To be a crime, a deviant act must be defined in a formal code upheld by political authority.

Question

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This is a basic concept of criminology - that crime is defined in law and enforced by political authority. Acts that are not defined as crimes in the law may still be considered deviant, but they are not criminal acts. This is the definition of a crime according to the legal definition of deviance. It must be a violation of a formal law or code established and enforced by government authorities.

To Be a Crime, a Deviant Act Must Be Defined