Crime is a relative concept. This means that how society views criminal acts, can differ. Criminal acts in one society, may not be perceived as a criminal act in another society. Society may also differ in how to punish people for committing specific criminal acts (Broom and Selzsnck, 1963 p540, 541).
Deviance can be defined as behaviour which does not conform to certain norms of a specific society. (Haralambos & Holborn, 2008).
Defining crime or deviance is diverse amongst the many different cultures, history and from one social context to another (new texts p138) which causes big problems whilst defining and measuring crime or deviance as what is believed to be criminal or deviant behaviour in one society may be seen as legal or normal behaviour be another society. There are many theories relating to deviance and crime with each theory illustrating a different aspect of the procedure by which people break rules and are classed as deviants or criminals. (New texts p 138) This highlights the problems in defining crime or deviance.
Many believe crime and deviance developed on separate tracks over the years as criminologist serve only for legality, crime and crime-related phenomena. The study of deviance however serves for a wide range of behaviours that are not necessarily illegal for example suicide, alcoholism, homosexuality, mentally disordered behaviours. (Bader et al) the man difference between crime and deviance is deviant behaviour is when a social norm has been broken. Meaning crime can also be classed as deviant behaviour but deviance cannot be construed as crime (Jones p32).
Deviance is relative means that there is no absolute way of defining a deviant act. Deviance can be defined in relation to a particular standard and no standards are fixed or absolute. As such deviance varies from time to time and place to place. In a particular society should