Crime And Deviance

Question 1

Define deviance

Answer 1

Breaking of community or group norms which are subject to negative social sanctions. Brought by punishment, resulting in embarrassment

Question 2

Define crime

Answer 2

Behaviour proscribed and punishable by law

Question 3

What are the socially proscribed behaviours?

Answer 3

Malum in Se - rules usually criminal laws that proscribe behaviours that are inherently evil

Malum prohibitum - regulatory issues

Question 4

What is a dark figure of crime

Answer 4

Undetected/unreported/unrecorded crime

Question 5

Why do people commit crimes

Answer 5

Evil spirits and crime, classical school (free will and rationality), positivistic

Question 6

What is the functionalist view of crime

Answer 6

A certain amount of crime occurring in society is good, normal, functional, without community is considered abnormal. Without crime society would collapse. Functions of crime: moral boundary maintenance, tool for social change; strengthens social solidarity or cohesion

Question 7

What is the symbolic interactionalist view of crime

Answer 7

Focuses on offender and not offending behaviour. Differential social reaction to behaviour of others. Whether such behaviour is considered a crime - outcome of interaction between suspect and police. No right and wrong, within the eye of the beholder. To get rid of; get rid of law.

Question 8

What is the conflict theorists point of view on crime

Answer 8

Rich people hate poor people, powerful make use of weak to become more powerful, problem is capitalism, economic structure creates conflict: if you want to get rid of crime, get rid of capitalism.

Question 9

What are the competing perspectives of the criminal law

Answer 9

A reflection of universally accepted, unchanging and important moral norms and values or crime and deviance as social constructs