Welcome to Crime and Deviance!
Welcome to one of the most exciting parts of your AQA A Level Sociology course! In this section, we aren't just looking at "who did it." Instead, we are asking why people break rules, how society decides what a "crime" is, and why some groups seem to get in trouble more than others. Don't worry if some of the theories feel a bit heavy at first—we will break them down into bite-sized pieces using everyday examples!
1. The Basics: What are Crime and Deviance?
Before we dive into the "why," we need to understand the "what." These two terms are often used together, but they mean different things.
Crime: This is an act that breaks the formal laws of a society. If you do it, you can be arrested and prosecuted.
Example: Shoplifting or speeding.
Deviance: This is an act that goes against the shared norms and values of a group. It’s "weird" or "wrong" rather than "illegal."
Example: Wearing a clown suit to a funeral. It’s not illegal, but people will definitely give you strange looks!
Social Order and Social Control: Society needs people to behave so it can function. Social Control is the "police force" of society. It can be Formal (the police, courts, and prisons) or Informal (your parents’ disapproval, or friends laughing at you).
Quick Review: The Difference
• Crime = Breaks the law (Legal).
• Deviance = Breaks the social rule (Social).
• Common Mistake: Thinking all crime is deviant. Some crimes, like slightly exceeding the speed limit, are so common that many people don't actually see them as "deviant"!
2. Why does Crime Happen? (The Big Theories)
Functionalism: Crime is "Normal"
Functionalists like Emile Durkheim argue that a certain amount of crime is actually functional (good) for society! This might sound strange, but think of it this way:
1. Boundary Maintenance: When someone is punished, it reminds everyone else what the rules are. It’s like a "Keep Off the Grass" sign that only appears when someone steps on it.
2. Social Change: If no one ever broke rules, society would never change. Today’s "criminal" might be tomorrow’s hero (like Nelson Mandela or the Suffragettes).
Merton’s Strain Theory: Merton says crime happens when people can’t achieve the "American Dream" (money and success) through legal ways. They feel a strain and might turn to innovation (using illegal ways, like drug dealing, to get rich).
Marxism: Crime and Capitalism
Marxists see society as a battle between the Bourgeoisie (the rich ruling class) and the Proletariat (the working class). They argue that:
• Criminogenic Capitalism: Capitalism is based on greed and competition. It makes the poor desperate and the rich greedy—both of which lead to crime!
• Selective Law Enforcement: The police focus on "street crime" (working class) while ignoring "white-collar crime" (rich people/corporations), even though corporate crime often causes more harm.
Interactionism: Labelling Theory
Interactionists like Howard Becker say that no act is inherently criminal. It only becomes a crime when someone in power (like a policeman) attaches a label to it.
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy:
1. A teenager is labelled a "troublemaker."
2. Other people treat them as a "troublemaker."
3. The teenager begins to see themselves as a "troublemaker."
4. They commit more crime because "that's just who I am now."
Memory Aid: The Three Theories
• Functionalism: Crime is like a safety valve or a reminder of the rules.
• Marxism: Crime is a result of a rigged system.
• Interactionism: Crime is a sticker (label) put on people by those in power.
3. Who Commits Crime? (Social Distribution)
The statistics show that crime isn't spread evenly. We look at three main areas:
Gender and Crime
Men commit way more crime than women. Why?
• The Chivalry Thesis: This is the idea that the criminal justice system is "gentlemanly" toward women, letting them off with warnings while men get arrested for the same thing.
• Control Theory: Women are controlled more in society (kept at home, watched more closely), so they have fewer opportunities to commit crime.
Ethnicity and Crime
Statistics show certain ethnic minorities are over-represented in prison.
• Left Realists argue this is due to marginalisation (feeling left out of society) and relative deprivation (feeling poor compared to others).
• Neo-Marxists argue the statistics are misleading because of institutional racism in the police (e.g., Stop and Search patterns).
Social Class and Crime
We often focus on working-class "street crime" (robbery, assault). However, we must also study White-Collar Crime (crimes committed by high-status people in their jobs, like fraud) and Corporate Crime (crimes by companies, like dumping toxic waste).
4. Modern Types of Crime
As the world changes, so does crime. The AQA syllabus requires you to know these specific types:
Globalisation and Crime: Because the world is more connected, we see more international crime like human trafficking, drug smuggling, and cyber-crime (hacking).
The Media and Crime: The media often creates a Moral Panic. This is an exaggerated reaction by the public to a group (called Folk Devils).
Analogy: Think of a small spark (a minor scuffle) that the media blows on until it becomes a forest fire (everyone terrified of "hoodies" or "gangs").
Green Crime: These are crimes against the environment, like illegal logging or polluting rivers. These are often "global" because pollution doesn't stop at national borders.
State Crimes: These are crimes committed by governments, such as genocide, torture, or massive corruption. These are hard to punish because the state makes the laws!
5. Controlling Crime: Punishment and Prevention
How do we stop it?
• Surveillance: Using CCTV, facial recognition, and data to watch people. Michel Foucault talked about the "Panopticon"—the idea that if we think we are being watched, we will behave ourselves.
• Prevention: Situational Crime Prevention involves "hardening the target" (e.g., putting locks on windows). Environmental Crime Prevention involves fixing the neighborhood (e.g., the "Broken Windows" theory—if you fix a broken window immediately, it shows people care, and crime drops).
Victimology: This is the study of the victims. Not everyone has the same risk of being a victim; your class, age, and gender all play a role in how likely you are to be targeted.
Key Takeaways for your Exam
1. Context matters: Always mention if a theory is Consensus (Functionalism) or Conflict (Marxism/Feminism).
2. Use the names: Mentioning names like Durkheim, Merton, Becker, or Foucault gets you extra marks!
3. Link to Methods: Remember that "Official Statistics" on crime might not be the "truth"—they only show the crimes that were reported and recorded. This is known as the Dark Figure of Crime.
Don't worry if this seems like a lot to remember. Focus on understanding the "vibe" of each theory first—once you understand how a Marxist sees the world, you can guess what they would say about crime!