soicology crime and deviance

• White-collar crimes are committed to gain or avoid losing money or property and are not associated with violent behavior
• Property crime

  • Burglary
  • Theft
  • Arson
  • Defacement of property
  • Motor vehicle theft
• Definitions of crime have implications for the kind of questions asked, the kinds of data used to study criminal behavior, and the kinds of theories applied
• Crime in sociology is the study of social deviance and violations of established norms
• Organized crime

  • Drug trafficking
  • Human trafficking
  • Money laundering
• Violent crime

  • Murder
  • Assault
  • Rape
  • Sexual assault
  • Robbery
  • Kidnapping
  • Harassment
• Commonly defined types of crime in sociology

  • Violent crime
  • Property crime
  • White-collar crime
  • Organized crime
• Crime is a violation of the law
• White-collar crime

  • Money laundering
  • Corporate fraud
  • Mortgage fraud
  • Ponzi schemes
  • Embezzlement
• Organized crime refers to criminal activity committed by an organized group of individuals at various levels
• Understanding Patterns of Crime in Sociology
• Organized crime refers to criminal activity committed by an organized group of individuals at a local, regional, national, or international level
• Consensual crime refers to crimes that do not directly harm other individuals or property
• Four primary perspectives about deviance in sociological theories

  • Structural Functionalism
  • Social Strain Typology
  • Conflict Theory
  • Labeling Theory
• Conflict Theory views deviant behavior as a consequence of material inequality between socio-political groups, where groups in unequal social positions may engage in deviant behavior to change circumstances
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: '“A riot is the language of the unheard.”'
• Committing a crime violates social laws, while deviant behavior violates social norms and rules
• Examples of consensual crimes

  • Drug use
  • Prostitution
  • Obscenity
• Groups commonly associated with organized crime

  • Mafia
  • Terrorist groups
  • Mobsters
• Structural Functionalism argues that deviant behavior plays a constructive part in society by demarcating limitations for acceptable and unacceptable behavior, affirming cultural values and norms, and promoting social stability
• Some sociologists argue that even apparently criminal acts can't be called criminal until a full evaluation of the situation has been made
• Social Strain Typology proposes that deviant behavior can be classified based on a person's motivations or adherence to cultural objectives, with types including ritualism, innovation, rebellion, retreatism, and conformity
• Illegal activities committed under the banner of organized crime

  • Drug trafficking
  • Human trafficking
  • Money laundering
  • Counterfeiting
• Deviant behavior can also tiptoe over the line of criminal behavior
• Labeling Theory argues that deviant behavior is often a consequence of having a deviant-like label applied to a person, leading them to exhibit actions associated with that label
• National University is a regionally accredited university with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
• Understanding how a person’s previous behaviors can be reinterpreted

  In relation to the symbolic labeling they encountered over the course of their lives
• Gaining a deeper understanding of sociological theories of crime

  Can lay a firm foundation in a career path such as criminal justice or psychology, and help to serve and protect communities
• Students learn to apply major sociological theories to a variety of circumstances, including understanding criminal behavior
• This post was updated

  December 14th, 2022
• People become deviant


  As a result of others forcing that identity upon them
• Graduates can apply their skills to a wide range of fields, from marketing to law enforcement
• Applying the understanding of sociological theories of crime

  Using critical thinking skills to connect the dots and levying them against additional skills required for professionals in these fields