Deviance and Social Control
description
Transcript of Deviance and Social Control
Deviance and Social Control
Chapter 6
Chapter Overview
I. Introductory “Quiz”II. BackgroundIII. Perspective: Symbolic
InteractionistIV. Perspective: FunctionalistV. Perspective: Conflict TheoryVI. Reactions to DevianceVII.Review
I. Introductory “Quiz”
1. Bolivian Indians chew coca leaves to get high.
False
2. Deviants are sick.
False
3. Society causes deviance.
True
4. Families can cause deviance.
True
5. A label can cause a person to become a
deviant.True
6. Deviance is functional.True
7. Our criminal justice system favors the upper class and is biased against the working
class.True
8. Upper class members have more opportunities to commit
crime than lower class members.
It’s debatable.
9. American prisons are designed to rehabilitate
criminals to become productive members of society.
False
10. There is no such thing as mental illness.
According to Thomas Szasz, True
II. Background
A. What is deviance?B. Standing roll: Deviance is
inevitableC. What part do norms play?D. Sanctions
E. Explanations for Deviance 1. Biological2. Psychological3. Sociological
1. Biologicala. William Sheldon’s body typesb. Extra Y chromosomec. “All have been discredited,” …
let’s talk about this.
2. Psychologicala. Criminals and deviants are morally
inferior and have personality deficiencies
b. Ignores the fact that most criminals are “normal.”
3. Sociological: Group Work: Why did she mutilate her body?
a. Symbolic Interactionist Differential association (p. 134) Control Theory (p. 135) Labeling theory (p. 136)
b. Functionalist Strain theory (p. 140) Illegitimate Opportunity Structures
(p. 141)
Y.J.U.: Which theory has the most explanatory power?
Merton’s Theory
Gangs: True/False “Quiz”
1. According to some sociologists, deviance may serve a useful purpose in
society.True
2. Official crime statistics provide highly accurate
information about how many crimes occur in the United
States.False. They reflect only crimes that have been reported to law
enforcement officials, not all offenses that are committed.
Criminal Case MortalityCriminal Case Mortality refers to the number of
cases that drop out of the criminal justice system at each stage of processing
National Crime Survey
estimate of total number
of rapes 141,000
Rape complaints reported to
police
97,761
Suspects identifi
ed 50,346
Suspects prosecuted for
rape or attempted rape
37,266Convicted
rapists sent to prison 11,549
Suspects convicted of rape
24671
3. Most people join gangs to escape from broken
homes caused by divorce or the death of a parent.
False. Recent studies have found that people join gangs for a variety of
reasons, including recreation, protection, and the desire to gain
access to money.
4. Juvenile gangs are an urban problem; few rural areas have
problems with gangs.False. Central-city gangs organized
around drug dealing have become prominent recently, but gangs are
found in rural areas throughout the country. Recently, areas of the Midwest and Southwest that once were thought to be immune to gangs have seen an
increase in gang-related violence.
5. Street crime has a much higher economic cost to
society than crimes committed in executive suites or by
government officials.False. Street crime (assault, robbery, etc.) has a greater psychological cost,
but white collar crime has a far greater economic cost, especially for
U.S. taxpayers.
6. Persons aged fifteen to twenty-four account for almost half of all arrests for property
crimes such as burglary, larceny, arson, and vandalism.
True. They account for about 46% of all arrests for property
crimes, the most common crimes committed in the United States.
7. Virtually all gangs are made up of persons from lower-
income families.False. Many gang members do; however, some young people from middle- and upper-middle-income backgrounds create or join
gangs for status or protection against other gangs.
8. Many gang members continue their membership
into adulthood.True. Many do and some move into adult
criminal activity. However, others cease participating in gang activities.
VI. Reactions to Deviance
A. Negative sanctions
B. Degradation ceremonies
C. Imprisonment: motivations for
1. Retribution2. Deterrence3. Rehabilitation4. Incapacitation KVPR clip
Federal Prosecution of Public Corruption 1975-1991
Inmates in U.S. State Prisons, 1995
Deviant and Criminal Behavior
Conforming Behavior
Actor complies with legal code
Actor violates legal codeActor complies
with group norms
Actor violates group norms
Deviant Behavior
Criminal Behavior
Deviant and Criminal Behavior
D. Medicalization: Dr. Thomas Szasz
VII. ReviewDeviance = behavior contrary to
dominant norms of societyBIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS
(mostly discredited)1. William Sheldon’s body types
Endomorphic = soft and fatEctomorphic = thin and fragileMesomorphic = muscular and most prone to crime
2. Extra Y chromosome theory = criminals have an XYY chromosome makeup rather than XY makeup.
Psychological Explanations1. Criminals and deviants are morally
inferior and suffer from keen personality deficiencies
2. Neglects the fact that most criminals are “normal” people
SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS1. Robert K. Merton: Strain Theory or
Theory of Opportunity StructuresA. Importance of financial successB. Not everyone has equal opportunity to
achieve successC. This strain creates deviant behavior
2. Edwin H. Sutherland: Differential Association– Criminal behavior is learned though
interaction
3. Labeling TheoryA. No act is inherently deviantB. Deviance results from labeling specific acts or
persons
CRIME1. Acts contrary to legal code or laws2. Types of crimes
A. Against persons Violent crimes (rape, homicide, assault) Usually young, urban, poor, racial minorities
B. Against property I.E., theft including white collar crime, drug
trafficking; corporate crime such as pollution
C. Against morality Victimless crimes (illegal gambling,
prostitution)
1. Why do sociologists say that deviance is relative?
2. What is the difference between functionalist and conflict views on social control?
3. Why are norms and social control necessary?
4. What are the biological, psychological, and social explanations of deviance?
5. How do people tend to neutralize their deviance?
6. In what ways is deviance functional?
7. What is Merton’s strain theory?8. What are the four types of
responses to anomie?9. What does social class have to do
with crime?10.Explain the conflict view of the
relationship between class, crime, and the criminal justice system.
11.Why is there a need to use more than one theory to explain deviance?
12.How can the different theories be combined?
13.What are sanctions, degradation ceremonies, and imprisonment?
14.What are the problems with imprisonment?
15.What is the purpose of the death penalty and how is it biased in its use?
16.Why don’t official statistics accurately reflect crime in the U.S.?
17.What is the medicalization of deviance?
18.How do social conditions like homelessness contribute to mental illness?
19.Does America need a more humane way to deal with deviance? Why? Why not?