AC 1.1: Compare criminal behaviour and deviance.
Criminal behaviour
Legal definition- behaviour that breaks the law and which you can be punished for –
theft, fraud, murder. In law, a crime must have both the mens rea and actus reus for
a person to be found guilty.
Social definition- sometimes a crime is a label from social interaction or a wrong
against the community. Society have a social definition of what constitutes a crime.
For example, having sexual intercourse with an underage child in the UK is a crime
but in other countries child marriage is acceptable- in Nigeria 18% of girls are married
by the age of 15.
Types of criminal acts
There are different ways to classify criminal actions based on severity of crime.
‘Summary offences’ are less serious such as speeding, ‘Indictable offences’ are more
serious such as rape and murder.
Type of criminal act Examples
Fatal offences Murder, manslaughter
Non-fatal offences Assault, battery, ABH, GBH
Sexual offences Rape, sex trafficking, grooming
Offences against property Theft, robbery, burglary
Drug offences Possession of a controlled drug,
possession with intent to supply
Public order offences Riot, affray, violent disorder
Formal sanctions against criminals
Cautions- given by the police for minor crimes like vandalism. In order to receive a
caution you have to admit to the offence and agree to be cautioned, otherwise you
face being arrested. A caution is not a criminal conviction.
Conditional cautions- also given by the police, but you are required to agree to
certain rules and limitations, for example receiving treatment for drug use.
Criminal behaviour
Legal definition- behaviour that breaks the law and which you can be punished for –
theft, fraud, murder. In law, a crime must have both the mens rea and actus reus for
a person to be found guilty.
Social definition- sometimes a crime is a label from social interaction or a wrong
against the community. Society have a social definition of what constitutes a crime.
For example, having sexual intercourse with an underage child in the UK is a crime
but in other countries child marriage is acceptable- in Nigeria 18% of girls are married
by the age of 15.
Types of criminal acts
There are different ways to classify criminal actions based on severity of crime.
‘Summary offences’ are less serious such as speeding, ‘Indictable offences’ are more
serious such as rape and murder.
Type of criminal act Examples
Fatal offences Murder, manslaughter
Non-fatal offences Assault, battery, ABH, GBH
Sexual offences Rape, sex trafficking, grooming
Offences against property Theft, robbery, burglary
Drug offences Possession of a controlled drug,
possession with intent to supply
Public order offences Riot, affray, violent disorder
Formal sanctions against criminals
Cautions- given by the police for minor crimes like vandalism. In order to receive a
caution you have to admit to the offence and agree to be cautioned, otherwise you
face being arrested. A caution is not a criminal conviction.
Conditional cautions- also given by the police, but you are required to agree to
certain rules and limitations, for example receiving treatment for drug use.
