Example crime and social inequality dissertation topic 2:

Social acceptance of shop-lifting in deprived communities

The shop lifting of food as a phenomenon has increased exponentially over the last three years according to official figures. Such shoplifting is not however merely for the need of food for as local police reports indicate, incidences of the reports of sales of stolen meat upon housing estates in Doncaster have also increased as joints of meat and other ‘high value’ foodstuffs are increasingly being stolen ‘to order’. Looking at indices of deprivation studies and normative social values towards stolen goods, this dissertation offers an analysis of how normative views of shoplifting such produce are different amongst both different classes and different areas within the UK.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Avery, D.R., Mckay, P.F. and Hunter, E.M. (2012) ‘Demography and disappearing merchandise: How older workforces influence retail shrinkage’, Journal of Organizational Behaviour, Vol. 33, pp. 105-120.
• Kroneberg, C., Heintze, I. and Mehlkop, G. (2010) ‘The interplay of moral norms and instrumental incentives in crime causation’, Criminology, Vol. 48, pp. 259-294.
• Nell, D., Phillips, S., Alexander, A. and Shaw, G. (2011) ‘Helping yourself: Self-service grocery retailing and shoplifting in Britain, c. 1950-75′, Cultural and Social History, Vol. 8(3), pp. 371-391.