Term
Criminal and Deviant Behavior
What is criminal and deviant behavior?
Answer
Definition
Actions that violate laws or social norms.
Several social factors influence why people commit crime or deviate from norms, including social class, gender, ethnicity, and age.
Albert Cohen extended Merton’s ideas by arguing that working-class boys experience frustration when they cannot achieve success through legitimate middle-class means.
Carlen used a feminist perspective to identify the two systems of control or 'deals' offered to women, which can prevent them from turning to crime.
Poverty, Class, and Gender: Women who cannot access these deals (due to poverty or abusive relationships) may turn to crime as an alternative route for survival or empowerment.
Public reactions to crime influence policies and media portrayals. Key areas of discussion include:
Each perspective offers insights into why crime occurs and how society responds:
What is criminal and deviant behavior?
Actions that violate laws or social norms.
Name four social factors influencing criminal and deviant behavior.
Social class, gender, ethnicity, and age.
How does social class affect crime rates?
Higher crime rates are often linked to poverty, lack of education, unemployment, and relative deprivation in lower social classes.
Why do males commit more crimes than females?
Due to biological differences, socialization encouraging risk-taking, and greater social control over females.
What does institutional racism mean in the context of crime statistics?
It refers to systemic biases in policing and the justice system affecting ethnic minorities.
Why are young people more likely to commit crimes?
Because of peer pressure, identity-seeking, and risk-taking behaviors typical in youth.
What is Albert Cohen’s theory about delinquent subcultures?
Working-class boys form subcultures to gain status through toughness and defiance when they cannot achieve success in mainstream terms.
What are the "class deal" and "gender deal" according to Carlen?
"Class deal" expects women to earn a living legitimately; "gender deal" expects economic and emotional security through family roles.
What happens when women cannot access the class or gender deals?
They may turn to crime as an alternative survival strategy.
What are some key areas of public debate on crime?
Violent crime, sentencing policies, treatment of young offenders, prison system issues, and media coverage.
How do functionalist sociologists explain crime?
As caused by social structures and dysfunctions such as strain.
What is the interactionist view of deviance?
That deviance arises through social labeling and interactions.
How do feminist sociologists view crime?
They emphasize gender inequality and control as factors shaping crime patterns.
What do Marxists focus on regarding crime?
Class inequality and capitalism’s role in both working-class and ruling-class crimes.