AC1.1 Compare Criminal Behaviour and Deviance.

Question 1

What is the Social Definition of Crime?

Answer 1

The social definition of crime is a wrongful social interaction which hurts the community. According to Blackburn (1933), social crime are acts attracting legal punishment and that are against the community. Crime in terms of the societal definition, is also “acts that have harmful consequences towards the community at large or to 1 or more people within it .

Question 2

What is the Legal Definition of Crime?

Answer 2

The Legal System defines a crime as behaviour that breaks the law in which you can be punished by the legal system. In order to be punished in our legal system, an “actus reus” (guilty act) has to be committed, and a “mens rea” (guilty mind/ obvious intent) has to be identified.

Question 3

Why is it difficult to define crime?

Answer 3

Societal views are constantly changing, they are different to each person, time period, situation adn countries. Also, within the legal system, crime is not a scientific discipline, therefore, there are many ifs and buts. for example, people’s sanity and the argument of self defence can determine what is a crime, therefore crime is not easy to define.

Question 4

What is a Probation Order?

Answer 4

An agreement between the offender and the court regarding their future conduct (limitations on their behaviour), they normally last between 6 months and 3 years.

Question 5

What is a Combination Order?

Answer 5

Sentences given by the court which are a combination of a probation order and community service order.

Question 6

What is an Indictment?

Answer 6

A formal charge or accusation of a serious crime given by the police.

Question 7

What is a Custodial Sentence? (Court sanction)

Answer 7

A sentence in which you are immediately sent to prison -two types - mandatory or discretionary life sentences and fixed or intermediate term sentences.

Question 8

What is a community service order? (Court Sanction)

Answer 8

An order which can be a combination order, including unpaid work, probation curfew and court orders such as drug testing or programmes.

Question 9

Fines (Court Sanction)

Answer 9

A financial penalty. The fine will depends on the severity of the offence and the financial situation of the criminal.

Question 10

Discharged (Court Sanction)

Answer 10

The offender is discharged either conditionally or unconditionally.

Question 11

Cautions (Non-Court Sanction)

Answer 11

Cautions are administered by the police, they go on record but disappear after a certain amount of time. They are administered for minor crimes. The offender has to admit to guilt and agree to be cautioned.

Question 12

Conditional Cautions (Non-Court Sanction)

Answer 12

Given out b the police but you have to agree to certain rules and restrictions.

Question 13

Penalty Notices (Non-Court Sanction)

Answer 13

Minor offences such as shoplifting can lead to a penalty if you are over 18. They are normally in the form of a written letter.

Question 14

What is Deviance?

Answer 14

Deviance is simply any violation of what society considers ‘acceptable behaviour’. Deviance can range from something minor – throwing litter out of the car window – to something more serious – going about naked in public places. Deviant behaviours are those that go against the dominant social norms, values and moral codes (mores) in a society.

Question 15

What is a Norm?

Answer 15

Norms are social expectations which guide our behaviour and explain why people behave the way they do. F or example, In the UK, it is a norm to wear black at a funeral.

Question 16

What is a value?

Answer 16

Values are shared rules in a given culture and are more general guidelines. For example, it is a value to respect the elderly.

Question 17

What are Mores? (Moral Codes)

Answer 17

Mores are good ways in behaving. Breaking amoral code is a very serious thing to do. For example, it is a moral code to not kill; by committing murder, you are breaking this moral code.

Question 18

What is Admired Deviance?

Answer 18

Behaviour that is considered ‘good’ or ‘admirable’ whilst also breaking the social norms. For example, running into a burning building in order to save a child.

Question 19

What is Odd Deviance?

Answer 19

Behaviour whilst not being criminal, is considered to be somehow ‘odd’ or ‘different’ to normal behaviour. For example, taking a cat for a walk.

Question 20

What is Bad Deviance?

Answer 20

Behaviour which is law-breaking or criminal behaviour that in some way is seen as being something more than simply outlandish or eccentric. The behaviour also goes against the social norms and values still. For example, indecent exposure is both deviant and legally “bad”.

Question 21

A similarity of Crime and Deviance? (Sanctions)

Answer 21

Crime and Deviance tend to both receive some form of negative sanction/punishment. For example, if you break the law you could receive a legal punishment like a fine and if you are deviant you could receive a social punishment like name calling

Question 22

A similarity of Crime and Deviance? (How they are viewed)

Answer 22

Both Crime and Deviance, tend to be viewed negatively by the majority of society. Our written laws are heavily influenced by our social norms and morality. As a result, most Criminal acts are also considered to be Deviant.

Question 23

A similarity of Crime and Deviance? (Not FIxed)

Answer 23

Crime and Deviance are similar as neither are fixed. What is considered to be criminal and deviant is constantly changing over time and across cultures. For example, homosexuality was once considered to be a crime in the UK but not any more.

Question 24

A difference of Crime and Deviance? (Types of sanctions)

Answer 24

The type of sanction they receive usually differs. Crimes, tend to receive a formal sanction Whereas, Deviant acts tend to receive informal sanctions.

Question 25

A difference of Crime and Deviance? (Definitions)

Answer 25

Crime and Deviance, differ primarily in their definitions. The legal definition of crime states that it breaks a formal written law for example theft. However, Deviance breaks our social norms, not written laws.