Defining crime and deviance

Question 1

Crime

Answer 1

Behaviour which breaks the law and is punished

• mostly all deviant

Question 2

Deviance

Answer 2

Behaviours that goes against the norms, values, and expectations of a social group or society

• not all deviance is criminal

Question 3

Cultural relativism

Answer 3

Different cultures have different ideas about what is deviant and criminal

e.g laws against abortion in some countries conspired to UK

Question 4

Foucault’s ideas on crime and deviance and how it is socially constructed

Answer 4

Changes with time - society’s norms, values etc change making what is deemed criminal change too

crime - homosexuality

deviance - women wearing trousers in public (100 years ago)

Question 5

Plummer states that some deviance may be seen as normal depending on the circumstances (situational deviance)

Answer 5

being naked is not deviant in your own home but is seen as deviant if in public / on the streets

Question 6

what creates a Consensus of how to behave? (shared beliefs)

Answer 6

social order + social control = socialises us to follow norms

sanctions are rewards and punishments which can reinforce these norms:
• Positive - rewarding those who are conforming = formal sanctions e.g medals for armed services, and informal sanctions e.g a pat on the back + positive praise
• Negative - punishes deviance from norm e.g formal sanctions e.g fines and penalties and informal sanctions e.g purposing ignoring someone