For example episode 11 when a guy named Jason Robert physically attacks a girl named Megan in front of an audience , he behavior is considered deviance because he harms another person. Attacking another person and stalking is prime example that he is different from most people. Another example is episode season 15 episode 10 when detective Benson attacked and kidnapped by a murder. This broke into her apartment and held her captive for four days where he would tie her up and make her watch as he did unspeakable things to another. His behavior would be considered as deviance because what he does is unsocial and it violates what is considered normal in today’s society.
The vicious intentions/actions of the violator represent the social norm of their society, which
Crime is a socially constructed term for deviant behavior and can be examined through two primary lenses. The first is from an individual standpoint, and the second is from a societal standpoint. Psychology pertains to the individual, and sociology pertains to the societal. Psychology studies internal mental processes and human interaction and sociology studies the development, structure, and functioning of society. A part of sociology attempts to identify and explain crime patterns and how they occur.
When I was ten I enjoyed many things. I revelled in sport, movies, video games, and more sport. I was active, yet lazy. My dreams driven by that and that alone, dreams. I had no drive for success, for improvement, or even competition.
Crime is any act which breaks the laws of society, such as murder, rape, speeding etc. Social control is enforced by agencies such as police and the courts, more specifically defined than deviance. Deviance is behaviour which moves away from controversial norms and values such as burping, pass wind in public and queuing. It Can be positive e.g. extreme intelligence. Although in some situation in nature – time dependent of factors, place, who is involved.
My paper aims to discuss the three different factors of criminal behaviour, what causes it and why. My essay will examine and focus mainly on the genetic makeup of a person, the environment in which they are raised in and gender differences.
Labelling theory, which is rooted in symbolic interaction theory, holds that people in societies are given symbolic labels that they learn to identify with (Siegel & McCormick, 2020, p. 265). These labels can completely change the way in which a person sees themselves, and subsequently, others begin to only see the person through the significance of their label (Siegel & McCormick, 2020, p. 268). In relation to crime, the negative labels that criminals are given ultimately leads to the label becoming their master status, resulting in further commitment to a criminal career (Campeau, Lecture Topic 8, Video 2). As individuals become more committed to deviant lifestyles, they turn to peers who have also been stigmatized, consequently isolating themselves from conventional society and locking them into this criminal lifestyle through social exclusion (Siegel & McCormick, 2020, p. 265). The process of labelling is difficult to escape, as once society has labelled someone as criminal, it leads to a cycle of negative self-labelling, the joining of deviant subcultures, and further deviant acts, which only serve to amplify their deviant status (Campeau, Lecture Topic 8, Video
There are many theories that suggest that crime is constructed socially, or is a product of the society in which the crime is committed. One such theory, proposed by Robert Merton, is known as strain theory. While strain theory is a useful model for explaining how societal values can drive people to commit crimes, it has several flaws and does not focus on how laws are made and how this contributes to the formation of crime. While Merton suggests that laws are created from consensus within a society, it will be argued that strain theory can also support the idea that laws are a “product of conflict” (Hagan 5). Strain theory is founded on the idea that the goals of a society and the accepted means of achieving said goal causes strain that can
Fifth, the specific direction of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favorable or unfavorable. Sixth, a person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law. Seventh, Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. Eighth, the process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning. Lastly, while criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those needs and values, since non-criminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values.
Within the past couple of decades, criminologists have developed different criminological theories that apply to the social behaviors and decisions of criminals. One of the earliest theories developed regarding criminality is the rational choice theory, in which describes the rationalization of determining if the rewards from committing the crime outweigh the consequences. In Scarver’s case, his decision to engage in criminal activities outweighed the potential consequences, or the other alternatives if he did not engage in such criminal activities. In addition to the rational choice theory, Scarver’s criminality can be related to the social disorganization theory, which describes the influence of one’s social and physical environment on one’s decision to commit a crime. Lastly, the strain theory can be related to Scarver’s criminality as well, as it is used to describe an individual who lacks the means to obtain such goals, and aspirations, so therefore, he or she engages in criminal activities to acquire the goals.
The Mafia and organized crime would be an example of deviance in society. Differential Association Theory and Social Structure sheds light on how individuals learn to become criminals, the conditions in social structures that lead to deviant behavior, and how both are similar. Members of the Mafia are influenced by their own set of norms and beliefs in their culture. Both, Differential Association Theory and Social Structure, are essential for a complete understanding of deviant behavior and why organized crime exists.
It does not consider other factors such as criminal associations, individual traits, and inner strains, which plays a significant role in determining punishment for the individuals in committing crimes. It is observed that this theory endeavours to know that whether the activities of crime as well as the victim’s choice, criminals commit the activities on start from rational decisions. The theory also determines that criminals consider different elements before committing crime. They engage in the exchange of ideas before reaching on any final decision. These elements consist of consequences of their crimes, which include revealing their families to problems or death, chances of being arrested, and others elements, which comprises of placement of surveillance systems (Walsh & Hemmens, 2010; Lichbach,
For instance, murder is considered as deviant because it would bring disorder to social order because it cause a threat to the innocent people and an unrestrained action would let individual feels unsafe in their workplace, on to the street and even stay in the home (Larsen, 2013). Murder is violated to that particular legal norm and seems as deviant (Hunt & Colandar, 2011). The murderer breaks the law of constitution assault an unacceptable and intolerant action to the society so it considers as against a basic right, especially civil right. We do not have a right to harm other whether it is in intended or unintended behave. Since, everyone is equal in the society and has a right of protection from threats and societies has passed a law to violate murder (Larsen, 2013).
In most cases, if not all, criminal acts are recognized as deviant, but deviant acts do not have to be criminal. A certain behavior is acknowledged as deviant on three foundations: what others define deviant behavior as,
As far as crime is concerned, it is defined by the law. Deviance is unexpected behaviour, but not exactly considered criminal. Many consider crime as a social problem – a problem as defined by society, such as homelessness, drug abuse, etc. Others would say crime is a sociological problem – something defined as a problem by sociologists and should be dealt with accordingly by sociologists. This essay attempts to discover the boundaries between these two and ultimately come to an appropriate conclusion.
