggests about the effectiveness of different forms of social control within the prison system.

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Step 1: Calculate the reoffending rate for the trained group. This is the number of reoffenders in the group divided by the total number in that group, multiplied by 100.

Calculation: (375 / 1,500) * 100 = 0.25 * 100 = 25%

Step 2: Calculate the reoffending rate for the untrained group. This is the number of reoffenders in the group divided by the total number in that group, multiplied by 100.

Calculation: (1,575 / 3,500) * 100 = 0.45 * 100 = 45%

Step 3: Calculate the percentage point difference. This is the difference between the two reoffending rates.

Calculation: 45% - 25% = 20 percentage points

Step 4: Sociological Analysis. The data shows a 20 percentage point lower reoffending rate for prisoners who undertook vocational training. This suggests that forms of social control focused on rehabilitation and reintegration may be more effective at preventing future deviance than purely punitive measures.

  • Effectiveness of Formal Control: The high reoffending rate (45%) in the untrained group questions the effectiveness of prison as a deterrent or a tool for reform on its own. It suggests simple incapacitation (a form of formal social control) has limited long-term success.
  • Hirschi's Social Bonds: The training programme can be seen as building 'commitment' and 'involvement' (two of Hirschi's bonds of attachment). By giving prisoners skills and a stake in conformity (a job), it strengthens their bonds to mainstream society, reducing the likelihood of deviance.
  • Conclusion: The calculation demonstrates that while prison is a form of formal social control, incorporating elements that build informal controls and social bonds (like skills for employment) can significantly improve its effectiveness in reducing recidivism.
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