Crime and Deviance Flashcards
What is a crime?
Action or behaviour that goes against the legislation of a particular country or state
What is deviance?
Actions which go against the norms and values of society. May not be against the law but are frowned upon by most in society
What is social construction?
A social phenomena which is not naturally occurring but created by the society in which it is found
How is crime socially constructed historically
Criminal action and deviant behaviour changes over time. One was once acceptable may become illegal/deviant, vice versa.
Eg- homosexuality has become acceptable, taking cocaine has been an illegal narcotic rather than a legal medicine
How is crime socially constructed contextually
Behaviours that are acceptable in certain situations would not be acceptable in others
Eg- bikini on beach v centre of town, drinking at 8am
How is crime socially constructed culturally
What is considered acceptable or rude varies depending on the culture you are in
Eg- eating with your left hand is considered rude in arab cultures
How is crime socially constructed with age
Some behaviours are acceptable and legal from certain age groups and not others
Eg-age restrictions on certain products
Psychological explanations for why people commit crimes
Bowlby- maternal deprivation - people who are deprived of a mothers love as a child are more likely to become delinquents
Freud- ID, ego and super ego- personality is a balance for three unconscious areas and when these are out of balance in favour of the ID, criminal behaviour occurs because the person is controlled by basic desires
Mental abnormality- suggests there is some sort of brain damage or mental illness making people commit crimes
Evaluation of psychological explanations of why people commit crimes
Bowlby- Out of date, mothers not only primary caregivers, not all criminals come from broken homes
Freud- lack of empirical evidence, does not explain WCC
Mental abnormalities- criminals become the victims, can be hard to prove
Biological explanations of why people commit crime
Lambroso- Studied italian prisoners facial features, found they are less evolved
Genetics- MAOA gene mutation has been linked to aggressive behaviour, impulsiveness and risk taking
Evaluation of biological reasons why people commit crimes
Lambroso- only looked at criminals who had been caught, features could be present in non-criminals as well
Genetics- don’t know enough about how gene works to conclusively link it to criminal behaviour, excuses criminal behaviour
Functionalist positive functions of crime
Durkheim- boundary maintenance and social cohesion
Durkheim- adaption and change
Clinard and Cohen- warning signs
Davis and Polsky- safety valve
Evaluation of positive functions of crime
Marxism- ignores role powerful have in shaping what is criminal and what isn’t
Durkheim focuses on impact on society rather than individual
Doesn’t quantify how much crime is beneficial to society
Crime does not always lead to solidarity, can cause isolation fro criminal and victim
Merton’s strain theory
Crime is a response to the strain placed on people to achieve goals and values of society
Types of strain-
-Conformity- accepting goals and means
-Innovation- accepting goals and rejecting means
-Ritualism- rejecting goals and accepting means
-Rebellion- rejecting goals and means
-Retreatism- rejecting goals and means
Evaluation of strain theory
-Over exaggerates importance of monetary success
-Underestimates amount of crime committed by those who have achieved societal goals
-Doesn’t explain why groups choose to respond the way they do
-Fails to explain non-utilitarian crimes
Functionalist sub cultural theories
Cohen- status frustration- young people get frustrated by their inability to achieve social goals which lead to status so they turn to crime
Cloward and Ohlin- illegitimate opportunity structure- criminal subculture which socialises young people into criminal activity, conflict subcultures where there is little social cohesion, retreatist subcultures for those who can not gain access to the other 2
Miller- focal concerns- WC people have different sets of values, like hyper masculinity which leads to criminal behaviour
Evaluation of subcultural theories
- Willis’ WC boys do not share the same ideas of status as MC boys
-Ignores female delinquency
-Only discusses youth crime
-Not all WC are criminals
Hirschi’s control theory - functionalism
Asks not why people commit crimes but why they do not commit crime. Suggests strong bonds with society stops people committing crime. Belief, attachment, involvement, commitment
Evaluation of Hirschi’s bonds of attachment
-Assumes all people are naturally bad and it is society which keeps them good
-Does not explain why the bonds are weak or strong or how they become so
Marxism explanation of crime- capitalism
Capitalism is criminogenic as it causes exploitation to the WC. Leads to increasing gap between rich and poor so the WC turn to crime to afford necessities.
Gordon- Crime is a rational reaction to capitalism.
Marxism explanation of crime- selective law enforcement
CJS applies the law to different social groups in different ways. WC and EM are criminalised, whilst the rich are ignored
Marxism explanation of crime- selective law making
Laws are socially constructed to benefit the rich and the powerful
Chambliss- law is shaped to protect the property and profits of the rich and powerful
Marxism explanation of crime- ideological functions
Give a reason for the social control by the RC in order to prevent revolution
Pearce- laws are often created which look to benefit the WC, but actually protect the RC through loopholes and lack of prosecution
Marxism explanation of crime- Selective law making
Laws are socially constructed to benefit the rich and the powerful.
Box argues the rich engage in dangerous acts that can result in death in the workplace but are protected by health and safety laws
