Criminal and deviant behaviour

Welcome to Your Sociology Study Journey!

Ever wondered why some people break the law while others follow it perfectly? Is it because of their personality, or is there something about society that pushes them toward crime? In this chapter, we’ll explore the "Who, What, and Why" of criminal and deviant behaviour. We will look at how things like your age, gender, and social class might influence your life choices. Don't worry if some of the theories seem a bit "wordy" at first—we'll break them down together into simple, everyday ideas!

1. Factors Affecting Criminal and Deviant Behaviour

Sociologists have noticed that crime isn't spread evenly across society. Certain groups appear in crime statistics more often than others. We look at four main factors: Social Class, Gender, Ethnicity, and Age.

Social Class and Crime

Statistics often show that people from the working class are more likely to be arrested for "blue-collar" crimes (like theft or burglary). Marxists argue this happens because the working class face poverty and blocked opportunities. They might commit crime to survive or because they feel frustrated by a system that treats them unfairly. Example: A person struggling to pay rent might feel pressured to shoplift food.

Gender and Crime

Men are much more likely to commit crimes than women. Sociologists ask: is this because of how we raise boys and girls? Feminists suggest that women are more controlled in society (at home, at work, and in public), giving them fewer chances to commit crime. Quick Review: Think about the "bedroom culture"—traditionally, girls were kept closer to home, while boys were encouraged to be out on the street being "tough."

Ethnicity and Crime

Some ethnic groups are over-represented in the criminal justice system. Interactionists argue this might not be because they commit more crime, but because of labelling and stereotyping by the police. If the police "expect" a certain group to be criminal, they might stop and search them more often.

Age and Crime

Young people (mostly aged \(15\) to \(25\)) commit a high percentage of crimes. This is often called the "peak age of offending." Analogy: Think of it like a "life phase." Young people often have more free time, less responsibility (no mortgage or kids yet), and are more influenced by peer pressure.

Key Takeaway: Our position in society (our class, age, etc.) significantly impacts our likelihood of being involved in criminal behaviour or being targeted by the authorities.

2. Key Sociological Thinkers

To do well in your AQA exam, you need to know these two specific sociologists and their big ideas!

Albert Cohen: Delinquent Subcultures

Cohen wanted to know why working-class boys often joined gangs. He came up with the term Status Frustration.
1. Working-class boys want to succeed but often struggle in school (which is run by middle-class values).
2. They feel like failures and "frustrated" because they can't get status (respect) the normal way.
3. To fix this, they "flip" society’s rules upside down. They join a subculture (a smaller group with its own rules) where being "bad" or "tough" gets them the respect they crave. Memory Aid: Think of Cohen as the "Classroom" guy—he's looking at why boys fail in school and find status in gangs.

Pat Carlen: Women, Crime, and Poverty

Carlen studied why some women commit crimes. She argues that most women follow the law because of two "deals":
1. The Class Deal: If you work hard, you get a good salary and a nice life.
2. The Gender Deal: If you are a "good" wife/mother, you get emotional and financial support from a male breadwinner.
Carlen’s Point: For women living in poverty, these deals "break." If they can't get a job (Class Deal) and don't have a stable home life (Gender Deal), they have nothing to lose, so they turn to crime to survive. Key Term: Patriarchy (a society controlled by men) is a huge part of Carlen's feminist view.

3. Sociological Perspectives on Crime

Different "teams" in sociology see the causes of crime differently. Let’s look at their main arguments:

The Functionalist Perspective

Functionalists believe society needs a certain amount of crime to remind everyone what the rules are. However, they are interested in anomie (a state of "normlessness" or confusion). When people are confused about the rules, crime goes up. They also support subcultural theories (like Cohen's) which explain how groups develop their own "deviant" norms.

The Marxist Perspective

Marxists see crime as a result of the capitalist system. They believe capitalism is "criminogenic"—it actually *causes* crime by creating massive inequality. The rich make the laws to protect their property, while the poor are policed more heavily.

The Interactionist Perspective

These sociologists focus on how we label people. If a teacher or police officer labels a teenager a "troublemaker," that teenager might start to believe it. This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where they commit more crime *because* they were labelled as a criminal.

The Feminist Perspective

Feminists focus on how patriarchy affects crime. They look at why women are often the victims of crime and how the legal system sometimes treats women more harshly if they don't fit the "perfect woman" stereotype.

Key Takeaway: There is no single "reason" for crime. Marxists blame the system, Interactionists blame labels, and Functionalists look at how groups create their own rules.

4. Public Debates over Crime

Sociology isn't just in textbooks; it’s in the news every day! The syllabus requires you to understand these current debates:

Violent Crime

Is violent crime actually increasing, or are we just hearing about it more? The media coverage of crime often creates a Moral Panic—a huge wave of public fear about a specific group (like "hoodies" or knife crime) that might be exaggerated by newspapers.

Sentencing and the Prison System

Does prison work?
- Some people argue for Retribution (punishment: they did the crime, they should suffer).
- Others argue for Rehabilitation (fixing the person: teaching them new skills so they don't commit crime again). Did you know? The UK has one of the highest prison populations in Western Europe, yet many people "re-offend" shortly after leaving.

Treatment of Young Offenders

Should we be tough on kids who break the law, or should we realize they are still learning? Some argue that putting young people in "Young Offender Institutions" just teaches them how to be better criminals (this is called a "university of crime").

Quick Review: The Media’s Role
The media often focuses on rare, violent crimes because they sell more newspapers. This makes the public think the world is much more dangerous than it actually is! This is known as the fear of crime.

Final Summary: Putting it All Together

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Just remember these three points:
1. Factors: Who you are (class, age, gender, ethnicity) affects how likely you are to be involved in crime.
2. Thinkers: Cohen talks about working-class boys and status; Carlen talks about women and broken "deals."
3. Debates: Society is constantly arguing about whether we should punish people or help them, and how much we should trust what we see in the media.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't just say "poor people commit more crime." Instead, use the sociological explanation: "Marxists argue that poverty and blocked opportunities can lead to criminal behaviour as a survival strategy." It sounds much more professional!