AC1.1 Compare criminal behaviour and deviance Flashcards
Legal Definition of Crime
An act punishable by law that can be injurious to the public welfare.
Social Definition of Crime
Criminal behaviour is anything that a society deems unacceptable. (usually based on behaviour that causes harm)
Actus Reus
physical element of the crime/actual act of doing the illegal thing.
Mens Rea
Mental element of the crime - “guilty mind”
3 categories of criminal acts
- Indictable offences - most serious
- Triable Either-Way Offences - depending on context can be serious
- Summary Offences - least serious
Problems with the social definition of crime
- not all laws are enforced in the same way.
- inconsistency between what public feel should be a crime
- what is considered a crime varies culturally
Formal Sanctions
penalties laid down by law that vary depending on the severity of the crime and can be imposed by courts/police.
Official bodies
Police
The Courts
Schools
Traffic Wardens
court imposed sanctions
custodial sentences - imprisonment
community sentences - curfews, probation
fines - speeding, parking
Police imposed sanctions and what they are awarded for
cautions - minor crimes, graffiti
conditional - certain rules/requirements
penalty - minor crimes, possessing cannabis
Definition of deviance
Any behaviour that challenges accepted norms, values and moral codes of society
3 categories of being deviant and examples
- Admired - risking life for someone else
- Odd - collecting bottle tops
- Bad - physically attacking someone for no reason
informal sanctions
refer to social and psychological punishments carried out informally to control our social behaviour
3 Forms of Criminal Behaviour
- non-fatal
- fatal
- property
