Crime and Deviance

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Critically analyse factors influencing the recording of crime statistics using at least 2 sociological theories.

The following essay will look at the factors influencing the recording of crime statistics whilst giving an overview of sociological theories regarding crime and deviance.

A century ago, most people who thought about the issue believed that some people were just biologically criminal (Giddens; 2006). Italian criminologist Cesare Lombroso believed that criminal types could be identified by anatomical features. Psychological approaches to criminality have searched for explanations of deviance within the individual, not society. Both biological and psychological approaches to criminality presume that deviance is a sign of something 'wrong' with the individual, rather than with society (Giddens; 2006).

Deviance may be defined as non-conformity to a given set of norms that are accepted by a significant number of people in a community or society. No society can be divided up between those who conform and those who deviate from social norms. (Giddens; 2006). Most of us on some occasions transgress generally accepted rules of behaviour. For example at some point in one's life one may have committed minor acts of theft, like shoplifting or taking small items from work such