Sociology (USC0)
Topic 3 of 3Pearson EdExcel

Crime & Deviance

Why people break rules, and how society responds

Crime = behaviour that breaks the law. Deviance = behaviour that breaks social norms (not necessarily illegal — e.g. burping at dinner).


Sociological explanations of crime:


Functionalist view (Durkheim):

  • Crime is normal and necessary in all societies
  • It clarifies boundaries, promotes social solidarity, allows social change
  • Too much crime = anomie (normlessness — breakdown of social cohesion)

    • Marxist view:

  • Laws reflect interests of the ruling class (bourgeoisie)
  • Working class criminalised more harshly; white-collar crime under-policed
  • Selective enforcement — police target poor areas

    • Labelling theory (Becker):

  • No act is inherently criminal — it depends on who labels it and whether the label sticks
  • Self-fulfilling prophecy: once labelled criminal, behaviour may match the label
  • Deviant career: label leads to more deviance

    • Feminist view:

  • Male crimes dominate statistics; female crime under-reported
  • Women controlled by patriarchal systems (fear of going out, domestic violence)

    • Patterns in crime statistics:

  • Young males commit more crime (official statistics)
  • Working class over-represented
  • But: dark figure of crime — unreported and unrecorded crime

    • Key Points to Remember

    • 1Crime: breaks law; Deviance: breaks norms (not always illegal)
    • 2Functionalist: crime is normal, clarifies norms (Durkheim)
    • 3Labelling theory: labels create deviant careers (Becker)
    • 4Dark figure: unreported/unrecorded crime distorts official statistics

    Pakistan Example

    Crime in Karachi — Sociological Analysis of Pakistan's Megacity

    Karachi's crime rates (street crime, robbery, kidnapping) are often blamed on poverty — a structural explanation. Marxists highlight that white-collar crime (tax evasion by elites, corporate fraud) receives less prosecution. Labelling theory explains why young men from certain neighbourhoods (like Lyari) are profiled more heavily by police — creating self-fulfilling prophecies. The 'dark figure' of crime is significant: domestic violence and harassment are massively under-reported in Pakistan.

    Quick Revision Infographic

    Sociology — Quick Revision

    Crime & Deviance

    Key Concepts

    1Crime: breaks law; Deviance: breaks norms (not always illegal)
    2Functionalist: crime is normal, clarifies norms (Durkheim)
    3Labelling theory: labels create deviant careers (Becker)
    4Dark figure: unreported/unrecorded crime distorts official statistics

    Formulas to Know

    unreported/unrecorded crime distorts official statistics
    Pakistan Example

    Crime in Karachi — Sociological Analysis of Pakistan's Megacity

    Karachi's crime rates (street crime, robbery, kidnapping) are often blamed on poverty — a structural explanation. Marxists highlight that white-collar crime (tax evasion by elites, corporate fraud) receives less prosecution. Labelling theory explains why young men from certain neighbourhoods (like Lyari) are profiled more heavily by police — creating self-fulfilling prophecies. The 'dark figure' of crime is significant: domestic violence and harassment are massively under-reported in Pakistan.

    SeekhoAsaan.com — Free RevisionCrime & Deviance Infographic

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