CRM 102 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Moral Panic, Crime In Canada, Status Quo
Document Summary
Crime has no absolute definition, but actually varies according to context, society, norms, and what is right and wrong. Crime is socially defined and not always defined by law. Formal legal: if it is written as a crime in the law with a penalty, then it is a crime. Social harm conception: if it brings social harm than it is a crime and deserves penalties. Cross-cultural universal norm agreement: crime does not vary across cultural norms. Labelling approach: it is only a crime if society labels it as such. Human rights approach: crime occurs when a human right is violated, regardless on the legality. Human diversity approach: crime is seen as deviant behaviour that results naturally from response to unequal power relation. Crime is socially constructed and because of this, our responses vary according to our perceptions, moral codes and politics, as well as criminology varying to different perspectives.
