Deviance and Crime

There are various theories about crimes like psychoanalytic theory, frustration-aggression theory, modeling theory and labeling theory etc.

a.    Psychoanalytic theory

This theory explains that emotions of human beings play important roles in their lives. It has been seen that the children who are growing up with loving parents, they root out their antisocial activities. This is because of the loving parents that children are directed to the safe channels such as sports or music. The children who do not have such caring parents may spoil their lives and fail to develop a safe roadmap for the future. The psychoanalytical theory defines that individuals react differently because of the absence of love in their childhood.

b.    Frustration-aggression Theory

Frustration aggression theory reflects that when people are frustrated and fail to achieve their needs of love and sexual desire, they may become aggressive. Some people overcome their aggression in a good manner and some of the people become deviant or criminals. So in a nut shell, one can say that frustration and aggression are the emotions leading to the deviant and criminal activities.

c.    Modeling (or social learning) Theory

This theory suggests that the people learn the professions by the others. In the same way, a criminal learns the criminal activities by the people with whom he is associating. This theory assumes that there are least chances to be a criminal by the person who is associating with good people. An innocent person becomes criminal after considering a criminal as his role model. Then he/she slowly and gradually starts to learn the techniques of crime and becomes a criminal in the future.

d.    Labeling Theory

Labeling theory assumes that if a person is labeled as a criminal, he/she hardly quit the criminal activities. Many criminal involve in the various kinds of crimes such as prostitution, smuggling, theft and pornography etc. Society labels such kind of people as the criminals and crimes become identity of the people whether they quit it or not. So, labeling theory of crime gives us a clear idea that criminals are production of society and society is largely responsible for the people to be criminals.

Causes of Crimes

There are multiple causes of crimes. There may be as many as thousands of causes which are leading to the criminal activities. Some of the important causes of crimes which are common in every society of the world are given below.

a.    Unemployment

Unemployment is one of the major causes of crimes in which a person directs himself/herself in the criminal activities to earn the money. It is often said that unemployment is mother of crimes.

b.    Illiteracy

Illiteracy is also another cause of crime through which people do not think about the hazards of crimes. Various people commit crimes because of lack of knowledge and respect of the laws of government.

c.    Overpopulation

Overpopulation is another cause of crimes where people do not get sufficient amount of resources for their basic needs. The people living in highly populated areas may commit crimes to fulfill their needs.

d.    Psychological diseases

Psychological diseases also lead to the criminal activities. When a person become psychologically ill, frustrated, depressed or tensed, he/she may involve in the criminal activities to release these kinds of emotional stress.

Summary

Deviance is violation of social norms where as crime is an act in which a person violates the rules and regulations of state. Homosexuality, drug addicting, smuggling, prostitution, theft, terrorism and conspiracy are some examples of criminal activities. There are various theories given about crimes but social scientists are focusing on the theories such as psychoanalytic theory, frustration-aggression theory, modeling theory and labeling theory. As far as the causes of crimes are concerned, there are thousands of causes but few important ones are unemployment, illiteracy, overpopulation and psychological diseases etc.