SociologyExchange.co.uk Shared Resource

Crime and DevianceCrime and DevianceCrime and DevianceCrime and Deviance

What is this ???

• What is it?

• What do you do with it?

• When do you use it?

• Is it normal ?

• Is it legal ?

Learning Objectives

L.O 1 - what is the difference between crime and deviance?

L.O 2 - what is meant by ‘deviance is a

socially defined behaviour’ ?

L.O. 1- What is the difference between crime

& deviance?

• Are these the same thing?

• If not, how do they differ?

A crime is…

• An act of behaviour that break the formal, written laws of a given society

Deviance is…

• Behaviour that does not conform to the dominant norms of a specific society

• It involves the breaking of social rules

Deviant

Criminal or deviant?Acts Criminal Deviant Both

Stealing a bottle of milk from a doorstep

Taking paper clips home from work

Crossing a pedestrian crossing when the ‘red man’ is displayed

Keeping money you have been given in error in your change in a supermarket

Exceeding the speed limit by 5mph

Study the image provided :

• what is happening?

• is this act; criminal, deviant or both ?

L.O.2 - When is meant by ‘deviance is socially defined behaviour’?

Deviance is behaviour that does not conform to society’s norms and values.

• Society has ‘normal’ ways of behaving (norms).

• When these are broken…this is called deviance.

Deviance is ‘socially defined behaviour’

What do we mean by socially defined behaviour?

Social setting includes:

• Time• Place• Social situation• Culture

Whether an act is seen as deviant or not depends upon the social setting where it

takes place

Deviant or normal ?

Shouting

Nudity

Eating

Kissing

Breaking someone’s nose

Claiming to be Elvis Presley

Shooting someone

Settings Acts

Assembly

On a beach

Classroom

During war

At the dinner table

At a party

A place of religious worship

A Sporting event

Drinking alcohol

Playing a vuvuzelaPlaying a vuvuzela

Deviance is socially defined…

Time..

‘when an act takes place’

• time of the day

• in history

•drinking alcohol at 8am

•July 2007 – Smoking banned

in public places

•1974 USA – being gay was no longer illegal

Social situation..

‘the context in which an act takes place’

• flag waving at a funeral

• laughing in an exam

Culture..

‘different cultures have different expectations of appropriate behaviour’• use of cannabis in many Arab states is legal when alcohol use is not

Place..

‘ where the act takes place’

• nudity in public/

private

• killing in wartime

Sociologists believe that ‘deviance is

relative’

• The ‘context’ that a behaviour occurs in determines if it is seen as deviant or not.

• Crime and deviance are defined in relation to certain standards in cultures at different moments in time.

• No standards are fixed forever!

In the summertime when the weather's high,

you can stretch right up and touch the sky,

when the weather's fine,you got women, you got women

on your mind.Have a drink, have a drive,

go out and see what you can find.

No standards are fixed forever!

Homework ‘Explain what factors may influence whether an act

is seen as deviant or not.’

• Short essay• Define deviance• Explain what is meant by ‘deviance is socially defined’• Explain each factor (time/place/culture/social situation)• Give examples of each factor• Conclude by mentioning ‘deviance is relative’

Deadline : Tuesday 6th July

Next Lesson :

How much crime is taking place in society?