What does the social construction of criminality emphasize?

• A. Criminal labels are defined by biological predispositions.
• B. All deviant acts are perceived equally across societies.
• C. The law defines crime in universal terms.
• D. They are created through social processes, power relations, and cultural norms.

Answer: (D)

Crime is understood as a product of social processes rather than something fixed in nature. The social construction of criminality looks at how acts become labeled as criminal through the actions of people in power, the legal system, media, and prevailing cultural norms. These labels reflect who holds influence in society and what values are prioritized at a given time or place. Because definitions of crime are shaped by social context, they can change across cultures and historical periods, and they are not applied in the same way everywhere.

That’s why the idea that criminal labels are created through social processes, power relations, and cultural norms best captures this concept. It contrasts with the notion that crime is driven by biology, or that all deviant acts are judged the same across societies, or that the law defines crime universally—none of which align with the idea that crime is a socially constructed category.