What are crime, deviance and social control? » Differences between crime and deviance - definitions

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

The key differences between crime and deviance
How to define crime from a sociological perspective
How to define deviance and understand its relative nature
The concept of social control and its various forms
How crime and deviance are shaped by social context
Real-world examples of how behaviours can be criminal, deviant, both, or neither

Understanding Crime and Deviance

Crime and deviance are key concepts in sociology that help us understand how societies establish rules and deal with people who break them. While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday conversation, they have distinct meanings in sociology.

Key Definitions:

Crime: Behaviour that breaks the law and is subject to formal punishment.
Deviance: Behaviour that violates social norms but may not necessarily break the law.
Social Control: The methods used by society to encourage conformity and discourage deviance.

📄 Crime

Crime refers specifically to actions that break the formal written laws of a society. These laws are created and enforced by the state through institutions like parliament, the police, courts and prisons.

Key features of crime:

Officially defined in legal codes
Enforced by formal institutions (police, courts)
Results in formal sanctions (fines, imprisonment)
Usually has identifiable victims
Changes over time as laws are updated

👀 Deviance

Deviance refers to any behaviour that violates social norms and expectations, whether written into law or not. It's about breaking the unwritten rules of society.

Key features of deviance:

Based on social norms rather than formal laws
Varies between different social groups and contexts
Often subject to informal sanctions (gossip, social exclusion)
Highly relative to time, place and situation
Can include positive deviance (exceeding norms in a good way)

The Relationship Between Crime and Deviance

Crime and deviance are related but distinct concepts. Their relationship can be understood through these four possible combinations:

❌ Neither Criminal nor Deviant

Behaviours that follow both legal and social rules:

Queuing for a bus
Paying for goods in a shop
Driving within the speed limit

⚠ Deviant but Not Criminal

Behaviours that break social norms but not laws:

Wearing pyjamas to school
Speaking very loudly in a library
Having unusual eating habits
Extreme body modifications

👮 Criminal but Not Deviant

Behaviours that break laws but are socially accepted:

Downloading music illegally
Underage drinking at parties
Speeding on motorways
Recreational drug use in certain social groups

⛔ Both Criminal and Deviant

Behaviours that break both laws and social norms:

Murder
Sexual assault
Armed robbery
Child abuse

The Relative Nature of Crime and Deviance

One of the most important things to understand about crime and deviance is that they are relative concepts. This means they can change depending on:

📅 Time

What is considered criminal or deviant changes over time:

Homosexuality was once illegal in the UK (decriminalised in 1967)
Smoking in public places became illegal in 2007
Cannabis use is being decriminalised in many countries

🌎 Place

What is criminal or deviant varies between societies:

Alcohol consumption is legal in the UK but illegal in Saudi Arabia
Chewing gum is banned in Singapore
Cannabis is legal in Canada but illegal in most of the UK

👥 Social Context

Behaviour may be acceptable in one context but not another:

Nudity at a beach vs. in a supermarket
Shouting at a football match vs. in a classroom
Drinking alcohol at a party vs. at work

Understanding Social Control

Social control refers to the ways society encourages people to follow norms and rules. It helps maintain order and predictability in social interactions.

💬 Informal Social Control

Unofficial ways society regulates behaviour:

Positive sanctions: Smiles, praise, inclusion, rewards
Negative sanctions: Disapproval, gossip, ridicule, exclusion
Carried out by family, friends, peers, teachers, etc.
Often more powerful than formal control in everyday life

⚖ Formal Social Control

Official mechanisms for enforcing rules:

Institutions: Police, courts, prisons, schools
Sanctions: Fines, imprisonment, detention, expulsion
Based on written rules and laws
Carried out by people with official authority

Case Study: The Changing Status of Cannabis

Cannabis provides an excellent example of how crime and deviance can shift over time and place:

1928: Cannabis was made illegal in the UK
1960s-70s: Became associated with counterculture and youth rebellion
2004: Reclassified from Class B to Class C (less severe)
2009: Reclassified back to Class B (more severe)
2018: Medical cannabis legalised in the UK
Present: Fully legal in Canada, parts of the USA and other countries

This shows how a behaviour can move between categories of crime and deviance. In some social groups, cannabis use is neither criminal nor deviant, while in others it remains both.

Why the Distinction Matters

Understanding the difference between crime and deviance helps sociologists to:

Analyse how power influences which behaviours are criminalised
Examine how social norms develop and change
Investigate why some people break rules while others conform
Consider whether laws reflect the values of all social groups equally
Study how societies maintain order and deal with rule-breaking

Think About It: Criminalisation vs. Decriminalisation

Societies are constantly debating which behaviours should be criminal:

Recent decriminalisations: Same-sex relationships, abortion in many countries
Recent criminalisations: Upskirting, controlling behaviour in relationships, certain forms of hate speech

These changes reflect shifting social values and highlight the socially constructed nature of crime and deviance. What other behaviours can you think of that have recently been criminalised or decriminalised?

Summary: Key Differences Between Crime and Deviance

📄 Crime

Defined by formal written laws
Enforced by the state and legal system
Subject to formal punishment
More objective (clearly defined in law)
Changes through formal legal processes

👀 Deviance

Defined by social norms and expectations
Enforced through social reactions
Subject to informal sanctions
More subjective (varies between groups)
Changes as social attitudes evolve

Remember that crime and deviance are not fixed categories but are socially constructed and vary across time, place and social context. What is considered criminal or deviant in one society may be perfectly acceptable in another.