C&D - Intro booklet

Question 1

What is crime?

Answer 1

Any action which is illegal and is punishable by law

Question 2

What is deviance?

Answer 2

Behaviour that doesn’t conform to social norms

Question 3

Explain how crime is not always deviant

Answer 3

Social crimes - Acts that are illegal but are viewed as morally acceptable. Speeding, smoking marijuana.

Question 4

Give an example of a behaviour that is deviant but not criminal

Answer 4

Walking everywhere on all fours, deviates from social norms of walking on two feet, not against any written laws

Question 5

Crime and deviance are context dependent - explain what this means and how?

Answer 5

Definitions of both vary by time, place and culture.
By time: Homosexuality laws
By place: Legalisation of drugs in Portugal
By culture: Blowing your nose is deviant in Japan, picking your nose is deviant here

Question 6

What are agents of social control?

Answer 6

The formal and informal groups that restrain & determine our behaviour.
Formal = Police, courts, CJS…..
Informal = Family, Education, Media