Deviance, Crime & Social Control

Flashcards on Deviance, Crime & Social Control

Deviance

Behavior that violates social norms (e.g., folkways, mores, laws).

Crime

A form of deviance that violates formal legal codes.

Consensus Crimes

Crimes with strong public agreement on their severity (e.g., murder).

Conflict Crimes

Crimes with controversial legality (e.g., drug use).

Social Deviations

Serious norm violations, often due to mental illness or addiction, but not illegal.

Social Diversions

Harmless norm violations (e.g., punk fashion).

Moral Entrepreneurs

Individuals or groups who create and enforce deviance labels for personal or political reasons.

Moral Panic

Media-driven overreaction to perceived deviance.

Strain Theory (Merton)

Deviance arises when there's a gap between cultural goals and legitimate means.

Primary Deviance

Initial, unlabelled norm violation.

Secondary Deviance

Deviance that occurs when an individual is labelled as deviant, which affects their identity and behavior.

Retrospective Labelling

Interpreting past behavior based on a current deviant label.

Projective Labelling

Expecting future deviance based on a current label.

Double Deviant

When women violate both laws and gender norms.

Rape Myths

Culturally embedded false beliefs about sexual assault, such as 'no means yes'.

Foreground of Crime

Immediate emotional states and motivations driving criminal acts.