Defining Crime and Deviance

    OCR
    GCSE

    The study of Defining Crime and Deviance centers on the sociological axiom that neither crime nor deviance are inherent properties of an act, but rather the product of social processes. Candidates must analyze the distinction between 'crime' (legal transgression) and 'deviance' (norm violation), emphasizing the concept of social construction. Analysis must cover the relativity of deviance across time (historical), place (cross-cultural), and context (situational). Furthermore, students must evaluate the mechanisms of social control—both formal (police, courts) and informal (peer pressure, family)—that enforce these definitions, linking them to theoretical perspectives on power and social order.

    6
    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Definition of Crime: Action that breaks the formal laws of the land.
    • Definition of Deviance: Action that goes against the norms and values of a specific group or society.
    • Formal Social Control: Enforced by the state (Police, Courts, Parliament) using written rules.
    • Informal Social Control: Enforced by social groups (Family, Peers, Media) using unwritten rules.
    • Sanctions: Positive (rewards) and Negative (punishments) mechanisms to enforce conformity.
    • The 'Dark Figure of Crime': Unreported or unrecorded crime not appearing in official statistics.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for explicit distinction between crime (breaking laws) and deviance (breaking norms/values).
    • Credit responses that apply the concept of 'relativity' using specific examples (e.g., homosexuality laws changing over time, alcohol consumption varying by culture).
    • Candidates must link agents of social control (police, courts) to formal control and agents of socialization (family, peers) to informal control.
    • High-level responses must integrate sociological theory (e.g., Functionalist consensus vs. Marxist conflict) when discussing the purpose of defining deviance.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡For 12-mark 'Discuss' questions, ensure you have a clear conclusion that weighs the evidence, rather than just listing points.
    • 💡Use the 'Time, Place, Culture' framework explicitly when answering questions about the relativity of crime.
    • 💡When defining concepts, always provide a concrete sociological example (e.g., 'Deviance is relative; for example, nudity is acceptable in a private bathroom but deviant in a public park').
    • 💡Allocate approximately 1 minute per mark; do not over-write on the lower tariff (1-4 mark) questions at the expense of the 12-marker.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Treating 'crime' and 'deviance' as interchangeable synonyms without acknowledging the overlap and distinction.
    • Asserting that an act is 'deviant' universally, ignoring the social constructionist argument of context (time/place/culture).
    • Confusing 'sanctions' (the punishment/reward) with the 'agency' (the group enforcing it), e.g., citing 'prison' as an agency rather than the 'justice system'.

    Study Guide Available

    Comprehensive revision notes & examples

    Read Study Guide

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss
    Evaluate
    Calculate

    Ready to test yourself?

    Practice questions tailored to this topic