Conduct Norms and Crime

The origin of the term norm is from the Latin word norma, which means a carpenter's square or rule. Thus in the English usage, a norm is a rule, standard, or pattern of action or inaction. Conduct norms (also known as “institutional norms”) therefore specifically refer to the accepted rules of behavior that regulate the lives of people, either in groups or societies. They are the standards by which reference to behavior is judged, and approved or disapproved. In the words of Sellin, norms are the rules that reflect the attitudes of the groups to which each of us belong, and their purpose is to define what is considered appropriate or normal behavior or what is inappropriate or abnormal behavior. Most other definitions, for example those of Weber (1954), Hoebel (1954), and Gibbs (1965), similarly emphasize that a norm necessarily represents a high degree of consensus in a social unit as to what the conduct of its members ought to be.

Conduct norms can be classified as general or specific. General conduct norms are acknowledged and practiced uniformly by all members of the society, whereas specific conduct norms are restricted to identifiable groups of people or subcultures, including ethnic and religious groups, gangs, and secret societies. The violation of either the general or specific norms constitutes social deviance.

The relevance of discussing conduct norms and crime centers on the implications that norms in general have for the liberty of the individual. On the one hand, it is suggested that the existence of norms interferes with the psychological freedom of the individual to do as he or she pleases, since his or her actions are subject to judgment by others as either in conformity with or in violation of the norms. Such violations would then attract negative sanctions, which, from the point of view of the individual, constitute an infringement on his or her liberty. On the other hand, conduct norms can be said to have the specific purpose of ensuring the freedom of the individual, in the sense that some norms specifically proscribe actions (such as rape or murder and other forms of violence) that constitute a violation of the rights of others. Furthermore, the fact that societies are constituted of a large number of separate but interrelated subcultures opens up the possibility that different subcultures can conflict with each other, often leading to the perpetration of serious violations or crimes.