Definition Of Deviance

A) WHAT IS DEVIANCE? o Def: Behavior, beliefs or conditions that violate significant norms in society, or the group in which it occurs. o Behavior-Belief-Condition o Based on “beliefs” or “deviation from the mean” o Crime is not necessarily a deviant (speeding) o Deviance is not necessarily a crime (assisting drowning).
1) Who defines deviance?
NOT inherent in specific behavior or person.
SOCIALLY-defined and relative to the situation.
CRIME- a violation of criminal law-punished by the CJ system.
Use of force or fraud in pursuit of self-interest
Defined via political power
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
“status offence” (ascribed status)
2) What is social control?
Def: Systematic practices developed by social groups to encourage conformity
to norms, and discourage deviance.
Internal
Internalized beliefs (via socialization)
External
Sanctioned by others
Formal
Police, Court and Correction systems
Informal
Family, Friends, General Public
B) FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON DEVIANCE
1) What causes deviance? Is deviance good? (Durkheim)
ANOMIE
Sense of futility; norms-weak, conflicting, absent
Rapid social change, lack of social integration
Deviance is UNIVERSAL; serves 3 functions
1) Deviance clarifies rules-affirms/clarifies meaning
2) Deviance unites group-solidarity is reinforced
3) Deviance promotes change-exposes “problems”
2) Strain theory: Goals and Means (Merton)
Goals and Means
Not “aligned”
Goal
American Dream (or something similar)
Means
Culturally approved access not available to all
Modes of Adaptation
Conformity, Innovation (goal w/o means), Ritualism (substitute goal b/c of means), Retreatism (give up and deny self), Rebellion
“Innovation” is crime, is a rational response to blocked means
C) CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE ON DEVIANCE
1) Deviance and Power
Laws (and norms) are defined by those with power, and do not represent consensus of right or wrong.
Ex. Marijuana Laws-Medical Marijuana
2) Deviance and Capitalism
Laws (and norms) protect the power and privilege of rich and economically powerful people and corporations.
Ex. Laws that restrict collective bargaining (i.e. unions)
D) SYMBOLIC INTERACTION PERSPECTIVES ON DEVIANCE
1) Differential Association (Diff Assoc) and Differential Reinforcement (Diff Rein)
Diff Assoc/ Diff Rein
Similar, but different
Diff Assoc (Sutherland)
Focus on social processes (roommate smoker)
Diff Rein (Akers)
Focus on sanctions (positive/negative)
2) Control Theory (Social Bonds/Social Integration)
Reckless and Hirschi
“Restraint” theories
Social Bonds/ties/integration
“Restrain” devices
Hirschi
Attachment
Seek approval of significant others
Commitment
To conventional “lines of action”
Involvement
In “conventional” activities
Belief
In the legitimacy of values and norms
3) Labeling Theory (Primary, Secondary Deviance)
Deviance/Crime is a social construction
Social Control Agents label behavior, beliefs and people as deviant
Labels are applied/ “accepted” and people act accordingly
Moral entrepreneurs
People/Organizations define deviance
E. CRIME, CLASSIFICATIONS AND STATISICS
1) How the Law classifies Crime
a. Misdemeanor and/or Felony (similar to folkways and mores)
b. Crime
Personal (Violent), Property, Public Order
Enterprise (Occupational, Corporate, Organized)
Political (Terrorism, State-sponsored)
2) Crime Statistics
a. Uniform Crime Report (UCR)
b. National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
c. Self-Reports
3) Street Crime and Criminals
a. Gender/Sex
Men offend at higher rates
b. Age
Age Curve (13-25, peak at 16-18)
c. Social Class propensity the same, magnitude varies
d. Race propensity the same, magnitude varies (i.e. SES)