Brief Summary
This video defines crime and deviance, differentiating between formal and informal deviance, and discusses the social construction of deviance, highlighting its variability across societies and over time. It also touches on social order and control, explaining how these concepts relate to crime and deviance within a society.
- Crime is a wrong against the state, punishable by law, while deviance is behavior that violates social norms and conventions.
- Formal deviance constitutes crimes, leading to formal punishments, whereas informal deviance results in social sanctions.
- Deviance varies across societies and evolves over time, influenced by cultural, social, and historical factors.
Introduction to Crime and Deviance
The lesson introduces the concepts of crime and deviance, emphasizing the importance of understanding their definitions and proper usage, particularly in academic essays. The discussion will cover social order, social control, and the agents of social control, setting the stage for a detailed exploration of these topics.
Defining Crime vs. Deviance
The video clarifies the distinction between crime and deviance, stating that a crime is a form of deviance, but not all deviance constitutes a crime. Crime is defined as an offense against the state, violating established laws and punishable by the legal system through imprisonment or other formal measures. Deviance, on the other hand, involves behaviors that breach social rules, norms, and conventions, often eliciting disapproval or condemnation from society.
Formal vs. Informal Deviance
The discussion distinguishes between formal and informal deviance. Formal deviance encompasses criminal acts that violate established laws, such as murder, robbery, assault, and rape, leading to formal punishments like fines or imprisonment. Informal deviance includes nonconformist behaviors that may raise eyebrows but are not illegal, such as picking one's nose or violating social etiquette. Informal deviance results in social sanctions like isolation or stigma, without involving the state.
Characteristics of Deviance
Deviance is not limited to behavior but can also include conditions, beliefs, or states of mind, such as obesity or certain health conditions like HIV/AIDS. Deviance varies across societies; for example, obeah is viewed negatively and even criminalized in some Caribbean societies like Jamaica, while it may be accepted elsewhere. Deviance is not fixed and can change over time, influenced by evolving social norms and perspectives, making it a social construct shaped by actions, behaviors, and beliefs.
Social Construction of Deviance
Deviance involves moral judgments made by individuals against others, varying across societies. Homosexuality, for instance, is generally accepted and protected by law in the United States, whereas it is often seen as deviant in Caribbean cultures. The social construction of deviance considers how deviance arises in society, its role, and its impact on individuals. No single behavior is universally condemned across all societies, as interpretations of deviance evolve differently, even within the same society over time.
Factors Influencing Deviance and Relativity of Crime
Various factors influence the relativity of crime and deviance, including culture, social situation, historical period, and the interests of those creating laws. For example, the Rastafarian movement, while promoting positive aspects of black culture, was once seen as deviant due to its rebellious nature. The perception of deviance changes over time, influenced by evolving human rights and equality movements. While some behaviors like murder and rape might seem universally condemned, this is debatable, especially when considering cannibalistic societies.
Social Order and Social Control
Crime and deviance are often associated with anomie, a state where common norms and values disintegrate, leading to a breakdown in social order and increased deviant behavior. Social order and social control mechanisms exist to mitigate these negative impacts on society.
