Crime & Deviance is a core part of GCSE Sociology. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
CrimeAn act that breaks the formal law of the land.
DevianceBehaviour that breaks social norms but not law.
NormsUnwritten rules guiding everyday behaviour.
Social controlWays society pressures people to follow rules.
Formal controlWritten rules enforced by police, courts, schools.
Informal controlFamily, peers and gossip shaping behaviour.
Strain theoryMerton: crime when goals exceed legal means.
AnomieNormlessness; rules feel weak or unclear.
Labelling theoryBecker: deviance is created by who is labelled.
Master statusLabel that overrides all other identities.
Chivalry thesisClaim courts treat women more leniently.
Dark figure of crimeUnreported, unrecorded crime missing from stats.
Official crime statisticsCrimes recorded by police, published annually.
Victim surveyAsks the public about crimes they experienced.
Common mistakes to avoid
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
What is primary socialisation?✗ The most important socialisation, happening in school. ✓ Early learning of norms and values, primarily within the family.
Police and courts are an example of:✗ Informal social control ✓ Formal social control
Do official statistics record all crime accurately?✗ Yes, statistics capture every crime. ✓ No — much crime is unreported or unrecorded (the 'dark figure').
Is crime spread evenly across all social groups?✗ Yes, all groups commit and are caught equally. ✓ No — recorded crime and policing vary by class, age, ethnicity and area.
What does the Marxist perspective emphasise?✗ That society runs on shared consensus with no conflict. ✓ Conflict between social classes over power and resources.
Practise Crime & Deviance — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
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