Crime and Deviance

formal norms and formal social control

laws and rigid rules put in place by police, government e.g robbery, theft, murder

punishments include prison time

informal rules and informal social control

no formal punishment for deviation, norms vary between groups depending on attitudes towards the behaviour, implemented by society through norms and customs e.g smoking with friends.

punishments include ridicule and shame

Downes and rock (1998)

deviance may be considered as controlled or banned behaviour that attracts punishment

Becker (1963) how things are defined as deviant

acts aren’t intrinsically deviant but defined as so by powerful labellers. Influencial labellers define what is deviant and pursuade others not to do it.

Deviance has negative overtones; but sociologically we identify 3 types of deviance

‘good’ behaviour such as heroism

‘odd’ behaviour such as eccentricty

‘bad’ behaviour range from misbehaving child to murder

Deviance two important characteristics;

subjectivity;

if desicions about deviance are based on judgements from the social norm; then all behavioural classifications are subjective

Deviance has two important characterisitics;

power;

How deviance is defined by social groups and how its explained

Becker (1963) power

Social groups create deviance by making the rules whos infractions constitute deviance

absolute deviance

the idea that some forms of behaviors are proscribed (considered deviant) in all societies at all time.

And some people are predisposed to being deviant

Relative deviance

The idea that no one behaviour is considered as deviant in all societies, at all time.

Behaviours can be considered deviant in one society but not another.

Becker (1963) relative deviance

Deviance is not a quality someone has but a quality of how someone reacts to a behaviour.

Deviance as a social construct

what we define as formally or informally deviant is defined by society.

if many people over a long period of time see an informal act as formally deviant, there might be pressure on legal systems to make an act deviant.

Pease (1994)

Crime comprises those actions that are deemed as dangerous to the community that state has to identify the behavior and label it as criminal

Crime

An act that breaks the law and enforced by formal social controls

4 Functionalism explanations

inevitable and normative,

strain theory,

control theory,

subculture

Socialisation

society instils norms and values into its members, encourages them to behave a certain way

consensual

the idea that the vast majority share similiar values

mechanical solidarity

peoples sense of belonging was very strong

durkheim socialisation

society has a shared set of norms and values called collective conscience

Positive aspects of crime

Reaffirming boundaries,

changing values,

social cohesion

Reaffirming boundaries

Everytime a person breaks the law and is taken to court or jail, the media pulbicises it, renforcing the rules and values

Changing values

some people go out of their way to defy laws to change the norms and values. their called functional rebels and aim to change the collective conscience

Social cohesion

When a particularly horrific crime takes place, people come together to share outrage and the sense of belonging in the community strengthens

Prostitution Davis (1961), riots Clinard (1974) and pornography Polsky (1967)

Can provide satisfaction to members of society, encourage change and act as a release, avoid other crimes e.g. adultery

Cohen (1993) crime can be beneficial

Crime could boost employment and the economy e.g. jobs like police, judges etc. It can also be an early warning mechanism to show to institutions something may need change.

Erikson (1966) society promotes deviance

If crime and deviance perform positive functions, perhaps means that society is organised to promote crime. Agencies of social control (police) may actually be trying to sustain a level of crime rather than rid it.

Anomie

When during periods of social change and uncertainty, the collective conscience becomes unclear

Egoism

When the collective conscience becomes to weak, society can’t restrain the selfish desires of individuals.

Durkheim evaluation

His view is useful in showing the ways that deviance is integral for society. “not everything that is bad, is bad for society”

Evaluation functionalism

Functionalism explains the reason for unhealthy levels of crime which could be altered by social engineering, crime can be reduced and controlled by social responses and change.

Evaluation functionalism

Despite ideas of anomie and egoism, functionalism doesn’t fully explain individual motivations, so can’t determine why only some people commit crime. Therefor doesn’t take into account human differences and free will.

Durkheim/ functionalist evaluation

Functionalists assumes harmony, hence ignores issues of power and struggle within society itself. Therefor they only offer a partial explanation of crime and deviance.

control theory

All human beings suffer from weakness which make them potentially unable to resist temptations and turn to crime, but there are social bonds with other people that encourage them to exercise self control.

Social bonds

If social bonds are weakened or broken, their social control is weakened and they will turn to crime. Assumes that those who commit crime have broken away from the bonds trying to tie them to mainstream values.

4 social bonds and their significance

Belief, attachment, commitment, involvement

They pull people away from crime and persuade people to conform to norms.

Importance of socialisation and social control

Maintains a cohesive society, the idea of social integration through social bonds is well established in functionalist theory.

Control theory evaluation

Doesn’t explain why some have weaker bonds than others but still don’t turn to crime, or why there is a variety of forms of crime and deviance. It doesn’t recognise that it possible to be deviant but have strong social bonds.

Control theory evaluation

It suggests everyone is a potential criminal and therefor our behaviours should be closely monitored. This can lead to stereotypes and unwarranted harassment. This may undermine respect for law and justice, and weaken social bonds.

Strain theory

Crime and deviance were examples of poor fit between the socially accepted goals of society and the socially approved means of obtaining those desired means.

Merton (1930) strain theory

Tried to develop an explanation of deviance within functionalist framework.

When does strain theory occur?

People engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.