Definitions & Explanations

Get Revising

Created by: Kathryn
Created on: 21-05-14 19:43

What's crime?

Any act which breaks the laws of society, such as murder or ****

1 of 9

What's deviance?

Behaviour which moves away from conventional norms and values such as burping and farting in public

2 of 9

What's deviant but not criminal?

Burping, not queing

3 of 9

What's criminal but not deviant?

Speeding, parking on yellow line

4 of 9

What's deviant and criminal?

****, murder and paedophilia

5 of 9

What does it mean when people describe crime and deviance as relative?

That crime and deviance are always changing in relation to time, place and culture. What one society may see as a crime another may not, such as polygamy (many wives) Other examples include homosexuality & suicide (illegal in UK until 1967)

6 of 9

What does it mean when people describe crime as a social construct?

If what's considered to be criminal and deviant changes it can't be inherently wrong but instead culturally specific. Meaning that crime and deviance is socially constructed - created & defined by the people of that society & not universal

7 of 9

What is a biological explanation of crime?

Lombrosso - sort to find physical criminal characteristics like long arms & asymmetry of face

8 of 9

Why do sociologists tend to stay away from such explanations?

Sociologists tend to find such 'born bad' determinism dangerous thus prefer to normalise crime by reminding us that we all commit crime & that there are social factors which influence our behaviour

9 of 9

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What's deviance?

Back

Behaviour which moves away from conventional norms and values such as burping and farting in public

Card 3

Front

What's deviant but not criminal?

Back

Card 4

Front

What's criminal but not deviant?

Back

Card 5

Front

What's deviant and criminal?

Back

View more cards

Get Revising

Definitions & Explanations