Criminal and Noncriminal Behavior, Essay Example

Criminal behavior can be characterized as deviant. This deviance is any action that is found to go against the norm that society has set in place. Thus, in different cultures, or in different societies, criminal behavior is classified as differences in those societies according to what is considered normal in those societies. Typically however, there are established rules that, should a person go against them, would deem that person a criminal. Chief among these rules would be murder. Thereby, we’ve established what one form of deviant, or criminal behavior. Noncriminal behavior then would be anyone that adhered to the established rules of society.

Criminal behavior may also go a step beyond murder and encompass general acts of aggression such as violence toward another human being, or physical assault. These two actions are a step below murder but certainly go against established normalcy in society. An exception to this rule would be violent acts committed in self-defense. Self-defense is considered permissible in the court of law as an established legitimate reason as to why someone would act deviantly. Self-defense is considered okay because it behavior that is a reaction to actions brought against that person. Although criminal behavior would deem murder deviant, a person would not be a criminal if they committed murder in self-defense. The rules establishing a difference between criminal and noncriminal behavior are contingent upon place and circumstance.