crime and deviance

What is Crime?

Any action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law.

What is Deviance?

An act of breaking a social norm.

What is the difference between Crime and Deviance?

Deviance is violation of social norms whereas crime is violation of laws of the land. Deviance can be criminal or non criminal, but crime is always criminal in nature. Behaviour that were crimes earlier have today become deviant behaviour.

What do Functionalists believe that Norms are based on?

norms are based on consensus or an agreement between members of society.

What is a Social Construction?

it has been created by society. For example, the idea of what makes a crime is a social construction.

What Occurs because of Changes to Social Norms?

Laws will also change as social norms change. Changes in social norms sometimes forces changes to legislation. For example, laws on homosexuality have changed dramatically in the UK.

What do Functionalists believe about those who break Social Norms?

people who break social norms might in fact play a positive role in society. Breaking certain norms could introduce a new set of social norms which help society.

What do Marxists argue about what goes against Norms?

asking the question of who gets to decide what is a crime and what goes against norms. they would argue that the law reflects the wishes of the ruling class and avoiding taxes is unreasonable but doesn't break social norms/laws.

What does Deviance allow to happen?

social changes

What is Formal Social Control?

the use of laws and official institutions to maintain order.

What is Informal Social Control?

based on unwritten rules and processes such as the approval and disapproval by other people. It is enforced by social pressures.

Where does Social Control begin?

In the Family

What are Sanctions?

used to control those who break the rules. These include both rewards such as verbal praise and punishments such as grounding.

Why do Functionalists agree with Social Control?

Functionalists see that social control is a good thing as it helps to keep society in order.

What do Marxists argue about Social Control?

view social control as keeping society in order, but in a bad way. Social order is kept in the interests of the ruling class. Laws are used to control the workers while not used at ruling class people - creating an unfair system.

Give 5 Examples of Agencies of Social Control.

Family, School, Religion, Media, Police

How does Informal Social Control send Gender Messages?

according to Functionalists like Talcott Parsons, benefit all of society by keeping deviance at a low level. Feminists disagree with this and say that Informal Social Control benefits men as it keeps women under control.

What happens as a result of these Gender Messages?

Women feel less able to go out and break social norms. Name-calling and gossip are often enough to discourage behaviour that does not fit with the expectations of femininity.

How is Religion an Agency of Social Control?

Religion can play a major role in Informal Social Control. Christians and Muslims are usually strongly socialised into a sense of what is considered right or wrong. Many individuals are controlled by the socialisation received from their respective religion.

What do Functionalists think about Religion?

see religion as a positive force that binds society together like glue. Religion encourages people to be more aware of and follow social norms, and to respect rules and laws for the benefit of everyone.

What do Marxists think about Religion?

view religion as a force that controls the working class. To them, the workers are encouraged by religion to work hard and be good citizens. In return, they will receive rewards when they die and go to heaven. Marxists mock religion as promising 'pie in the sky when you die.

How is the Media an Agency of Social Control?

Informal Social Control. Individuals are constantly receiving pressure for what they watch or read, and not to act in a certain way. The methods for this range from public information 'adverts' warning about drink driving to newspaper headlines about law-breaking acts.

How is the Police an Agency of Social Control?

There are several practical roles that the police play to keep Social Control. The prevention and investigation of crime, keeping public order and responding to accidents are all undoubtedly part of the police's role. These jobs help to control society. Police are called to stop and investigate crimes and deal with social problems they come across.

What is the Functionalist view on the Police?

they stress that the police play a key role in maintaining social order. Without the police, society would fall into chaos. They would also highlight the role of the police as an agency of socialisation and well as control.

What is the Marxist view on the Police?

take the opposite view to functionalists of the police. Marxists see the police as one-sided or biased against the working class. They reinforce a set of rules designed by the ruling class to protect them against the working class.

What did Karl Mannheim point out about property?

Karl Mannheim, a Marxist, pointed out that property is the main concern of most laws, which is of concern mainly towards wealthy people.

What is the Justice System?

The court system in the UK is also known as the judiciary and is part of the government which makes decisions about justice.

What is the Functionalist view on the Judiciary?

view the court as a positive part of society. They focus on the role that courts play in keeping individuals under control and protecting social order. Courts protect society from dangerous individuals by sending them to prison, or using other sanctions to discourage crime. Functionalists also highlight the way that courts remind people of the boundaries of behaviour not to be crossed.

What is the Marxist view on the Judiciary?

criticise the courts for favouring the rich and powerful. They believe that the courts are unfair. It is important to note that judges shape the law of the UK through the decisions they make. Parliament may make laws but judges interpret them. Marxists would say that the courts also protect the interests of the rich and powerful.

How many judges attended Oxford or Cambridge?

75% - The Guardian, 2014

Is the Judiciary balanced?

The courts exist to keep social control and should do this in a fair and balanced way. However, the lack of judges from lower-class backgrounds and those who are female is a potential problem.

How many Judges are female?

28% - Judicial Official Statistics Bulletin, July 2016

How many Judges are from Ethnic Minorities?

5% - Judicial Official Statistics Bulletin, July 2016

What is the New Right view on the Changes in Crime?

states that crime is worse than in the past. It blames the collapse of the family, weak law enforcement and a failing education system. They tend on certain types of crime, including street and youth crime. Most of this crime is committed by members of the working class.

How has Crime changed since the 1990s?

Since the late 1990s, the total amount of recorded crime has fallen.

What do Statistics suggest about Ethnic Minorities in Prison?

Figures from the House of Commons Library, in July 2016, shows that 12% of the UK population are from ethnic minorities, yet just over 25% of the UK prison population are from ethnic minority groups.

What new Crimes have emerged?

Identity theft, shopping scams and computer-virus attacks are all relatively new and fast-growing types of crime.

What crimes are Poorer people more likely to be victims of?

Violence and Burglary

How much more likely are Low Income People likely to be burgled than others?

The poverty site has reported that young households, lone parents and unemployed people (all likely to be on low incomes) were twice as likely to be burgled than the average household

Why do Poorer people commit more crime?

Poor people are encouraged to want more through advertising and so are more likely to steal from others. Other people are easier targets than the wealthy who are likely to have better security and live in areas with neighbourhood watch schemes or closer communities

What is the 'Culture of Poverty'?

The argument that poor people adopt certain practices that differ from those of middle-class, "mainstream" society in order to adapt and survive in difficult economic circumstances

Why are Ethnic Minorities more likely to be Victims of Crime?

They are more likely to be living in poverty, so face the same risks as the working class in general, but there are other risks for individuals from ethnic minorities because of racism.

How many Asian or Asian British people believed they would be Victims of Crime in the Next Year, compared to White People?

29% of Asian and Asian British; Compared with 19% of White People - Government Figures, 2015

What has recently occured that has risen Hate Crime?

BBC News in October 2016 reported a 20% increase in hate crime since the EU Referendum.

What Age Group is most likely to be Victims of Crime?

Elders/>65

What Age Group is most likely to Commit Crime?

Youth/<18

What did Geoffrey Pearson find?

Pearson noted that the Victorian times, and before, knew robbers, for example, as foot-pads waiting in dark streets and alleyways to rob passers by, comparable to today's muggings.

What did he say happened after the Riots and Lootings in 2011?

Pearson criticised the moral panic about youth in 1901, which also occurred after the riots and lootings in 2011.

Why are Young People more likely to Commit Crime?

Young people tend to be involved in street-based leisure, so their crimes are more likely to be visible.

Why are Older People less likely to Commit Crime?

People from their 20s onwards might have fewer opportunities and less inclination to commit crime, as they spend more time working and have more responsibilities with more disposable income. They are also less likely to be in places where most crime takes place.

What did Durkheim prove the significance of?

showed the significance of crime and rule breaking to society. He said that people share collective sentiments that can be affected when laws are broken. Events such as the Paris Terror Attacks in Nov. 2015 would have strengthened collective sentiments according to Durkheim

What are Collective Sentiments?

The ideas that we all share about what is right and wrong in society.

What did Durkheim argue about Crime for Society?

crime is inevitable and necessary for society to work properly. It reminds us of what is right and wrong. Durkheim said that society needs some crime to remain healthy.

What does Anomie mean?

a situation such as the city riots that swept England in 2011, anomie. Anomie simply means that there are no longer any norms guiding behaviour.

Why do Functionalists believe Deviance is Positive for Society?

see deviance as having another use for society. Sometimes, the situation of people beginning to break rules can lead to better and fairer rules. It brings about positive change in society.

What happens when there is Anomie?

criminal behaviour is likely to increase.

What did Robert K. Merton argue about the American Society?

Merton says that the problem in the USA, on the concept of the 'American Dream', is that there is no balance between the strong drive to achieve the dream and the actual chances of succeeding.

What is the Strain Theory?

Merton says that people feel strain when they are exposed to cultural goals that they are unable to obtain because they do not have access to culturally approved means of achieving those goals.

What are the 5 Different Ways that People React to the Situation of Strain?

conformity, fitualism, innovation, retreatism, rebellion.

How does Merton's Theory link to Functionalism?

Merton's structural theory is one of functionalism. It is useful to help explain why there are problems in society, which functionalists are often accused of ignoring.

What do Marxists say about the Strain Theory?

would criticise his theory as it seems to suggest that most crime is committed by the working class, trying to battle their way up. Marxists say that sociology should also be looking at the crimes of the rich.

Why did Albert Cohen criticise Robert Merton's ideas about the Strain Theory?

Choen says that they do not explain crimes without profit, such as joyriding and vandalism. He said that Merton's explanation showed how individuals turn to crime. Cohen used the idea of subcultures to show crime as group behaviour.

According to Cohen, how does Subcultures show Crime as Group Behaviour?

Cohen argues that criminal and delinquent subcultures turn the norms and values of the rest of society upside down.

Why does Cohen focus on the Working Classes?

focuses on the working classes, who are more likely to fail at school and end up with low-paid jobs. The reason for this is cultural and material deprivation.

What is Status Frustration?

According to Cohen, the lack of status and success makes people feel frustrated at their position in society - Cohen calls this 'status frustration'

What do Frustrated Individuals create?

form groups that create a subculture with its own norms and values. This allows them to be successful in terms of the subculture's values, explaining the presence of youth gangs.

What did Cloward and Ohlin find?

lack of opportunity, especially in terms of employment and wealth, could lead to young men engaging with delinquent subcultures.

What did Walter Miller find?

looked at male working-class subcultures. He noticed that they had certain interests which he called focal concerns. These included acting tough and looking for excitement - which tended to find men in trouble.

What did Charles Murray say about Subcultures of the Poor?

Murray, a New Right sociologist, also argued that the group he called the underclass had its own culture. Murray saw the subcultures of the poor as a key cause of crime and delinquency.

What is the Culture of these Subcultures called?

The Culture of Poverty

What did David Maltza say about those who Commit Crime?

Maltza disagreed with the idea that delinquency and crime are only committed by subcultures. Maltza said that anyone can commit crime or take part in delinquent acts. Maltza said that ordinary people who normally follow the law might be drawn to 'drift' in and out of crime. When they do break the law, he said that they make excuses to themselves such as 'I was drunk'.

What do Marxists say is the cause of crime?

crimes caused because of capitalism. The ruling class needs a workforce which is willing to work to make the rich even richer. The bourgeoisie use the power of advertising to persuade the workers that they want to own lots of nice things - consumerism.

What makes Humans greedy and selfish?

Marxists believe that humans are not naturally greedy and selfish, but it is capitalism that makes them this way. Some people who cannot get the goods they want will inevitably turn to crime.

What are the Forces of Social Control set up to favour and how?

Marxists say that such a system favours the ruling class in many ways. For example, the laws themselves are set up in the favour of the ruling class.

How is the system rigged?

The ruling class makes sure that big businesses' profits are not affected by laws that protect workers' rights or stop pollution.

What did William Chambliss find in the US City of Seattle?

William Chambliss studied the US city of Seattle in the 1970s and found that some of the most powerful people included rich business people, and were able to use their power and commit crime to add to their wealth.

What is Occupational Crime?

Crimes that are linked to the work a person does.

What jobs are Working Class people more likely to do?

Working Class people often have manual jobs and might be involved in criminal opportunities because of this.

What is White Collar Crime?

The crimes committed by people with high social status.

Who discovered this Type of Crime?

Edwin Sutherland, in 1960

Give 5 Types of White Collar Crime

bribery, fraud, embezzlement, breaking health-and-safety rules, false advertising

What did Slapper and Tombs argue was better?

it was better to divide crimes of the higher social status into two types: white-collar and corporate.

What does Corporate Crime mean?

tends to involve a large network of people working together to keep activities secret.

What is Negligence?

Failure to use ordinary or reasonable care.

What is Forgery?

Intentional falsification of a document with intent to defraud.

What is Embezzlement?

Unlawful taking of property by someone to whom it was entrusted.

What do Marxists say about the Law Enforcement?

there is differential enforcement of the law, meaning that working class people are arrested and convicted for crimes.

What did Slapper and Tombs draw attention to?

the way that banks and other finance companies have mis-sold pensions to working people.

What did slapper and tombs Study show about the Money involved in these Schemes?

study in 1999 showed that the amount of money involved in such schemes is huge compared with that involved in street crime.

What Status commit Corporate and White Collar Crime?

High Status

How does the Media portray Corporate Crime?

Marxism has brought corporate and white-collar crime into the light. Sociologists are much more aware of the scale of these crimes committed by higher social classes. This has brought more balance into our view of crime and has resulted in some high-profile cases of both white-collar and corporate crime. The media now focuses on a wider range of crimes.

What is Labelling?

the process of sending quick and unjustified judgements

How does the Media create Stereotypes?

plays a significant role in the construction of people's views of typical offenders because of the way they represent criminals. Official statistics on crime would also affect this view, as there are more male, ethnic-minority and working class convictions. They create a 'typical offender'.

What do Interactionists say about the Typical Offender?

there is no such thing as a typical offender.

What is a Master Status?

the main thing that people see when they meet a person, and can be the main aspect of the way that someone lives their life.

What is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

If a person is labelled, they are likely to act in a way that justifies the label and conform to it. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What did Howard Becker say about the Deviant Career?

being observed as an act is not deviant in and of itself, but only when there is a reaction to it. He developed the idea of a labelled criminal beginning a deviant career.

What is the Effect of Labelling?

Some would argue that labelling makes excuses for criminals.

How does the Media affect how we behave?

People watch TV and want to be like their heroes and famous people whom they see as role models. People are influenced by what they see in the media - this view is called the hypodermic syringe model. It makes other people wary of the messages featured in the media.

How does the Media portray Violence?

There have been long-standing fears that violence on TV and in video games might encourage people to behave in a more violent fashion. For example, children's television programmes like Power Rangers were linked to reports of children behaving more violently in the 1990s. Despite these fears, TV and gaming has become increasingly violent.