Unit 5: Deviance and criminal behavior are seen to be a major problem in modern society. In this unit you will discover that that is considered to be deviant and criminal is a matter of social definition. Since it is a matter of social definition you will also discover that ideas of what is deviant and criminal depends to a very great extent upon the society and groups of which we are members.
We will take a brief tour of different ways of explaining this relative, social deviance and crime. Finally we will conclude the tour with an examination of the question as to why most of us are not deviant or do not commit crimes.