Crime and deviance What is the difference between

Crime and deviance

What is the difference between crime and deviance? Crime: Committing an act that breaks the law Deviance: Committing an act that breaks the norms of society

Why is deviance socially defined? “When an act is seen as criminal or deviant in one setting but not in another” Whether an action is seen to be criminal or deviant can depend on the time, place and social situation. Deviant here For example, nudity But not deviant here

What is the difference between formal and informal rules? Formal rules are written down for example, laws, codes of conduct. They have official status and, if we are caught breaking them there is some sort of penalty or punishment. Informal rules are often taken for granted rather than written down. They provide guidelines on how we are expected to act in certain social settings. An example is saying please and thank you.

What are social order and social control? Social order is necessary for society to run smoothly. The Functionalists approach argues that social order is based on consensus (agreement). The Marxist approach argues that social order is based on the power of the ruling class over the working class. Much of our behaviour is socially controlled by institutions in society such as the education system and the police force.

What is the difference between formal and informal social control? Social control is about how people are encouraged to follow the norms, values and laws of society Formal social control is based on written rules and laws. Informal social control is based on informal social processes and is enforced through social pressure. Formal social control Police and courts punishing individuals for breaking rules Informal social control Disapproval by friends or family if you do something that it is out of the “ordinary”

How might inadequate socialisation lead to crime and deviance? • Some people aren’t socialised properly. This means they do not have the right norms and values and see crime as acceptable. • Some people are raised by criminal parents, this means that crime is all they know.

Why might lack of opportunity or relative deprivation lead to crime and deviance? Relative deprivation occurs where groups or individuals feel that they are unfairly disadvantaged compared with other similar people. A young male, for instance, might want lifestyle based on having lots of money to spend on designer clothes, expensive jewellery and fast cars. Whist he may not be able to afford these things, the young man sees others who do have these things. This leaves the young man feeling jealous and discontent, he therefore turns to crime to get the things that he can’t afford but others have.

How do sub-cultural theorists explain crime and deviance? When boys can’t achieve well in school they are in a state of “status frustration”. This means that are angry that they cannot succeed in education. This then leads to them to find others in the same situation as them and create an anti-school subculture. The boys in the anti-school subculture gain status from each other by committing criminal acts such as vandalism

How do Marxists explain crime and deviance? • Marxists argue that the media continually advertise consumerism in the media e. g. mobile phones, designer clothes, cars etc. • These products are constantly advertised because the more products sold the more profit the bourgeoisie makes. • However, people become so obsessed with these things that they are willing to turn to crime to try and get them.

How does labelling theory explain crime and deviance? Once an individual is labelled as a criminal they will have a self-fulfilling prophecy and become a criminal.

How would biologists or psychologists explain criminal and deviant behaviour? Biological explanations The work of Lombroso is often discussed to illustrate the biological approach. Lombroso was a doctor who thought that crime could be explained in terms of genetically determined physical characteristics. Criminals could be identified by various physical characteristics such as a large jaw, high cheekbones and big ears Psychological explanations Psychologists argue that some people have specific personality traits that make them more likely to be criminal. If you are an impulsive person then you often act without thinking and don’t think of the consequences of actions. This means they don’t think about going to prison so are more likely to commit criminal acts

What are the main sources of official statistics in crime? • Official statistics on police recorded crime are published in the UK by the home office. • Victim surveys (where people anonymously complete a questionnaire to show all the crimes they have been a victim of) • Self-report studies (where people anonymously complete a questionnaire to show all the crimes they have committed)

What is the ‘hidden’ or ‘dark’ figure of crime? Also known as the “Iceberg” of crime. It refers to all the crime that happens in society (top of the iceberg that can be seen) compared to all the crime that happens that is either not reported, not found or ignored by the police (the bit of the iceberg that can’t be seen)

What are victim and self report studies? • Victim surveys (where people anonymously complete a questionnaire to show all the crimes they have been a victim of) • Self-report studies (where people anonymously complete a questionnaire to show all the crimes they have committed)

How far do official statistics measure the extent of crime? Official statistics show SOME of the crime that is committed but never all crime that is committed. Official statistics will never be able to show all crime in society because: • Some people don’t report a crime when it happens • Some people don’t realise a crime has happened • Sometimes the police let minor crimes go if they are too busy to deal with them

Why might crime statistics be described as being socially constructed? Crime statistics can be seen as socially constructed because they show the working class, ethnic minorities and young people to be the most criminal. However, this may only be the case because this is the type of person the police go looking for (known as the POLICE TYPIFICATION OF A CRIMINAL)

What explanations are there for young people getting involved in crime? • Peer group pressure may encourage some young people to engage in criminal activity. Young people are particularly likely to fall victim to peer pressure • Young people are the ones who most regularly seek excitement. Committing crime can give an adrenaline rush. • Young people are the most likely to experience a breakdown in social control e. g. falling out with family members or teachers

Why are men more likely to be involved in crime? • Reason 1: Socialisation Boys are socialised to be tough and aggressive. Girls are socialised to be gentle and caring. This means that boys behaviour is more likely to spill over into criminal behaviour. • Reason 2: Control of women in the family Feminists argue that families are patriarchal. This means that both daughters and wives are controlled by men in the family. Women therefore don’t get the opportunity to go out and commit crime because they are too busy doing housework, looking after children etc

Why are women less likely to be convicted of a crime? Chivalry thesis Chivalry= treating others, especially women with courtesy, sympathy and respect The male dominated police force and courts are easier on women and let them off when they commit crime so they don’t appear in the statistics.

Why over the last 10 years are women more likely to be convicted? Society is now less patriarchal meaning that: • Women have more freedom in the family so have more time to go out and commit crime • Women can now go out and get jobs so can commit white collar crime • There is less canalisation so girls aren’t socialised to be completely feminine, this means that girls may get involved in more violent and aggressive crimes

Why are some ethnic minorities over represented in the prison population? Could be because: The police are racist and see those from ethnic minority backgrounds as fitting the “typification” of a criminal Ethnic minorities are more likely to be victims of racism when it comes to jobs. This means that ethnic minorities struggle to get jobs and are then forced to turn crime

Why are young black and Asian men more likely to be stopped by the police? Institutional racism: When a certain institution, e. g. the police discriminate against ethnic minorities

What is white collar crime? This refers broadly to crimes committed by people in relatively highstatus positions, such as accountants, doctors or solicitors, during their work. Examples include tax evasion and “fiddling” expense accounts at work.

Why are working class people more likely to end up in jail than middle class people? Could be because: • The police think that those from a working class background fit the “typification” of a criminal • The working class struggle in education so use crime as a way of gaining status amongst their peers • Working class are likely to suffer from relative deprivation

Why is the crime rate higher in urban areas than rural areas? Urban areas Rural areas High levels of unemployment= High levels of employment= crime jobs, therefore no need to commit crime More opportunities to commit Less opportunities to commit crime e. g. more parked cars, crime e. g. less shops, less more shops parked cars Low level of community spirit amongst members so they are more likely to commit crime on each other High level of community spirit amongst members so they are less likely to commit crime on each other

What research is done to measure the impact of crime? Sociologists explore the impact crime has on communities. Sociologists examine: • How fearful of crime people are • How much money has to be spent because of crime • What can be done to help victims of crime return to their normal state of wellbeing

Why is the fear of crime greater than the actual level of crime? The media have the ability to over exaggerate an issue. The hypodermic syringe model suggests that we believe exactly what we see in the media therefore if the media shows crime and sensationalises it the audience’s level of fear increases more than it needs to.

What is the impact of crime on communities? • Crimes like vandalism cost money to be repaired • Crime can lead certain groups in a community e. g. old people fearful of leaving their homes • Can lead communities to need to have more police officers to deal with problem areas

Why is youth crime seen as a social problem? Crime is a major focus of concern and debate among politicians, the media and the public. Teenage crime in particular is seen as a social problem because: • It generates fear amongst the public e. g. loitering outside shops • Teenage crime is associated with violence e. g. knife crime • High levels of youth crime suggests that institutions like the education system aren’t doing their job properly

How have governments tried to tackle racially motivated crime in recent years? Introducing new laws such as: The crime and disorder act 1998 which punishes people for racially aggravated assault The punishment for racially aggravated assault is much worse than for assault in general.

Can you give 3 recent examples from the news that relate to anything above? You have to read/watch the news to be able to do this!