Crime and Deviance

• What is deviancy?

  • behaviour that is likely to cause alarm, harassment, or distress to members of the public
  • goes against norms, mores, moral codes and values
  • results in an informal sanction
  • Eg: smoking while pregnant - informal sanction of being judged
• What are formal court sanctions?

  • custodial sentences
  • community sentence
  • fines
  • discharge
• What are formal non court sanctions?

  • cautions
  • conditional cautions
  • penalty notices
  • on the spot fines
• What are informal sanctions?

  • labelling the behaviour
  • frowning upon the behaviour
  • ignoring the behaviour
  • name calling
• What are norms?

  • social expectations about the proper behavior
• What are mores?

  • social norms widely observed within a particular culture
• What are moral codes?

  • acceptable or good behaviour generally
• What are values?

  • rules shared by most people in a culture
  • usually generational
• What is crime?

  • an act that goes against the law
  • Actus Reus (guilty act)
  • Mens Rea (giulty mind)
  • results in a court or non court formal sanction
  • Eg: Murder - court sanction of a custodial sentence, mandatory life
  • Eg: Speeding - non court sanction of an on the spot fine