crime and deviance

Question 1

What is the legal definition of crime?

Answer 1

An act that violates the law and is punishable. In law, a crime must have two elements: an actus reus (guilty act) and a means rea (guilty mind)​.

Question 2

What is the social definition of crime?

Answer 2

An act harmful not only to some individuals but also to a community/society/state (“public wrong”). Such acts are forbidden and punishable by law. If a society has said an act is crime, then it becomes one. This can vary between communities (e.g. in the UK it is illegal to have sex with a 14 year old but in some countries like Bangladesh children can become child brides)

Question 3

What is deviance?

Answer 3

any behaviour that disrupts social norms, and usually results in disapproval from the majority of society.

Question 4

What are norms?

Answer 4

expected/normal patterns of behaviour (varies in cultures). Most people will follow these naturally and see it as a normal thing to do.

Question 5

What is a moral code/mores?

Answer 5

set of rules/guidelines that a person/group follows in order to live a good life. Heavily dependant upon culture (because each cultures has its own ideas about what is right/wrong). Can dictate our lives (how we act, dress, treat others)

Question 6

What are some examples of moral codes?

Answer 6

TEN COMMANDMENTS that are listed in the bible (many christians believe this is a guide for how to live a good, Christian life)

Question 7

What are values?

Answer 7

beliefs/ideas that society sees as important, they are accepted by the majority of society, tend to be things we believe in and that encourage good behaviour.

Question 8

what are examples of formal/informal sanctions?

Answer 8

FORMAL(court sanctions):
-sanctions/fines
-discharge/dismissal from work
-custodial/community sentencing

INFORMAL(non-court sanctions):
-cautions/(conditioned)
-penalty notice
-fines
-socially excluding a person
-sanctioned at school

Question 9

What are forms of deviance?

Answer 9

ADMIRED BEHAVIOUR:
deviant but considered good or admirable (saving a life whilst risking your own)

ODD BEHAVIOUR:
odd/different from the norm (living in a house full of cats)

BAD BEHAVIOUR:
deviant because it is bad (assaulting a pensioner)

Question 10

how is crime/deviance ‘socially constructed’?

Answer 10

TIME:
When the act takes place can decide if it is deviant or not (drinking at 9PM compared to 9AM)

CULTURE:
have different expectations of appropriate behaviour. What’s acceptable in one culture won’t be seen as acceptable in another (smoking cannabis in Arab is legal but drinking alcohol is a serious crime, opposite for the UK)

PLACE:
also relates to the social situation of where the act takes place, can decide if an act is deviant/criminal or not (running naked across a nudist beach compared to running naked across a school)

CIRCUMSTANCES:
criminal/deviant act will often require certain circumstances to be fulfilled as well as the action itself (murdering a person in cold blood compared to a soldier killing an enemy in battle)

Question 11

What is moral panic?

Answer 11

an increased reporting on some form of antisocial behaviour or negative event (over-exaggerated outrage created by the media). FOLK DEVILS - groups targeted by moral panic. COHEN believes these people are labelled/stereotyped by the media. DEVIANCY AMPLIFICATION - government cracks down these groups from pressure of the media, crack downs lead to SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY - when a prediction becomes true. When a person/group are constantly being told they are seen in a negative way, they take on this negative action/behaviour

Question 12

How do laws change between cultures?

Answer 12

ADULTERY:
-most places its legal
-countries that criminalise adultery are those which the dominant religion is islam and several sub-Saharan African christian countries

HONOUR CRIMES:
-illegal in most places
-some countries it has been more normalised and in a lot of cases not reported

HOMOSEXUALITY:
-legal in most places
-1/3 countries worldwide criminalise being gay

Question 13

How do laws change over time?

Answer 13

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT:
-between 2000-22, 38 additional countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, 6 more abolished it for ordinary crimes, 1 abolished mandatory death penalty for murder

DOUBLE JEOPARDY:
-only been reformed (changed/improved) for serious crimes like murder/rape

PROSTITUTION:
-legal in UK (apart from Northern Ireland)
-illegal under the sexual offences act 2003: soliciting (trying to get clients) on the street/public place/in a vehicle

Question 14

How do laws change between places?

Answer 14

POSSESSION OF CANNABIS:
-many countries where cannabis is illegal but decriminalised
-as of 2022, 1/2 of the worlds countries have legalised some form os medical marijuana

JAYWALKING:
-in most countries, crossing outside of a designated crosswalk is illegal
-some countries, only illegal if one obstructs traffic

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION:
-92 countries practise FGM
-51 of these countries have a law that specifically criminalise FGM
-illegal in UK (no health benefits)