What is crime and deviance Flashcards
What is a crime ?
An act which breaks the criminal laws of society
What is deviance ?
Refers to the behavior which is disapproved by most people in society and which does not conform to societies norms and values.
What are examples of crimes in the UK ?
- murder
- theft
- dangerous driving
What are examples of deviance ?
- underage drinking
- smoking
- having an abortion
What did Giddens say about conformity to norms ?
Non conformity to given norms or a set of norms
Which are accepted by a significant number of people in a community or society
What does Becker say about the social construction of deviance ?
He states:
- no action itself is deviant
- an action must excite some social reaction from others
- Depends who sees the act, commits the act and what action is taken
What makes deviance vary and change ?
- society
- place
- time
- social groups/ subcultures
Is crime socially constructed ?
- yes
What is an example of a relative crime ?
Cannabis has been reclassified to a class C board
What can deviancy be controlled by ?
Sanctions that promote conformity
What is an example of a law being changed ?
- until 2004 gay mariage was illegal
- then the civil partnership 2004 act allowed more rights
- in the same sex couples act 2013 - mariage was legal between two people of the same gender
- any civil partnerships were allowed to become married