Sociology: Crime and Deviance Theories

Definition of Crime and Deviance

• Crime: An act or omission that violates the law and is punishable by the state.
• Deviance: Behavior that departs from societal norms and expectations, but may not necessarily be illegal.

Theories of Crime and Deviance

Biological Theories

• Genetic predisposition: Genetic factors influence an individual's likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior.
• Physiological factors: Biological factors such as brain structure and function can contribute to criminal behavior.

Psychological Theories

• Psychoanalytic theory: Criminal behavior is a result of unconscious motivations and conflicts.
• Learning theory: Criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others and the environment.

Sociological Theories

• Social strain theory: Crime is a result of the strain between an individual's goals and the means available to achieve them.
• Social learning theory: Criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others and the environment.
• Control theory: Crime is a result of a lack of social control and ineffective social bonds.
• Labeling theory: Crime is a result of the labels and stigmatization applied to individuals by society.

Types of Crime

• Property crime: Crime that involves the theft or destruction of property, such as burglary or vandalism.
• Violent crime: Crime that involves physical harm or threat of harm to others, such as assault or murder.
• White-collar crime: Crime committed by businesses or individuals for financial gain, such as fraud or embezzlement.
• Organized crime: Crime committed by structured groups, such as gangs or drug cartels.

Crime Statistics

• Crime rate: The number of crimes committed per 100,000 people in a given population.
• Clearance rate: The percentage of crimes that are solved or cleared by the police.

Deviance and Social Control

• Social control: The ways in which society regulates and enforces norms and expectations.
• Formal social control: The use of laws and institutions to regulate behavior.
• Informal social control: The use of social norms and expectations to regulate behavior.

Crime and Deviance in Society

• Social inequality: Crime and deviance are often linked to social inequality, with marginalized groups experiencing higher rates of crime and deviance.
• Media representation: The media's portrayal of crime and deviance can influence public perception and attitudes towards crime.
• Punishment and rehabilitation: The debate between punishment and rehabilitation as a response to crime and deviance.

Definition of Crime and Deviance

• Crime: an act or omission that violates the law and is punishable by the state.
• Deviance: behavior that departs from societal norms and expectations, but may not necessarily be illegal.

Theories of Crime and Deviance

Biological Theories

• Genetic predisposition: genetic factors influence an individual's likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior.
• Physiological factors: biological factors such as brain structure and function contribute to criminal behavior.

Psychological Theories

• Psychoanalytic theory: criminal behavior is a result of unconscious motivations and conflicts.
• Learning theory: criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others and the environment.

Sociological Theories

• Social strain theory: crime is a result of the strain between an individual's goals and the means available to achieve them.
• Social learning theory: criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others and the environment.
• Control theory: crime is a result of a lack of social control and ineffective social bonds.
• Labeling theory: crime is a result of the labels and stigmatization applied to individuals by society.

Types of Crime

• Property crime: crime that involves the theft or destruction of property, such as burglary or vandalism.
• Violent crime: crime that involves physical harm or threat of harm to others, such as assault or murder.
• White-collar crime: crime committed by businesses or individuals for financial gain, such as fraud or embezzlement.
• Organized crime: crime committed by structured groups, such as gangs or drug cartels.

Crime Statistics

• Crime rate: the number of crimes committed per 100,000 people in a given population.
• Clearance rate: the percentage of crimes that are solved or cleared by the police.

Deviance and Social Control

• Social control: the ways in which society regulates and enforces norms and expectations.
• Formal social control: the use of laws and institutions to regulate behavior.
• Informal social control: the use of social norms and expectations to regulate behavior.

Crime and Deviance in Society

• Social inequality: crime and deviance are often linked to social inequality, with marginalized groups experiencing higher rates of crime and deviance.
• Media representation: the media's portrayal of crime and deviance can influence public perception and attitudes towards crime.
• Punishment and rehabilitation: the debate between punishment and rehabilitation as a response to crime and deviance.

Understand the definitions and theories of crime and deviance, including biological and physiological factors. Learn about genetic predisposition and how it influences criminal behavior.