crime and deviance Flashcards
What is crime
crime is any act or behaviour that goes against the law
What’s deviance
Behavior, actions, or beliefs that violate societal norms or expectations. e.g pushing in the line
what’s chiverly thesis
The Chivalry Thesis says that women are treated more leniently than men by the police, courts, and criminal justice system.
What’s White-collar crimes
crime committed by businesses e.g fraud
What’s Hate crimes
prejudice against specific groups e.g race religion etc…
Example of chivelry thesis
Women are less likely to be arrested or charged for crimes.
if convicted, they might get lighter punishments than men for the same crime
What’s dark figure of crime
all crime that are not witnessed, reported or recorded by police
what’s deviance amplification
when media exaggerates a crime or deviance in soicety
Deviance is subjective, meaning i meaning
it can vary depending on time, place, and culture.
functionalist view on crime
Crime is a normal and part of society and can even serve a positive function.
what does funtionalist argue about crime
Durkheim argued that some crime is necessary for society because it helps maintain social order and reinforces social norms. For example, crime can promote social change
Anomie
A state of normlessness or breakdown of societal norms, often leading to higher levels of crime.
Social Cohesion
Crime can bring people together to strengthen societal values (e.g., national tragedies uniting people).
Marxist view on crime
Marxists believe crime happens because society is unfair under capitalism.
The rich make the laws to benefit themselves and control the poor.
The working class commit crime because of poverty and inequality.
White-collar crime (fraud, tax evasion) by the rich is often ignored, while the poor are punished more harshly.
Marxist argue on crime
Marxists argue that the laws are created by the ruling class (bourgeoisie) to maintain their power and wealth.
Functionalist Perspectives on crime
Crime happens in all societies and can have good effects, like bringing people together or leading to change.
Merton: Some people commit crime because they can’t achieve goals (like money) legally.
Marxists view on crime
Crime is caused by unfairness in society (rich vs. poor).
Laws are made to help the rich and control the poor.
What’s deviance
Behaviour that goes against the norms and values of a society but is not illegal (e.g pushing in the line)
What’s social control
(Formal and informal) that regulate behaviour,such as laws,education and family
What r the 2 types of sanction
Positive and negative sanction
What positive sanction
Rewards for doing the right things
What a negative sanction
Punishment for not following the rule
what’s Labelling Theory
If someone is called a criminal, they might act more like one.
Feminists view on crime
Women’s crimes (like shoplifting) are often linked to poverty or inequality.
Crimes against women (like domestic abuse) are sometimes ignored.
White-collar crime
Crimes by rich people (e.g., fraud)
Who Commits most Crimes
Men commit most crimes, but women are punished less harshly.
Why do teenagers often break rules?
Teenagers often break rules because of peer pressure or rebellion.
social class crime
Poorer people are more likely to be punished for crimes, but rich people also commit crimes (white-collar crimes).
Crime Statistics
Official numbers from the police (but they don’t show unreported crimes).
Ethnicity crime
Some ethnic groups are unfairly targeted by police.
Victim Surveys
Ask people if they’ve been victims of crime (shows hidden crimes).
Self-Report Surveys
Ask people if they’ve committed crimes (helps reveal less serious crimes).
What’s Formal social Control
Police, courts, and prisons punish criminals.
What’s Informal Control
Families, schools, and religion teach us right from wrong.
Why Punish?
To stop others from committing crime (deterrence).
To make criminals pay for what they’ve done (retribution).
To help criminals change (rehabilitation).
How to Stop Crime
Use CCTV and alarms (situational prevention).
Get communities to work together (e.g., neighborhood watch).
Why do some groups commit more crime?
Poorer people may commit crimes out of need (e.g., stealing to survive) or frustration with their situation.
3 main types of social class
Working Class
Middle Class
Upper Class
who are the working class
People with medium incomes and jobs that often require skills, education, or qualifications.
e.g of working class
Examples: Teachers, office workers, nurses, small business owners.
lifestyle of middle class
More likely to own homes and afford a comfortable lifestyle.
Focus on education and career opportunities for themselves and their children.
who are the Upper Class
The wealthiest people, often with high incomes or inherited wealth.
example of upper classes
Examples: CEOs, celebrities, business owners, royalty.
Lifestyle of upper class
Own large properties, businesses, or land.
Often have more political and social influence.
Can afford luxury items and exclusive education for children.
Self-report studies
Where individuals report crimes
that they have committed themselves in a survey
Status frustration
Status frustration is a feeling of anger or frustration when someone can’t achieve success or status in society through approved ways, like school or work.
who invented social fraustration
Albert Cohen
give an e.g of status fraustration
Working-class boys may feel this frustration if they struggle in school, so they turn to deviant behavior (like joining gangs) to gain status among their peers.
who invented Strain theory
Robert Merton
what’s Strain theory
Strain Theory, explains that crime happens when people can’t achieve society’s goals (like wealth or success) in the usual, accepted ways (like education or hard work).
subculture
A subculture is a group of people who have their own way of living, different from the bigger society around them.
Give e.g of subculture
Goth teenagers might dress in black, listen to certain music, and have different interests than most people. This makes them a subculture because they have their own unique style and beliefs that are not the same as the general public.
What’s coorporate crime?
crimes committed by companies rather than individuals
what’s antisocial behaviour
Antisocial behavior is actions that harm or upset others in society. It’s behavior that goes against social norms or rules, even if it’s not always illegal.
Types of Social Control
Formal and informal
E.g of social control
Police
Courts
Government
Schools
e.g of informal social control
Family pressure
Peer pressure
Religion
Media influence
. Functionalist View on Crim
Durkheim (1893) - Crime is Functional:
Some crime is necessary for society.
Crime reinforces social norms (e.g., punishing criminals shows what is unacceptable).
Too much crime = anomie (normlessness & chaos).
Conformity
Accept the rules and work hard.
Ritualism
Follow rules but have no ambition.
Ritualism
Drop out of society (e.g., drug addicts).
Innovation
Use illegal means (e.g., fraud). to become successful.
Rebellion
Reject the system (e.g., political extremists)
happens when people reject society’s goals and the ways of achieving them—but instead of giving up, they try to create a new system with new goals and new ways of achieving success.
Key Studies to Remember for crime and deviance
Durkheim (1893) – Crime is functional.
Merton (1938) – Strain theory (5 responses to inequality).
Becker (1963) – Labelling theory.
Heidensohn (1985) – Women commit less crime due to social control.
Carlen (1988) – Working-class women commit crime due to poverty.
5 ways people respond in when people can’t achieve society’s goals legally.
Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion
Marxist View on Crime
Crime is a result of capitalism (society is unfair).
Laws benefit the rich and punish the poor.
White-collar crime (fraud by rich people) is ignored, while working-class crime is harshly punished.
Selective law enforcement (e.g., police focus on street crime, not corporate crime).
Interactionist View on Crime (Labelling Theory)
Becker (1963) – Crime is a Social Construct
No act is criminal/deviant until society labels it.
Labels can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy (someone starts acting like their label).
Moral panics (media exaggeration makes some crimes seem worse).
Feminist View on Crime
Crime is male-dominated (men commit more crimes).
Women are treated differently:
Chivalry Thesis – Women get lighter punishments.
Double Deviance Thesis – Women who break the law AND gender norms get harsher punishments.
Domestic violence and sexual crimes are often ignored.
Types of Crime
White-Collar Crime
Corporate Crime.
Blue-Collar Crime
Cybercrime
State Crime
State Crime
(crimes by governments, e.g., war crimes).
Cybercrime
(online crimes, e.g., hacking, identity theft).
Corporate Crime
(crimes by businesses, e.g., pollution, unsafe working conditions)
Official Crime Statistics
(government records)
Victim Surveys
ask people about crimes they’ve experienced.
Self-Report Studies
(ask people if they’ve committed crimes)
Women are treated differently. what the names for it ?
Chivalry Thesis
Double Deviance Thesis
Double Deviance Thesis –
Double Deviance Thesis – Women who break the law AND gender norms get harsher punishments.
Chivalry Thesis – Women get lighter punishments.
Chivalry Thesis – Women get lighter punishments.
feminist view on crime
Crime is male-dominated (men commit more crimes)
Women are treated differently:
Chivalry Thesis – Women get lighter punishments.
Double Deviance Thesis – Women who break the law AND gender norms get harsher punishments.
Domestic violence and sexual crimes are often ignored.
Blue-Collar Crime
Crime committed by working-class people, e.g., burglary, drug dealing
Corporate Crime
crimes by businesses, e.g., pollution, unsafe working conditions
Cybercrime
(online crimes, e.g., hacking, identity theft).
State Crime
crimes by governments, e.g., war crimes
What’s Self-Report Studies
Self-Report Studies (ask people if they’ve committed crimes)
strenght and weakness of Self-Report Studies
Strengths: Shows hidden crime.
Weaknesses: People may lie.
What’s Victim Surveys ?
Victim Surveys (ask people about crimes they’ve experienced)
strength and weakness of Victim Surveys ?
Strengths: Includes unreported crimes
.
Weaknesses: People forget or lie.
Official Crime Statistics Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths: Easy to compare.
Weaknesses: Many crimes go unreported (dark figure of crime).
What’s official crime statistics?
Official Crime Statistics (government records)
Name all them measuring crimes
Official Crime Statistics (government records)
Victim Surveys(ask people about crimes they’ve experienced)
Self-Report Studies(ask people if they’ve committed crimes)
