Deviance and Crime
Acts that are considered deviant are not necessarily criminal acts. An act need not break the law to be considered deviant. A deviant act is simply any act that violates the accepted norms of the community, regardless of whether it breaks the law. For example, wearing a t-shirt with a curse word could be considered deviant to some, but due to the First Amendment, the words on the t-shirt itself wouldn’t be criminal. Individuals motivated by deviant behavior tend to commit acts that are perceived as breaking societal norms.
There continues to be a debate on the role of law enforcements in addressing devianceand crime. Discuss how the following should be addressed by law enforcement and determine if the act should be considered deviance or a crime:
?Letting your eight-year-old son go to school dressed as a girl
?Committing suicide
?Stealing bread and milk for your hungry children
?Getting married at 16 to a 70-year-old man
?Having a child at 14
?Being openly polygamous
Do you agree with the viewpoint that it’s not law enforcements’ role to police deviant acts and only focus on crimes committed against society?
Please add your references in APA. Thank you.