A-Level Psychology (AQA)

Topic Summaries

Forensic psychology

Defining and measuring crime

  • Crime is an illegal act that can be punished by incarceration or other punishments after a legal trial.
  • Historical issues: what was considered a crime at one point in history may not be a crime in modern society e.g. homosexuality.
  • Cultural issues: some ‘crimes’ aren’t considered ‘crimes’ in different cultures. For example, in one culture, hitting a child may be seen as a form of ‘tough love’, but in the UK, smacking a child is considered punishable by law according to the 2004 Child’s Protection Act.

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