Sociology Crime and Deviance Notes- Topic 1

Crime and Deviance

Learning objectives:

* Why do some people turn criminal?

* Is it biological or psychological?

Crime= illegal act, punishable by law.

Deviance= ‘abnormal behaviour’, but doesn’t break the law.

Deviance changes over time

* Society makes up what is deviant and what is criminal.

* Smoking  used to be seen as really ‘cool’ until it started causing cancer.

* It’s now illegal to smoke in public places.

* Homosexuality used to be illegal/ seen as a mental illness.

* After more people started ‘coming out’, society changed its law.

* Being gay is now legal!

Grand Theft Auto

* What age certificate has the game been given?

- 18+

* Why do parents continue to buy this game for children?

* Is this teaching children to be criminal?

* Inadequate socialisation= young people become criminal due to lack of primary socialisation.

* Parents do not teach the correct norms and values needed.

* Primary socialisation  Functionalist approach

* Glamourises gun crime and violence.

Biological explanation- Lombroso

* Dr Lombroso

* 19th century Italian doctor

* Crime can be genetically explained, by the way we look.

* Physical features= large jaw, high cheekbones, big ears, extra fingers etc...

Evaluate Lombroso’s theory

* Conducted his study on Italian prisoners.

* Sample= criminal to start with

* 14 different characteristics

Functionalism and Crime

Lombroso CONT.

* Evaluation:

- The study was conducted on Italian prisoners

- Biased sample as prisoners are already criminal

- Participants were all male (gender bias)

Functionalists

* Society based on value consensus

* Shared norms and values

* Brings people together  social solidarity.

* Durkheim  Crime is inevitable and good for society!

1) Boundary maintenance= punishment reinforces norms and values.

2) Adaption & change= all...