Social Deviance, Anomie, and the Roots of Crime

Social Deviance and Societal Norms

Social deviance is any behavior that deviates from the standards generally accepted by society. Social deviance is not necessarily a crime, as it refers specifically to the non-observance of social norms. In other words, these are acts that deviate from the rules imposed by a given society.

Human social life is governed by standards or rules that define certain types of behavior as appropriate in certain contexts. Social deviance is the result of human life in society; wherever there are laws, rules, or standards, there is potential for the development of deviation.

The Concept of Anomie

In social studies, anomie refers to the inability of the social structure to provide certain individuals with the means necessary to achieve the goals of society. Anomie conveys a sense of disorder, underdevelopment, and a collapse of governance due to a failure to control emerging situations.

Emile Durkheim notes that anomie implies a lack of standards that can guide the behavior of individuals. Anomie represents the lack of specific norms, the non-observance of a legal framework, or the inability of modern societies to assert a democratic state of law.

Understanding Crime

Crime is defined as the commission or execution of an act through patterns of antisocial behavior that violates or infringes upon the legal standards imposed by a state.

Primary Causes of Criminal Behavior

• Biological or Genetic Causes: It is necessary to clearly deny the existence of a "born criminal" or a delinquent predetermined by physical or physiological traits. However, one cannot ignore the importance of biological or genetic aspects that may play an important role in the degree of fit or misfit of our behavior. This is not a determining factor, but rather a contributing factor for some types of delinquent behavior.
• Social Factors: Jean Pinatel indicates that an individual who has not had a close family relationship with their parents may fail to develop self-control, making it easier to adopt criminal behaviors.

The Impact of Family Problems

Among the social factors, the family problem is significant. If a household is characterized by negative aspects regarding the proper education of its members—especially children—it can trigger deviance. Collective conditioning is often the prelude to adult criminality, as the family transmits values, role models, love, indifference, and violence, among other cultural manifestations.