Deviance is any behavior that violates social norms, and is usually of sufficient severity to

warrant disapproval from the majority of society. Deviance can be criminal or non‐criminal. The
sociological discipline that deals with crime (behavior that violates laws) is criminology (also
known as criminal justice).

Human norms refer to the set behavioral standards on which human are supposed to act.
Deviance is a study that helps understand the reason behind violation of human norms. There is
not one particular answer that is enough to justify human norms violation, hence many
sociological scholars have presented different set of theories that can help us understand
deviance with broad perspectives. Deviance will be present no matter how perfect the society
is, as Durkheim explained about the society of saints which is perfect but the identification of
deviance level would be so high that even smallest error can be regarded as a strong
disapproval from the society.

Several issues in the study of deviance are discussed: the definition of deviance; Crime, the
significance of the deviant act; cultural relativism; the influence of social structures and
causation. By using departures from rules to define deviance, sociologists may repeat fallacies
of formalistic jurisprudence. Deviance is best left undefined, and preferably delimited
ontologically in terms of middle range theory. Spector and Kitsuse's revisionist theory is judged
insufficient for macro-analysis of deviance because they fail to reconcile the influence of
objective and subjective factors. Cottrell's choice and feedback model is advocated as a means
to study the dynamic process wherein values are aggregated in the social definition of deviance.
The problem of bringing objective factors into this analysis is solved by showing how changing
costs alter the order in which values are satisfied and thus change the overt pattern of societal
reaction.

Theft crime is said to be the most common conducting deviant issue in today’s world. Theft
which is formal form of deviant is more common among young category. Most of youth are
referring to theft as an outlet for solving their problem mainly financial. That’s why young
people with no education background join street gangs, commit burglary. Although at-risk
youths may have a variety of reasons for joining street gangs, a new study suggests that gang
membership and criminal acts often serve as deviant leisure activities, fulfilling young people's
needs for excitement, a sense of belonging and social support.