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?