crime & deviance

• Crime


  Any form of action that results in breaking a written formal rule in society, an act that breaks the law (e.g. murder)
• Deviance


  Behavior that does not conform to the dominant norms of a specific society (e.g. talking with your mouth full)
• Actions can be criminal but not deviant, deviant but not criminal, or both
• Social construction of crime and deviance

  The definitions and understandings of what constitutes criminal behavior and deviant behavior are not fixed or objective, but rather are constructed and shaped by societal norms, values, and power dynamics
• Examples of how crime can be socially constructed

  • Time (what is seen as criminal changes over time)
  • Place (what is considered deviant in one place may not be in another)
  • Culture (what is considered criminal or deviant can change between cultures)
  • Social situation (behaviors that are acceptable in some situations are not in others)
• Sociological explanations of crime and deviance

  • Anomie
  • Labeling theory
  • Structural theories
  • Subcultural theories
  • Interactionist theory
• Anomie


  A condition in which society lacks clear norms and values, leading to a breakdown in social order and an increase in crime
• Labeling theory


  Deviance is not inherent in the act itself, but rather it is created by the way society reacts to it
• Structural theories


  Focus on the role of social and economic inequality in shaping deviance
• Subcultural theories


  Deviance is a result of individuals identifying with and participating in deviant subcultures
• Interactionist theory


  Focuses on how individuals interpret and respond to social situations, and the role of social interactions in shaping deviance
• Functionalist perspective on crime and deviance

  • Criminal and deviant behavior is a necessary part of society as it serves to define and reinforce social norms and values
  • Crime and deviance can be dysfunctional and disrupt the social order, so society needs a system of punishment to maintain social order and stability
• Merton's theory of anomie


  Crime is caused by a disconnection between the goals people have in society and the means they have to achieve those goals
• Marxist perspective on crime and deviance

  • Crime and deviant behavior are a product of capitalist societies and the criminal justice system serves to maintain the power and wealth of the ruling class
  • Criminal and deviant behavior is often a result of the way the working class is oppressed and marginalized in society
• Feminist perspective on crime and deviance

  • Criminal and deviant behavior is shaped by the power dynamics within society, particularly those related to gender
  • Women are often viewed as deviant when they engage in criminal behavior, while men are often seen as mischievous or rebellious
  • The criminal justice system is biased against women and they are often treated more harshly than men for the same offenses
• Heidensohn's ideas on crime and gender

  • Women are less likely to engage in criminal behavior because of their socialization and the expectations placed on them by society
  • Women are controlled in three places: at home, in public, and at work
• Interactionist perspective on crime and deviance

  • Crime and deviant behavior are not inherent in certain actions or behaviors, but rather are a product of societal reactions to them
  • Individuals who are labeled as deviant or criminal are more likely to engage in deviant or criminal behavior because of the way society responds to them
• Becker's differential association theory

  Individuals learn criminal behavior through their interactions and association with others, specifically those who engage in criminal activity
• Becker's labeling theory


  Individuals who are labeled as criminals by society and the criminal justice system are more likely to engage in criminal behavior in the future
• Formal methods of social control


  Official and legal means by which society regulates and enforces behavior, such as laws, regulations, and institutions like the police, courts, and prisons
• Informal methods of social control

  Non-legal and non-official means by which society regulates and enforces behavior, such as social norms, customs, traditions, and social institutions like the family and community
• Unwritten rules


  The unwritten norms and expectations that govern behavior within a society, often informal, cultural, and based on tradition
• Sanctions


  The rewards or punishments that are imposed on individuals who comply or violate unwritten rules and norms
• Informal methods of social control

  Non-legal and non-official means by which society regulates and enforces behavior, including social norms, customs, traditions, and social institutions like the family and community
• Informal methods of social control

  • Based on the principle of unwritten rules and sanctions
  • Enforced by social networks and peer groups
• Informal methods of social control

  • Expectation that people will be polite and courteous in public
  • Pressure to conform to certain dress codes
  • Sanctions like social exclusion or ostracism for violating norms
• Unwritten rules


  Unwritten norms and expectations that govern behavior within a society, often informal, cultural, and based on tradition
• Sanctions


  Rewards or punishments imposed on individuals who comply or violate unwritten rules
• Sociological perspectives on social control

  • Functionalist perspective
  • Marxist perspective
  • Feminist perspective
  • Interactionist perspective
• Functionalist perspective


  • Social control is essential for the functioning of society as it ensures individuals conform to social norms and expectations
  • Social control is not just about punishing deviance but also about promoting conformity, which is necessary for the survival and functioning of society
• Marxist perspective


  • Social control is used to justify the exploitation of the working class and maintain the power of the capitalist elite
  • Importance of understanding how social control operates in the context of class struggle and how it is used to maintain the power of the ruling class
• Feminist perspective


  • Social control often works to maintain traditional gender roles and power imbalances
  • Social control is often used to justify the marginalization and oppression of women
  • Importance of understanding how social control operates at the intersection of gender, race, class, and other social factors
• Interactionist perspective


  • Social control is not just imposed from the top down but also emerges from the everyday interactions between people
  • Social control is a mutual process where individuals negotiate with one another to establish norms and expectations
  • Importance of symbols and language in shaping social control, as the meanings attached to certain behaviors and symbols can influence how people act
• Individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to engage in criminal behavior than those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds
• Historically, there has been a notable link between social class and types of crime, with those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds more frequently associated with street crimes and those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds more likely associated with white-collar crime
• Poor socialization


  Individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds might not be adequately socialized into societal norms and values, leading to a higher propensity to engage in deviant or criminal behavior
• Strain theory


  Society sets culturally approved goals and socially acceptable means to achieve these goals, but not everyone has equal access to these means, leading those who can't access them to turn to illegitimate means (i.e., crime) to achieve societal goals
• Status frustration


  Working-class youths are at a disadvantage in middle-class institutions like schools, leading them to experience status frustration and reject middle-class values and goals, adopting a delinquent subculture as a way to gain status and respect within their peer group
• Men are more likely to engage in criminal behavior than women, often attributed to traditional gender roles and expectations
• Historically, crime rates and types of crime committed have shown variations between genders, with men dominating in violent crimes and more serious offenses, while women have typically been associated with less violent crimes like shoplifting