The False Allegation: A Construct of Deviance

Abstract

Everyone has told a lie at some point in their life, whether it be to protect themselves or to protect others. We often tell the so called "white lie" so as not to hurt the feelings of others, and we might lie to ourselves about some aspect of our life such as weight gain or personal happiness. But lying is not in itself a crime when done in the context of interpersonal relationships, though depending on the nature and extent of the lie they could most certainly be viewed as a deviant behavior. However, there are times when lying is a crime, especially when the lie is told to police or other mandated investigators, especially when the lie is about involvement in criminal activity. This includes false statements made to the authorities regarding crimes that did not occur, as well as false statements about one's involvement.