DD212 Understanding Criminology, TMA01 Questions 2026 | The Open University

DD212 Understanding Criminology, TMA01 

Question 1:

This assignment will illustrate why some social scientists argue that people’s involvement in law-breaking cannot simply be understood in terms of their individual choices.It is shown in the film ‘Sex Workers’ that Laura made somewhat of a personal unconstrained choiceto become a sex worker when she was younger to create extra income.

Her choice to continue withsex work was made after an act of inequality from the finance company she worked for. It can besaid that Laura made a choice but not in the condition of her own choosing but because of the socialstructure and norm. She goes onto mention that it is illegal for two sex workers to work together asthis would be classed as a brothel when in fact it could just be a safety measure.

Another example of individual choice can be seen from Kirsty. Her life was a rollercoaster of negativeevents, from drug addicted parents to being raped to take drugs herself. Laura’s choice of going intosex work was fueled by her drug addiction and was a means for her to fund this habit.

Kirsty did nothave any resources which propelled her into the industry. When Kirsty broke the law, it was her wayof funding an addiction that was caused by previous trauma and bad experience.Laura and Kirsty’s agency were hindered as they had to make a choice that was not in the conditionof her own choosing and structural constraints.