introduction to crime

• crime is deviant behaviour that is against the law such as shoplifting
• deviance is behaviour that is odd and out of place but not against the law.
• Crime and deviance are culturally determined.
• In the 1970s, Foucault wrote about how definitions of criminal deviance, sexual deviance and madness have changed throughout history.
• Deviance changes with time and place as values, norms and social expectations change - it's relative.
• Plummer made the distinction between situational deviance and societal deviance.
• Situational deviance means acts which can be defined as deviant or normal, depending on the circumstances.
• Societal deviance means acts which are seen by most of society as deviant, in most situations.
• What is deviant for some groups is conformity for others. Subcultures have different norms to mainstream society.
• Social order and social control create a consensus of how to behave.
• Most behaviour in society isn't criminal or deviant. Social order and social control create consensus for how to behave. People are socialised to follow social norms.
• Some norms become second nature.
• Some norms are followed because we are consciously aware that they're a norm.
• Sanctions are rewards and punishments that reinforce social norms.