what is crime and deviance

Question 1

what does crime mean?

Answer 1

an action or behaviour that goes against the legislation of a particular country or state

Question 2

what does deviance means?

Answer 2

actions which go against the norms and values of a society.
These may not be against the law but are frowned upon by most in society

Question 3

what does social construction mean?

Answer 3

a social phenomena which is not naturally occurring but created by the society which it is found

Question 4

what way is crime and deviance socially constructed historically?

Answer 4

criminal action and deviant behaviour changes over time.
what was once acceptable may become illegal/ deviant and what was once deviant/ illegal may become acceptable

Question 5

what are examples of ways crime and deviance are socially constructed historically?

Answer 5

1. Homosexuality - Deviant and illegal but is now acceptable
2. Taking cocaine - was a legal medicine and is now an illegal narcotic

Question 6

what way has crime and deviance been contextually consructed?

Answer 6

behaviours that are acceptable in certain situations would not be in others

Question 7

what are examples of ways crime and deviance has been contextually constructed?

Answer 7

1. Bikini on a beach v bikini in the centre of town
2. drinking alcohol at 8am compared to drinking alcohol at a party

Question 8

ways crime and deviance have been culturally constructed?

Answer 8

what is considered acceptable or rude caries depending on the culture your in

Question 9

an example of the way crime has been socially constructed culturally

Answer 9

1. eating with your left hand in Arab nation is considered rude

Question 10

way crime and deviance has been socially constructed with age?

Answer 10

some behaviours acceptable from certain age groups and some activities are illegal for some age groups

Question 11

examples of the way crime and deviance has been socially constructed with age

Answer 11

1. age restrictions on certain products
2. 8 year olds clubbing on a friday night

Question 12

why do people who have suffered maternal deprivation commit crime?

Answer 12

Bowlby - people deprived of mothers love as a young infant are more likely to become juvenile delinquents which leads to a criminal career

Question 13

what is the evaluation points for the suggestion that maternal deprivation is a reason people commit crime?

Answer 13

1. Out of date - mothers are not the only caregivers
2. Not all delinquents come from a broken home

Question 14

why do people with specific personality traits commit crime?

Answer 14

Freud - ID, ego and superego
personality is a balance for three unconscious areas and when these are out of balance in favour of the id, criminal behaviour occurs as the individual is controlled by basic desires

Question 15

what is the evaluation for the suggestion that people commit crime due to personality traits?

Answer 15

1. Lack of empirical evidence of these processes
2. suggests criminals lack control so doesn’t explain white collar crime

Question 16

why do people with mental abnormality commit crime?

Answer 16

there is some sort of brain damage or mental illness suffered by criminals making them commit crime

Question 17

what is the evaluation for the suggestion that mental abnormality makes people commit crime?

Answer 17

1. criminals become the victims
2. hard to prove in some cases

Question 18

why do people commit crime according to Lambroso?

Answer 18

criminals are less evolved and this was shown in certain features such as large foreheads, big ears and small eyes

Question 19

what is the evaluation for Lambros’s’ suggestion as to why people commit crime?

Answer 19

1. only looked at criminals who had been caught
2. these features could be apparent in non-criminals too

Question 20

why do people commit crime according to genetics?

Answer 20

the warrior gene is present in all humans but in some the gene is mutated which has been linked to more aggressive behaviour, risk taking and impulsiveness which can all be linked to criminal behaviour

Question 21

what is the evaluation for the suggestion that genetics causes crime?

Answer 21

1. we don’t know enough about how the warrior gene works to conclusively link to criminal behaviour
2. an excuse for criminal behaviour