12.

Deviance, Crime and Social

Control

WEEK 12
 Learning objectives

• Meaning of Deviance
• Criminal and Non-Criminal Deviance
• Defining Deviance, Crime and Conformity
• Theories of Deviance(Anomie Theory, Control Theory, La
beling Theory)
• Crime and its types
• Formal and informal social control
 Deviance
• Deviance: deviating from the norm
• Deviance is relative to time and place because what is considered deviant in one social conte
xt may be non-deviant in another (e.g., fighting during a hockey game vs. fighting in a nursing
home).
• Killing another human is considered wrong except when governments permit it during warfare
or self-defense.
Criminal and Non-Criminal Deviance

• The sociological
discipline that deals w
ith crime (behavior th
at violates laws) is cri
minology (also known
as criminal justice).
 Defining Deviance, Crime and Conformity

• Deviance – breaking of social standards (informal social control)

• Crime – contravening the legal statutes (leads to legal intervention)
• Criminality – an individual’s tendency to committing crimes
• Criminology – study of criminal behavior and criminals
• Conformity – the ideology to adhere to societal standards
• Sin – actions considered to be against divine law/moral wrongs
• Social Control – techniques and strategies to prevent deviant human beha
vior
 Anomie Theory

• Anomie refers to the confusion that arises when social

norms conflict or don't even exist
• Example: The differences between socially accepted goals
and the availability of means to achieve those goals.
Control Theory

• People have various restraints: internal

controls, such as conscience, values, inte
grity, morality, and the desire to be a “g
ood person”.
• They have outer controls, such as polic
e, family, friends, and religious authorit
ies.
• morality, integrity, fear of punishment,
and desire to be good( Inner control)
 Labeling Theory

• Concerns the meanings people derive from on

e another's labels
• Conforming members of society, who interpre
t certain behaviors as deviant and then attach
this label to individuals
• Labeled persons may include drug addicts, alc
oholics, criminals, delinquents, prostitutes, sex o
ffenders, disabled people, and psychiatric patient
s, to mention a few.
 Theories of Deviance

Merton’s Strain Theory

• Pressure to achieve socially acceptable goals even in the absence of mean
s to achieve them
-Conformist – Innovator - Ritualistic – Retreats - Rebel
 What is Crime?

• Any discussion of deviance remains incomplete without a

discussion of crime, which is any act that violates written cri
minal law.
• Society sees most crimes, such as robbery, assault,
battery, rape, murder, burglary, as deviant.
• But some crimes, such as those committed in violation of
laws against selling merchandise on Sundays, are not deviant at
all.
 Types of Crimes

• The types of crimes committed are as varied

as the types of criminals who commit them.
Most crimes fall into one of two categories—
crimes against people or crimes against pro
perty.
 What is White Collar Crime?

• White-collar crime, committed by high-status individuals during the

course of business,
• Typical white-collar crimes include theft, bribery, insurance fraud, Medi
care theft, etc.
 Crime and Types of Crime

Crime – actions that lead to breaking of laws

Types of Crime
• White Collar Crime – financially motivated, nonviolent crime (corporate
crime)
• Blue Collar Crime – committed by lower class for immediate benefits
• Green Collar Crime – committed by workers in the environmental sector
• Organized Crime – committed by two or more individuals in a systematic
manner (human trafficking, drug dealing)
• Violent Crime – uses threat or force against a victim (murder, harassment)
 Social Control

Informal Agents of Social Control

- Family
- Neighborhood
- Peer Group
- Religion
Formal Agents of Social Control
- Security Agencies
- Law
- Disciplinary Committees