Deviant Behavior: Definition, Relationship with Crime, and Sociology

Running head: LAW
DEVIANT BEHAVIOR
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Author Note

1LAW
Definition:
Deviant behavior denotes an action that is unacceptable in the social and cultural norms.
It is an antonym of social conformity. The action of the individual should be predictable in
nature. Causing noise in the public place, homicide, suicide, rape, robbery and theft can be
perfect example for deviant behavior. There are two kinds of deviant behavior such as formal
deviance and informal deviance. The behavior that violating the principle of existing law is
known as formal deviance. According to Clinard (2015), the behavior that opposes the social
norms that is not in codified condition is known as the informal deviance (1). Creating chaos in
the public place is known as informal deviance. Robert K. Merton has developed certain social
strain typologies where he has mentioned about five types of deviances such as conformity,
innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. Apart from this, there can be certain concealed
deviance. When a person wears some women dress, it can go against the social policies and
therefore, could be taken as an example of concealed deviance. Certain anti-social behaviors
have been known as social deviance as defined in the Anti-social behavior Act 2003.
Relationship with crime:
Crime is an act that avoids that social norms and policy and that does not follow the
principle of law. Therefore, any illegal acts can be known as crime such as theft, murder,
robbery, rape and so on. In this perspective, crime is similar to that of deviance and in certain
societies they are treated equally. The reason behind the same is both the terms are opposing the
social norms and policies. Further, the examples of deviance and crime are quite similar.
However, there are certain differences can be observed between the two terms. Any ccrime is
illegal and there is no positive side in crime or criminal acts. However, there are certain