4.1.1
Defining Crime & Deviance
Crime and Deviance
Crime and Deviance
Crime is any act that breaks the law. Deviance is a behaviour that deviates from the norms of a society.
Defining crime
Defining crime
- Crime is any act that breaks the law.
- If the perpetrator is detected, then they can be prosecuted.
- If the perpetrator is found guilty then they can be sentenced.
Defining deviance
Defining deviance
- Deviance is a behaviour that deviates from the norms of a society.
- If one is deviant, they might face sanctions (but not the law).
- For example, going against the school rules by being late.
Factors that determine crime or deviance
Factors that determine crime or deviance
- What makes something either a criminal behaviour OR a deviant behaviour can depend on:
- Time.
- Place.
- Culture.
- Social situation.
Time example
Time example
- Time: when the acts takes place.
- Smoking in public places in the UK is illegal so it is a crime if one does it.
- Smoking in a house with a child next to you is deviant (not illegal but strongly discourages by social norms).
Place and social situation examples
Place and social situation examples
- Place.
- Being naked at a nudist beach is acceptable, doing the same thing in the middle of the street is illegal.
- Social situation: the context.
- Singing in a concert is expected but laughing during a funeral is not.
Culture examples
Culture examples
- Culture: depending on one’s traditions.
- Drinking alcohol is legal in the UK and smoking cannabis is illegal.
- However, in many Muslim-majority countries drinking alcohol is illegal.
- Moreover, medical marijuana is legal in some American states and not others.
The Changing Definition of Crime and Deviance
The Changing Definition of Crime and Deviance
What do sociologists mean when they say that crime and deviance are socially constructed?
Social construction of crime
Social construction of crime
- Socially constructed behaviour refers to behaviour that is invented by and accepted by a society.
- Social construction of crime and deviance depends on factors such as:
- Time.
- Place.
- Social situation.
- Culture.
The changing definition of crime
The changing definition of crime
- Drug and alcohol consumption:
- It is illegal to drink alcohol in many Muslim-majority states but it is legal in the UK. This shows how crime can depend on culture.
- Suicide:
- It used to be a crime until the 1960s. This shows how crime can depend on the time.
The changing definition of crime cont.
The changing definition of crime cont.
- Homosexuality:
- It used to be illegal until 1967 when the Sexual Offences Act was passed that made it legal for men over 21 years old.
- Cross-dressing:
- A man dressed as a woman for the needs of a play has traditionally not been considered a crime, as women were not allowed to be actors.
- However, a man dressing up as a woman in his spare time has been considered a crime. This shows how crime can depend on the social situation.
The changing definition of crime 3
The changing definition of crime 3
- Killings:
- Killing someone at war and killing someone in the middle of street. This shows how crime can depend on the place.
What can be defined as a deviant act?
What can be defined as a deviant act?
- Providing a clear definition is difficult as it varies with social expectations.
- Becker (a known interactionalist) states that whether an act is deviant depends on whether society deems it as such.
- This is known as labelling theory.
1The Sociological Approach
1.1Introduction to Sociology
1.2Sociological Approaches
1.3The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
2Families
2.1Functions of Families
2.2Family Forms
2.3Conjugal Role Relationships
2.4Changing Relationships Within Families
2.5Criticisms of Families
3Education
3.1Roles & Functions of Education
3.2Processes Within Schools
4Crime & Deviance
4.1The Social Construction of Crime
4.2Social Control
4.3Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
5Social Stratification
5.1Social Stratification
5.2Poverty as a Social Issue
6Sociological Research Methods
6.1Research Methods
6.1.1Research Design
6.1.2The Scientific Method
6.1.3Other Considerations
6.1.4Primary Sources
6.1.5Secondary Sources
6.1.6Surveys
6.1.7Sampling
6.1.8Questionnaires
6.1.9Interviews
6.1.10Observation
6.1.11Statistics
6.1.12Case Studies
6.1.13Longitudinal Studies
6.1.14Ethnography
6.1.15Experiments
6.1.16Small Scale Research
6.1.17End of Topic Test - Research Methods
Jump to other topics
1The Sociological Approach
1.1Introduction to Sociology
1.2Sociological Approaches
1.3The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
2Families
2.1Functions of Families
2.2Family Forms
2.3Conjugal Role Relationships
2.4Changing Relationships Within Families
2.5Criticisms of Families
3Education
3.1Roles & Functions of Education
3.2Processes Within Schools
4Crime & Deviance
4.1The Social Construction of Crime
4.2Social Control
4.3Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
5Social Stratification
5.1Social Stratification
5.2Poverty as a Social Issue
6Sociological Research Methods
6.1Research Methods
6.1.1Research Design
6.1.2The Scientific Method
6.1.3Other Considerations
6.1.4Primary Sources
6.1.5Secondary Sources
6.1.6Surveys
6.1.7Sampling
6.1.8Questionnaires
6.1.9Interviews
6.1.10Observation
6.1.11Statistics
6.1.12Case Studies
6.1.13Longitudinal Studies
6.1.14Ethnography
6.1.15Experiments
6.1.16Small Scale Research
6.1.17End of Topic Test - Research Methods
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