Social Construct of Criminality Flashcards
AC 1.1
Social Norms
Social expectations or standards which shape an individuals behaviour in that particular situation or society
Social Values
things that a society places importance on and often underline our behaviours
Moral Codes
the good ways of behaving
Social Mores
they encompass the social norms customs and behaviours of a society
Social Definition of Crime
actions labelled as criminal by the society as well as the legal system, punishable by informal sanctions
Legal Definition of Crime
behaviour or an act which goes against the written law and can be punished by the legal system
Fromal sanctions
sanctions given out my the justice system and law enforcement, they can be given by the police or the courts
Informal sanctions
unwritten and unofficial methods used to steer people towards the norms and expectations of the society
Deviance
act or behaviour which goes against the social norms and expectations which trigger a critical reaction or disapproval
bad behaviour
behaviour that is deviant because it is negative
admired behaviour
behaviour that is deviant because it is considered good or admirable despite going against the norms of society
odd behaviour
behaviour that is deviant because is it out of the ordinary but often not harmful
Ken Plummer
talks about situational deviance which is when an act may be considered as criminal or deviant in one situation but not in another
reasons why law varies
●Religon - it may be interpreted to promote or condone certain actions
●public opinion - public views may differ due to differences in norms and values
●Tradition - laws can differ due to ingrained traditional customs of a culture
●different norms and values - different societies put different emphasis on different things
Social Construct
something that is not natural or pre-existing which in a society, it is something that has been created, implemented or altered by a society