Similarities and Differences Between Deviant and Criminal Behaviors
There have always been people who defy norms and exhibit behavior that is considered deviant or deviating from normal. A written law also enforces compliance to curb deviant criminal behavior. However, despite the similarities, there are differences between crime and deviance.
All modern societies are governed by the rule of law, meaning there are written and systematized rules and regulations that everyone must follow. Elected legislative assemblies pass these laws. After much thought and debate, laws are passed and become the laws of the land.
The coercive power of the police and the courts backs these laws. People who violate these laws can be punished using this coercive power. Any act or behavior that violates these laws is punishable by the courts.
A system of social norms and mores is as old as civilizations to control the actions and behavior of individuals and groups. These social norms were developed to replace the taboos used in primitive societies and keep people from certain behaviors considered dangerous to society. Social norms are primarily cultural and usually have religious sanctions, although there are also social norms that form the basis of interaction and communication between members of society. Deviance is a concept that tells us about behavior that is different from normal and that society looks down on to get people to abandon that behavior.
Why Crime Is Deviant but Deviance Not Always Criminal
Deviance is a violation of social norms, whereas crime is a violation of the laws of the land. The agents of control of deviance are social pressure and fear of the gods, whereas the agents of control of crime are the police and the judiciary. Society does not have the coercive power to control deviance, but the government does have the punitive power to control crime.
Deviance can be criminal or non-criminal, but crime is always criminal. Many behaviors that were once considered crimes have become deviant behaviors today. Breaking the law qualifies as a deviation from the norm, while deviancy is not considered a crime.