DEVIANCE
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
What is Deviance?
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Deviance
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Deviance - The recognized violation of cultural norms.
Norms - Rules and expectations by which society guides the behavior of its members.
Biased towards the positive. Person who speaks up TOO much.
Biased towards the negative. Stealing
“Different” or “unexpected” are words often used to describe deviance from a sociological perspective.
Crime Violation of a society’s formally
enacted criminal law.
Social Control
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Social Control - the attempts a society makes at regulating thought and behavior with the goal of preventing deviance.
Criminal justice system A formal response by police, courts and
prison officials to alleged violations of the law.
Biological context
Biological factors may have a real but small effect on whether a person becomes a criminal.
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Personality factors Deviance is viewed as unsuccessful
“socialization”. Reckless & Dinitz – Containment Theory
Good boys – strong conscience, handled frustration & identified with cultural norms & practices.
Bad boys – weaker conscience, little toleration & didn’t go along with conventional culture.
Good boys – have the ability to control deviant impulses fewer run-ins with the law.
Discussion Question
To Polynesians, tattoos are symbols of high social standing.
How are tattoos regarded in our society?
Social Foundations of Deviance
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Deviance varies according to cultural norms. No thought or action is naturally deviant.
Gambling, prostitution, etc. People become deviant as others define them
that way. Talking to yourself, “borrowing” a pen from a
teacher. Both norms and the way people define rule-
breaking involve social power. Homeless person v. politician
Both may openly criticize government.
Discussion Question
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Critics objected to rock-and-roll in the 1950s (Elvis Presley), claiming that it underminded morality. Today, rock-and-roll is mainstream music.
Do you think there is any deviance in rock-and-roll?
What about other types of music? Any artists that come to mind? Why?
A framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity (unity) and stability.
The Functions of Deviance:Structural-Functional Analysis
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Emile Durkheim
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Four Essential Functions of Deviance: Affirms cultural values and norms
Deviance is needed. There can be no good without evil.
Clarifies moral boundaries Draws a line between right and wrong.
Promotes social unity Shared outrage. Ex. 9/11
Encourages social change Pushes boundaries.
Merton’s Strain Theory Does society provide the means to
achieve cultural goals? Conformity – Ex. School & hard work
wealth Pursuing conventional goals through normal
means. Innovation – Ex. Poor steal wealth
(gangsters) Unconventional means to achieve approved
goals. Ritualism – Ex. Can’t reach goals
conforms Accept institutional means; reject goals.
Retreatism – Ex. Drug addicts Rejects both cultural goals and means.
Rebellion – Ex. Establish a counterculture Rejects cultural goals & means in favor of an
alternate system. The gap between what “ought to be” and
“what is” leaves a person “strained”.
Figure 9-1 (p. 226)Merton’s Strain Theory of Deviance
Discussion Question Andres Serrano, a
photographer said that art reaches its greatest power when it is most provocative.
What title would you give this?
Is such work art or obscenity?
A framework for building theory that sees society as a product of the everyday interactions of individuals.
Labeling Deviance:Symbolic-Interaction Analysis
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Symbolic Interaction Analysis
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Basic idea behind the labeling theory - the assertion that deviance and conformity result not so much from what people do as from how others respond to those actions.
Primary deviance Passing episodes of norm violation that
most people take part in with little harm done to self-concept.
Secondary deviance When people “make something” of
another’s deviant behavior. Stigma
Powerful negative label that greatly changes a person’s self-concept and social identity.
Labeling Deviance Retrospective labeling
Interpreting someone’s past in light of present deviance.
Projective labeling Predicts future deviant
behavior. Medicalization of deviance
Transform moral and legal deviance into a medical condition.
Questions to determine if medical or moral issue:
Who responds? – Police or doctors
How people respond? – Offenders or patients
Personal competence of the deviant person? – competent or incompetent
Discussion Question
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Medicalization of Deviance – Do you think the following are personal weaknesses or illnesses?
Alcoholism, drug addiction, child abuse, sexual promiscuity, obesity
Sutherland’s Differential Association
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Deviant behavior is learned. Frequency of association is central to the
development of deviance. Deviance is linked to the amount of contact a
person has with others who encourage or discourage the behavior in question.
Hirschi’s Control TheoryHIRSCHI’S FOUR TYPES OF SOCIAL CONTROL Attachment
Strong social attachments encourage conformity. Commitment
The greater a person’s commitment to legitimate opportunities the greater the conformity.
Involvement Time and energies linked to “legitimate”
activities inhibit deviance. Ex. People who hang out waiting for
something to happen are likely to be deviant. Belief
Strong belief in conventional morality and respect for authority figures controls deviance.
Labeling: Critical Evaluation
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Works best with less serious deviance. Consequence of deviant labeling is
inconclusive. Some seek deviant labeling.
Discussion Question
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
People must sometimes deal with deviant labels when they have done nothing at all.
What about victims of violent rape – subjected to labeling as deviants based on the misguided assumption that they “led him on”?
Or individuals with AIDS, shunned by employers, friends and even family members?
A framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change.
Deviance and Inequality:Social-Conflict Analysis
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Social Conflict Analysis
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
SC links deviance to social inequality. Who/what is labeled as deviant depends
on which categories of people hold power in society
Norms or laws reflect interests of rich and powerful.
Deviance and Capitalism
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
White-collar crime Those committed by people
of high social position in the course of their occupations.
Corporate crime Illegal actions of a
corporation or people acting on its behalf.
Organized crime A business supplying illegal
goods or services.
Deviance, Race & Gender
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Deviance and Social Diversity Hate crimes
A criminal act against a person or person’s property by an offender motivated by racial or other bias.
Gender The world applies more
stringent normative controls to women.
Strain due to reality of gender-based inequality.
Judge the behavior of women and men differently.
Why do women commit fewer crimes than men?
2004 Hate Crime Data
Discussion Question
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Consider the differing reactions to the OJ Simpson acquittal: Most whites were stunned, most blacks were elated.
How and why does race shape our views of the criminal justice system?
Crime
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Crime The violation of criminal laws enacted by a
locality ,state, or the federal government. Two elements
The act itself Criminal intent
Types of Crimes Crimes against the person
Direct violence, or threat of it. Crimes against property
Involves theft of property. Victimless Crimes
Violations of law in which there are no obvious victims.
Ex. Prostitution & gambling
NATIONAL MAP 9-1 (P. 237)RISK OF VIOLENT CRIME ACROSS THE UNITED STATESTHIS MAP SHOWS THE RISK OF BECOMING A VICTIM OF VIOLENT CRIME. IN GENERAL, THE RISK IS HIGHEST IN LOW-INCOME, RURAL COUNTIES THAT HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF MEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIFTEEN AND TWENTY-FOUR. ALBERT COHEN & WALTER MILLER SUPPORT THIS ARGUMENT. AFTER READING THROUGH THIS SECTION OF THE TEXT, SEE WHETHER YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS PATTERN.SOURCE: AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHICS MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2000 ISSUE. COPYRIGHT © 2004 BY CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS.
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
The Street Criminal: a Profile Age-persons between the ages of 15
and 24 14% of population 39% of arrests for violent crime 46.8% of property crimes
Gender 70.1% of property crimes and 82.6% of
all violent crimes are committed by males.
Social class Violent crimes committed by a few in
poor neighborhoods. White collar and corporate crime
committed by more affluent. Race and ethnicity
69.7% of arrests involve white people. People of color are over criminalized.
The U.S. Criminal Justice System
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Justice System
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Police: primary point of contact between population and criminal justice system Lots of discretion
How serious is the crime? What is the victim’s preference? Is the suspect cooperative or not? Have they arrested the suspect before? Are bystanders present? What is the suspect’s race?
Courts: plea bargaining often results in pressure to plead guilty
Reduced charge Reduced sentence
Justifications for Punishment Retribution
Moral vengeance inflicted. Deterrence
Discourage future criminality. Ex. Teacher threatens a tardy child with
detention to prevent them from being late again.
Rehabilitation Reform offenders while in prison.
Ex. Child gets caught with drugs several times, forced to go through rehab/counseling and placed in foster home.
Societal protection Temporary removal of offender through
incarceration. Permanent removal by execution.
Discussion Question
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
Between 1977 and 2003, 7,061 people were sentenced to death; 885 were executed.
Does this make the death penalty an “arbitrary lottery,” as opponents claim or a filter reserving death for only the worst offenders, as supporters claim?
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