Crime Is Socially Constructed Criminology Essay

Crime Is Socially Constructed Criminology EssayNowadays hard to imagine day-after-day life without news telling us stories or so shocking tragedies possibility around the world. Unfortunately almost everybody is interested in actions that net accidental injury somebody. In media even existing a victim hierarchy (to a greater extent lurid victim goes on top) of attraction interest of audience. People be footprint beings. It is in our habits to judge ourselves and flock around us. Rules are governing all over it sets correct and incorrect behaviour of society members.Norm and rules should be conformed and innovation of sociable control is aimed to ensure it. During social control process behaviour of individuals and groups is regulated by formal and informal agents. In process of culture operates internal social control, here people adopt and learn norms from parents, peers, media, and and so forth This type of control is targeted to individuals conscience meanwhile mo re concentration of sociologists gets outside(a) social control ruled by formal agents as police, courts, and etc. and negative sanctions (punishing the various forms of deviance). (Goode, 1994)It is very signifi bedt to visualize difference mingled with deviance and offense because first persisting to second. Sociologists refer to behaviour that is regarded as wrongdoing, that generates negative reaction in individuals who witness or hear about it, deviant behaviour, both deviant behaviour and traits or conditions that generate a similar condemnatory, rejecting reaction in others are called social deviance or simply deviance. (Goode, 1994, p.1)Crime is a form of deviant behaviour. Deviance can be stated as a violation against norms and values of a wider society. For example one person accepts as a norm to be a part of sub-culture- Goths. This individual corroboration their ideas and traditions, but a nonher thinks antithetical because of his life experience or other impact f actor (e.g. taste) that playing and dressing as Goths is incorrect and it becomes deviant. In this case it is legal (actually to be a Goth) but some of deviant behaviour can lead to criminal activity (e.g. smoking in public place). Overall, crime is more about breaking formal norms, but deviance-informal.Crime is socially constructed, this is a fact. Interactionist school of sociology tells us that the social order contain a potpourri of social groups where each acting in a way he understands the reality.(Muncie and McLaughlin, 1997) They react on certain behaviours and state people as being different from their morality or cultural norms. These different are label as deviants or even criminals. Social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infractions constitute deviance and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders. (Becker, c1991 p.9) However, crime changes across cultures and times, for example to take homosexuality. In not foresi ghtful time ago, 1895, Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years hard labour (Online) homosexuality counted as a workforcetal disorder and was subject of brutal punishment. Nowadays, in galore(postnominal) countries crime label for homosexuality is removed. Another example of changes is violence in family against women and children. It was a little interest from police and impartialitys about this problem not a long time ago. This actions was counted as a right of men to make discipline harming more weak members of family. Because of feminist and womens right activists campaigns to obtain victims, made a great work, and now violence in families is a serious crime. These kinds of interactions another(prenominal) time prove that crime is socially constructed. It seems as well ideal from the angle of reality, but actually it is important to understand another point that who make rules to control society?According conflict theory, the law is created by powerful and privileged and benef its exactly to them so making nerveless criminals. (Pond, 1999) Regarding Becker, unprivileged and powerless people, no matter of level of injury and damage they done, are likely to be arrested, judged powerful people create illusions, that those who are at the bottom of social hierarchy (measured in case of income level, race, education degree)- are more dangerous in society. This powerful elite creates environment where unexceptional people become dependent of state and its social control agents who cheer from lawlessness, but also often victimizing ordinary people one or another way.(Becker, c1991) Media is one of the major tool to help people understand what they need to be more afraid of. There is more to crime and criminals than the state reveals. But most people cannot see it (Becker, c1991, p.15)In conclusion, is cognizant to summarize main aspects of all above. Firstly, talking about deviance is important to underline that it varies depending to cultural groups individ uals labelled as deviant only if others localise them that way and that powerful and powerless are involved in social power. It is interesting that regarding functional theory of crime, especially Durkheim, deviance perform four functions essential to society deviance proves cultural values and norms the way people respond to deviant behaviour clarifies society moral boundaries society becomes more united and the last but not the least of importance, deviance support social change. Generally speaking, understanding of deviant behaviour and crime can lead to better society. (Macionis and Plummer, 1997)