crime and deviance- theories

Question 1

what is a crime?

Answer 1

• break the law
• official sanction
• e.g. murder, fraud

Question 2

what is deviance?

Answer 2

• about norms
• non-official sanction
• e.g. pedo but not acting on it

Question 3

is crime and deviance objective or subjective? why

Answer 3

• subjective

- depends on time, place, social situation and culture in which it occurs

Question 4

what is formal social control?

Answer 4

• courts, police, law, government

- (official agencies with written rules with set/defined consequences)

Question 5

what is informal social control?

Answer 5

• friends, peer groups, family, community

- (informal agencies with unwritten rules and unclear consequences)

Question 6

what does Durkheim say about crime?

Answer 6

• its inevitable
• not everyone is socialised effectively
• diversity of lifestyle/subculture (deviant from dominant norms/values)

Question 7

whats a positive function of crime? (functionalism)

Answer 7

• boundary maintenance