Crime as a social construct

• Young (1988) - Victimisation 


  the same crime does not have the same meaning or seriousness in all cases.

  “the meaning of a punch” - the motive depending on power relations between 2 parties.
• How do social norms and values shape deviance and conformity? - Erikson (1966)

  • social context, deviance is a reflection of social tensions
  • deviance as a social construction, norms and values vary
  • identity and community, the importance of social labels, eg. all members of the Jones family seen as deviant
  • conflict and social change, deviance as “a catalyst for community reflection and adaptation“
• Plummer (1979)

  • societal deviance - accepted by society, eg. violence in nightclubs is normalised
  • situational deviance - norms and values vary in certain contexts, eg. school is less valuable in gypsy culture
• Religion

  in Islamic culture, drinking alcohol is deviant