SOC209H5 Lecture : SOC 209-Lecture 1.docx
Document Summary
Y what is crime? y a behaviour that breaks the lawdefine law in strictly legal terms y a legal def: to form a legistaltionit underplays the way crime is enforced. y y. It actively madeexnot only judges that make the law Its not jjsut what the law says it includes(get from lec note) y how is crime relative: y we don t just take simple approachhow is crime a relative conceptwhat contistues a crime shifts according to societal norms. We don t all agree on the same punhisment or what goes under crime. y crime is historically, socially, culturally and context specific. y. Prohibitionbefore illegal and not anymore different places are more lenient than others as well. y crime is an unstable and shifting phenomena. y what is crimechanges frequently. y crime is a social construct. Meaning: in effect there is no absolute crime. Identifying a crime or criminal is a social thingit depends on the society time and place.
