What Are Crime, Deviance and Social Control? (Copy)
O Level Sociology – Cheat Sheet
6.1 What are crime, deviance and social control?
6.1.1 Difference Between Crime and Deviance
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Crime | An act that breaks the law and is punishable by the legal system (e.g. theft, assault). |
| Deviance | Behavior that goes against social norms or expectations, but may not be illegal (e.g. shouting in a library, tattoos). |
Relativity of Crime and Deviance:
- Across cultures: What is deviant/criminal in one society may be normal in another.
E.g. alcohol is legal in some societies, banned in others. - Over time: Laws and norms change (e.g. same-sex marriage, women working).
- In different situations: Behavior may be deviant in one context but acceptable in another (e.g. swearing at home vs school).
6.1.2 Formal Social Control
Formal Agencies:
- Police: Enforce laws through patrol, investigation, arrest.
- Courts: Interpret laws and deliver justice (e.g. fines, jail).
- Armed Forces: Enforce law and order during emergencies/conflict.
- Government: Makes laws and policies for public behavior.
- Penal System: Delivers punishments (e.g. prisons, probation).
How They Control Behavior:
- Create fear of punishment (deterrence)
- Reinforce what is legal and acceptable
- Protect the public and maintain social order
6.1.3 Informal Social Control
Informal Agencies:
- Family: Teaches norms, punishes deviance (e.g. grounding).
- Education: Enforces rules through discipline, values in hidden curriculum.
- Workplace: Codes of conduct, warnings, dismissal.
- Peer Group: Enforces norms through acceptance or exclusion.
- Media: Shapes public opinion, promotes role models, enforces norms (traditional and digital).
- Religion: Provides moral guidance and ideas of right and wrong.
How They Prevent Crime/Deviance:
- Encourage conformity through praise, shame, ridicule, exclusion
- Teach self-control and internalised discipline
6.1.4 Effectiveness of Agencies and Methods of Social Control
| Agency Type | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Formal | Legal authority, powerful deterrents, structured justice | Can be unfair, biased, expensive, and slow |
| Informal | Constant influence, shapes identity and values early | Less powerful on serious crime, varies between families or cultures |
✅ Effective control often requires both formal and informal systems working together.
6.1.5 Types and Examples of Crime
| Crime Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Violent Crime | Physical harm or threat (e.g. assault, murder) |
| Property Crime | Theft, burglary, vandalism |
| White-Collar/Corporate Crime | Committed by professionals or businesses (e.g. fraud, tax evasion) |
| Expressive Crime | Driven by emotions (e.g. crimes of passion) |
| Instrumental Crime | Committed for material gain (e.g. robbery) |
| Gang Crime | Organized group crime (e.g. drug trafficking, turf wars) |
| Green Crime | Harm to the environment (e.g. illegal dumping, poaching) |
| Global/Organised Crime | Cross-border crimes by criminal networks (e.g. human trafficking) |
| Cyber Crime | Committed online (e.g. hacking, cyberbullying, identity theft) |
| Hate Crime | Motivated by prejudice (e.g. racism, homophobia) |
| Domestic Crime | Violence or abuse within family/home (e.g. spousal abuse, child neglect) |
6.1.6 Measuring Crime
| Method | Description | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Statistics | Data collected by police and government agencies | Allows comparisons over time and area | Underreporting, police bias, dark figure of crime |
| Self-Report Studies | People confess to crimes anonymously in surveys | Shows hidden crime, useful for minor offences | May be dishonest or forgetful |
| Victim Surveys | Ask individuals about crimes they have experienced | Captures unreported crime | Relies on memory, excludes some groups (e.g. homeless) |
Problem of Unreported/Unrecorded Crime:
- Many crimes go unreported (fear, shame, distrust in police)
- Others are not recorded (lack of evidence, police discretion)
- Leads to the “dark figure of crime” = unknown crime