In
criminology,
public-order crime is defined by Siegel (2004) as "crime which involves acts that interfere with the operations of society and the ability of people to function efficiently", i.e., it is behaviour that has been labelled criminal because it is contrary to shared
norms, social values, and
customs. Robertson (1989:123) maintains a crime is nothing more than "an act that contravenes a law". Generally speaking,
deviancy is
criminalized when it is too disruptive and has proved uncontrollable through informal sanctions.