Тема 16: Deviance and Crime

Deviance is behaviour that violates the standards of a group or society. Alcoholics, gamblers, persons with mental illnesses are the typical representatives of deviants. Each of us violates common social norms in certain situations.

Deviance is an action, which is not a subject to prosecution. Standards of deviance vary from one group, society, and culture to another. In our society it is generally acceptable to sing along at a rock or folk concert, but not at the opera.

The highest form of deviation is crime, which is a violation of criminal laws. Sociologists distinguish five types of crime.

Index crime is the most common case such as murder, rape, robbery, theft and so on.

Professional crime involves people who make a career of illegal activities. The examples are burglary, safecracking, pick pocketing and shoplifting.

Organized crime refers to the work of a group that regulates relations between various criminal enterprises.

White-collar crime includes crimes, which are committed by “respectable” people. For example, these are income tax evasion, stock manipulation, bribery and so on.

Victimless crime includes gambling, prostitution, public drunkenness and drug taking.

Words and word combinations

deviance - правонарушение

gambler – азартный игрок

mental illnesses – душевные заболевания

typical representative – типичный представитель

prosecution – уголовное наказание

criminal laws – уголовные законы

index crime – бытовое преступление

murder - убийство

rape - изнасилование

robbery - грабеж