Introduction To Crime And Deviance ^_^

• Crime:
  • Crime is defined as the infraction of the criminal law.
  • However, Heidenson suggests that the tern 'crime' covers a vast array of behaviour from the petty to the serious, it is important to make distinctions.
  • Marxists argue that the term 'crime' is ideological in that it is used to describe the illegal activities of the working-class, e.g street crime, but rarely the illegal activities of the ruling-class, e.g. white collar crime and corporate crime.

• Deviance:
  • Deviance is refers to behaviour which breaks the norms and values of a society; e.g. swearing or wearing a wedding dress in town ((LOL XD))

Deviance can take place in a number of different ways in society; secret/private deviance and open/public deviance.

• Secret/private deviance:
  • This form of deviance is often concealed; it may be hidden in small places such as the workplace or at home.
• Open/public deviance:
  • This type of deviance will often involve the following of the norms and values of an 'outsider' or deviant group.
  • For example, new age travellers; they have a different lifestyle to the minority of the population.
• Downes and Rock:
  • "Deviance may be considered as banned or controlled behaviour which is likely to attract punishment or disapproval"
  • However, what constitutes banned or controlled behaviour varies according to history, culture, subculture, the social characteristics of the deviant, prevailing norms, values and laws.
  • Deviance is socially constructed.

There are four types of deviance:

• Historical Deviance:
  • Something which is deviant only at a certain time; i.e. gay marriage.

• Cross-Cultural Deviance:
  • Something which is deviant in some cultures; i.e. American police have guns.

• Situational Deviance:
  • Something that is only deviant in certain situations; i.e eating with your hands in a resturant is okay when eating chips.

• Deviance based on position/role:
  • Something that is deviant for many but an occupation/ role may make it non-deviant; i.e. The police and Army can use violence.