SOC 246 Second Semester Assignment: Crime, Deviance, and Society

This assignment, a requirement for the SOC 246 course at the University of Botswana, tasks students with analyzing crime and deviance within the context of Botswana society. Students, working in groups, are to select one of two provided newspaper articles focusing on crime statistics and gambling issues. The assignment requires students to determine if the discussed situations constitute crime or deviant behavior, classify the source of information, identify key correlates, and explain the relationship between crime and these identified correlates. The paper must be between 3-5 pages, excluding the cover and references, and must include at least six sources, including two journal articles. The articles provided discuss youth as main perpetrators of crime and concerns around problem gambling. The assignment emphasizes the importance of using evidence from academic sources, proper referencing, and original writing. This assignment helps students understand and analyze crime and its societal impact, using data from the context of Botswana.

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UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA
SOC 246: COMMUNITIES AND CRIME
2017/2018 ACADEMIC YEAR SECOND SEMESTER
CLASS ASSIGNMENT
Issue Date : Monday 28 March, 2022
Submission Date : Friday 8 April, 2022
Presented below are newspaper articles reporting on studies that have been conducted on problems
facing the Botswana society. Workingin groups of 4-5 membersselect an article from the two provided
below and based on the selected article address the questions listed below:
a. Is the situation being discussed in the in the newspaper article you have selected be termed a
crime or deviant behavior? Explain your answer? 10 marks
b. How would you classify thesource of information being discussed in the article you have
selected?10 marks.
c. Discuss thekey correlates in the situation under study. 10 marks. Explain the relationship
between crime and the correlates that you have identified 15 marks
Guidelines:
A well written paper must include evidence and examples to substantiate the major points presented.
This can be from books, academic journals, research papers and policy documents. Students are
strongly encouraged to consult a wide variety of sources. Reference must be made to at least 6
sources, including at least 2 journal articles. Exclude introduction to sociology texts and dictionaries (eg.
Oxford Learners Dictionary,Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary etc.)from your
references.Only sources cited in the text should be listed in your reference section.
Answers should be written in sentence and paragraph format, but you are also encouraged to make
effective use of diagrams, maps and pictures, where this makes sense. Please do not use direct
quotations - all answers must be written in your own words.
The essay must be between 3-5 pages excluding cover (title) and reference pages. The pages should
be numbered. The cover page should have the course code, group members’ surname and initials plus
ID numbers. It should also include the title of the article selected, the name of the newspaper it is
published in and the date of publication. The assignment should be typed using 1.5 spacing and font
type Times New Roman size 12. The adherence to the guidelines and correct referencing will be
awarded 5 marks.
A hardcopy of the assignment should be submitted to the lecturer. The electronic copy of should be
submitted via the submission link to be provided on Moodle at any time on the stipulated deadline. Late
submissions will not be honoured in any form. Individual assignments and those pushed under the door
of the instructor's office will not be graded.

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ARTICLE 1
Stats Reveal Youth Main Crime Perpetrators
Monday, April 23, 2018 PiniBothoko
A recent Statistics Botswana report has found that youth are the main
perpetrator of crime, causing concern for the level of decadence that
threatens society's promising future.
Youth as possessors of potential and the promise of a better tomorrow, were
found to lead in a variety of crimes. In particular, youth aged between 30
and 34 led the total of recorded criminal offences by 23%.
According to the report, the accused in murder hearings were concentrated
within age groups 20 to 24, 35 to 39, with age group 30 to 34 leading the
pack by 22%. It further states that age group 25 to 29 followed closely with
21.3% and 35 to 39 accounting for 18.7% of all recorded murder cases in the
year 2016. There were less than one percent of murder cases in age group
60 and above.
The Statistics Botswana report states that from their analysis, it was evident
that besides murder most offences occur amongst age groups 20 to 24 up to
40 to 44 whilst other groups show the lowest percentages.
The report further revealed that road and traffic offences were the most
committed across most age groups, but group 30- to 34-year-old leads the
offence with 7.1 percent. Youth is also in the lead of sexual offences with age
groups 25 to 29 and 30 to 34 respectively accounting for 28.5% and 19.8%
of the recorded cases.
The report further stated that under attempts or threats to murder, assaults,
harassment and related offences, age group 30 to 34 lead with 19.6%
followed by 25 to 29 age group with 18.3% and 35 to 39 age group with
17.7%.
Age group 35 to 39 leads in dangerous or negligent acts with 22.8% followed
by age group 30 to 34 with 18.5%. Youth was also leading in robbery,
extortion and hijacking with age groups 25 to 29 and 30 to 34 accounting for
29.7% and 23.4% of the offences, respectively.

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Age group 25 to 29 is also leading theft and related offences by 26.4%
followed by age group 30 to 34 with 24% and age group 20 to 24 at 14.1%.
Age group 30 to 34 is also at the top of drug offences with 27.7% followed by
age group 25 to 29 with 21.3%.
The report further reveals that female participation in criminal activities was
low when compared to their male counterparts. Overall, males constituted
92% of the accused while females constituted only six percent with the
remaining two percent of accused persons not having stated their sex.
Throughout all the age groups, male proportions were higher than female
with the high numbers of accused recorded from age groups 25 to 29, to age
group 35 to 39 with a peak at age group 30 to 34 for both sexes.
The report shows that road traffic offences were the most commonly
committed accounting for 27.5% of all crime. This offence involves but is not
limited to driving without a driver’s licence, failure to obey road signs and
overloading of passengers. The second most common were offences not
classified at 16.3% followed by theft and related offences at 15.2%.
The report shows that out of the 12,021 offences committed, 9,008 offences
were committed by males and 586 by females whilst 220 offences were
committed by persons whose sex was not stated.
However, recently the police reported that there is a need for the fight
against crime to be intensified amongst the youth.Recently when asked
about their interventions into this matter the public relation officer for
Botswana Police Service (BPS) DiphekoMotube concerned by learners’ bad
behaviour he disclosed intentions to approach the education ministry,
parents and teachers to join hands with the police to fight crime amongst
learners.
Source: https://www.mmegi.bw/news/stats-reveal-youth-main-crime-perpetrators/news
Date retrieved: 24th March, 2022
ARTICLE 2: Study raises 'problem gambling' concerns
Monday, March 14, 2022 ByGoitsemodimo Kaelo

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With the National Lottery about to commence, a new study has raised the
concern of problem gambling in Botswana Gambling Authority (BGA)
regulated casinos.
While a baseline study on the prevalence of excessive and problem gambling
in Botswana done by BGA only indicates a low gambling prevalence in
Botswana at five percent compared to the world’s, the study has raised
concern about problem gambling in regulated casinos.
However, the report also states that while some of the problem gambling is
reported to be taking place in casino sites, the magnitude of problem
gambling amongst individuals who participated in unregulated gambling is
not known.
Although the study further indicates that Batswana generally have a
negative perception about gambling, a further inspection of demographics
shows that the prevalence of problem gambling is highest amongst the 21 to
29-year-old males, the never-married (5.8 percent), and those that had at
least secondary education.
Problem gambling amongst males is almost four times higher as compared
to their female counterparts.
“It was also highest amongst the employed and the unemployed,” indicated
the report in part.
According to the study, the employed and the unemployed are more than
twice as likely to be problem gamblers as compared to the
pensioners/retirees/students.
The findings of the study also show that all casino sites reported the
presence of problem gamblers. It also reported that other problem gamblers
have developed habits of loitering around the whole night without a change
of clothes and eating.
Meanwhile, the study recommended the need to regulate other prevalent
gambling activities besides casino tables and slot machines cannot be
overemphasised.
“Once regulated and legal, all such gambling should include extensive and
effective responsible play and addiction prevention measures,” it read in
part. The study also called on the Botswana Gambling Authority to maximise
efforts to raise Batswana’s awareness as far as gambling is concerned.
This, it stated, requires a rigorous and effective public education campaign
that speaks to the various forms of gambling activities in Botswana,

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including traditional games and responsible gambling.
“This will be the foundation on which gambling could be accepted as a form
of recreation. The ultimate goal of the campaign will be to encourage
responsible gambling amongst Batswana,” read part of the report.