Crime and deviance

Crime and deviance!

What is meant by crime and deviance?

A crime is an illegal act the is punishable by law. Deviance is behaviour which the majority of people disagree with, or which goes against the rules and norms of a society. Deviant acts can be- but are not always- illegal. Illegal acts are not necessarily considered daviant.

Deviance is defined according to the social setting in which it takes place. Behaviour classed as 'deviant' can vary according to who performs the act and where they do so. What is classified as deviant also varies between cultures and over time.

Sociologists focus on social factors. Their explanations of crime and deviance include socialization patterns, opportunities structures and relative deprivation.

Sub-cultural theories (paul willis-1977 'the lads') explain crime and delinquency in terns of the values of a particular subculture and the influence of the peer group. Marxist theories explain crime as resulting from the way way capitalist society is structured.

Labelling theory: Labelling theory explains how and why certain people (such as working-class boys) comes to be labelled a deviant or criminal.

Fomal and informal rules and Social Order and Social Control!

Rules may be formal, that is written down as laws or codes of conduct. Alternatively, they may be informal, that is unwritten and taken fro granted. 

Social order is necessary for society to run smoothly. The functionalist approach argues that social control is based on consensus (agreement). The Marxist Approach argue that social order is based on the power of the ruling class (bourgeoisie) over the working class (proletaiat). Much of our behaviour is socially controlled by groups and society.

Formal and informal social conrol.

Formal social control is based on…