Conceptions of crime and deviance
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This document discusses different conceptions of crime and deviance. It defines deviance as behavior that does not comply with social norms and crime as behavior that breaks formal laws. Norms can be enforced formally through legal systems or informally through social pressures. The document also outlines several types of crimes and theories for what causes criminal behavior, including strain theory, social learning theory, and self-control theory. Cognitive restructuring is discussed as a method to change criminal thinking and prevent future offenses.
Conceptions of crime and deviance
- 2. CONCEPTIONS OF CRIME AND DEVIANCE PREPARED BY UMAIR
- 3. CONCEPTIONS OF CRIME AND DEVIANCE All known human societies have norms (i.e., generally accepted ways of doings things) about appropriate behaviour Deviance involves breaking a norm Crime involves breaking a law
- 4. NORMS AND ENFORCEMENT Norms enforced in two ways FORMALLY INFORMALLY
- 5. NORMS AND ENFORCEMENT At the formal level, norms are enforced with laws regulated by a criminal justice system that includes police, courts, prisons, etc. At the informal level, norms may be enforced with shaming, communal pressure, etc.
- 6. DEVIANCE Deviance is a behaviour which does not comply with the dominant norms of the specific society.
- 7. CRIME Crime is a behaviour that breaks the formal written laws of a society. If someone commits a crime they can be arrested, charged and prosecuted. Actions can be illegal but not deviant
- 9. ACTUS REUS and MENS REA = two elements needed to prove that action by accused is indeed a CRIME ACTUS REUS = “guilty act/deed” MENS REA = “guilty mind” Without both proven, courts cannot find an accused to be guilty of a crime
- 10. REASONS PEOPLE COMMIT CRIMES
- 11. REASONS PEOPLE COMMIT CRIMES
- 12. Types of Crime Types of Crime Public order crime Crime against morality Modern crime Property crime White collar crime Corporate crime Organized crime Economic crime
- 13. CORPORATE CRIMES Large scale crimes based on companies . May be comitted against employees, consumer the general public or the environment
- 14. White collar crime Middle class crime that is mainly invisible which means many are not caught. An example would be a fraud
- 15. Public-order crime Gambling Drug abuse Drunkenness Vagrancy Disorderly conduct Traffic violation
- 16. Public-order crime Most of these crimes are often called victimless crimes because they cause no harm to anyone but the offenders themselves.
- 17. Organized crime Groups may organize initially to carry on a particular crime such as drug trafficking, extortion, or prostitution.
- 18. Organized crime Later they may seek to control this activity within a given city or neighborhood, destroying or absorbing the competition
- 19. Organized crime Eventually they may expand to other types of crime, protecting their members from arrest though intimidation or bribery of public officials.
- 20. Violent personal crime This category of crime includes assault, robbery, and the various types of homicide- acts in which physical injury is inflicted or threatened.
- 21. Property crime Often unsophisticated in nature offenders lack the skills of the professional criminals
- 22. Crimes against morality Bigamy: Marrying another person while once spouse is still living Incest: Two people either marry or have sexual relation when they are so closely related
- 23. Modern crimes
- 24. Economic crimes Wide range of crimes that damage, or result in loss of, another person’s property Include Crimes against property White collar crimes
- 27. History of sociological theory The field of sociology itself and sociological theory by extension is relatively new The oldest sociological theories deal with broad historical processes related to urbanization and industrialization Since then, sociological theories have come to encompass most aspects of society , including communities, organizations and relationships
- 28. Three main sociological theories
- 29. The strain theory The theory suggests that people engage in criminal activity as a means to escape for the strain of a bad experience For example : A person who is having financial difficulty may engage in stealing to reduce their financial problem
- 30. Cause – lead to criminal behavior Failure to achieve certain goals such as respect, money leads to criminality For Example: When a person is in a position that is causing them strain, they will tend to feel bad, which in turn will generate anxiety . This will then cause a response that will result in criminal behavior.
- 31. Social learning theory Social learning theory simply states people learn through the observation of others. These observations can be through other's attitudes and behavior. Criminals learn to engage in crime, simply from learning such behavior from associating with other criminals.
- 32. There are three methods in which an individual discover criminal behavior
- 33. Social learning theory A good example of such behavior would be a juvenile in a poverty stricken neighborhood in which he is exposed to drug dealing activities. He sees the drug dealers flashing a lot of money, driving fine cars and wearing the latest gear. Selling drugs becomes desirable to him. He began to sell drugs himself, which is obviously criminal activity.
- 34. Self control theory This theory basically states that people will engage in any self-indulgent behavior simply because it gratifies them. Engaging in such behavior can result into criminal activity.
- 35. Self control theory For example : A person who decides to steal a car to joy ride in. This person is considered to be selfish and steals simply for the sake of his/her own pleasure. Individuals who lack self-control will generally be insensitive, impulsive, nonverbal risk- takers.
- 36. conclusion All of the three theories mentioned are capable of utilizing cognitive restructuring as a means to changing criminal thinking and preventing future crimes. Cognitive restructuring is a confirmed method that can help correct criminal thinking . Using this method, criminals can change their unreasonable thoughts into a more practical thought process