Deviance and Social Deviance and Social ControlControl

What is Deviance?What is Deviance?

DevianceDeviance: Behavior that violates : Behavior that violates the standards of conduct or the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or societyexpectations of a group or society Involves violation of group norms, which Involves violation of group norms, which

may or may not be formalized into lawmay or may not be formalized into law Subject to social definition within a Subject to social definition within a

particular society and at a particular particular society and at a particular timetime

Aren’t we all deviant?Aren’t we all deviant?

Defined as any behavior that departs Defined as any behavior that departs from societal or group normsfrom societal or group norms

Negative deviance Negative deviance (underconforming)(underconforming)

Positive deviance (overconforming)Positive deviance (overconforming) If never too thin is the norm, If never too thin is the norm,

Anorexia =?Anorexia =? Obesity = ?Obesity = ?

What is Deviance?What is Deviance?

Deviance and Social StigmaDeviance and Social Stigma StigmaStigma: Labels society uses to : Labels society uses to

devalue members of certain social devalue members of certain social groupsgroups

Deviance and TechnologyDeviance and Technology Technological innovations can Technological innovations can

redefine social interactions and redefine social interactions and standards of behavior related to themstandards of behavior related to them

Biological and Psychological Biological and Psychological TheoriesTheories

BiologicalBiological Physical traits, body type leads to crimePhysical traits, body type leads to crime Personality, intelligence, and anatomyPersonality, intelligence, and anatomy

PsychologicalPsychological Criminal personalityCriminal personality

Why Sociologists Critique Why Sociologists Critique PsychologistsPsychologists

Often ignore social, economic, and Often ignore social, economic, and cultural factorscultural factors

Miss other crimes like white-collar Miss other crimes like white-collar crimecrime

View deviance as physical or View deviance as physical or psychiatric not socialpsychiatric not social

Cannot explain variation (why some Cannot explain variation (why some people and not others)people and not others)

Nature focused not nurtureNature focused not nurture

Three CircumstancesThree Circumstances

Social status and power of individualSocial status and power of individual Saints and RoughnecksSaints and Roughnecks

Social context of behaviorSocial context of behavior gamblinggambling

Historical period of behaviorHistorical period of behavior Sex, drugs, rock and rollSex, drugs, rock and roll

Social ControlSocial Control

Social controlSocial control: Techniques and : Techniques and strategies employed for preventing strategies employed for preventing deviant human behavior in any deviant human behavior in any societysociety ParentsParents Peer groupsPeer groups CompaniesCompanies GovernmentGovernment

Social ControlSocial Control

SanctionsSanctions: penalties and rewards : penalties and rewards for conduct concerning a social normfor conduct concerning a social norm Death penalty ultimate formal sanctionDeath penalty ultimate formal sanction Subject of controversy centered on Subject of controversy centered on

effectiveness of this sanction as social effectiveness of this sanction as social controlcontrol

Conformity and ObedienceConformity and Obedience

ConformityConformity: Going along with peers : Going along with peers who have no special right to direct who have no special right to direct behaviorbehavior

ObedienceObedience: Compliance with higher : Compliance with higher authorities in an hierarchical authorities in an hierarchical structurestructure

Criminal Justice SystemCriminal Justice System

Police, Courts, Correctional SystemPolice, Courts, Correctional System Deterrence (drinking and driving?)Deterrence (drinking and driving?) Retribution (making them pay)Retribution (making them pay) Incarceration (them away from us)Incarceration (them away from us) Rehabilitation?Rehabilitation?

Bowling for Columbine?Bowling for Columbine?

US versus the world?US versus the world? Better economy means less crime?Better economy means less crime?

Informal and Formal Social Informal and Formal Social ControlControl

Informal social controlInformal social control: Used : Used casually to enforce normscasually to enforce norms Smiles, laughter, raised eyebrows, Smiles, laughter, raised eyebrows,

ridiculeridicule Formal social controlFormal social control: Carried : Carried

out by authorized agentsout by authorized agents Informal social control can undermine Informal social control can undermine

formal social control, encouraging formal social control, encouraging people to violate social normspeople to violate social norms

Law and SocietyLaw and Society

Some norms are so important to a Some norms are so important to a society that they are formalized into lawssociety that they are formalized into laws LawLaw: Governmental social control: Governmental social control

The legal order reflects values of The legal order reflects values of those in a position to exercise authoritythose in a position to exercise authority

Control TheoryControl Theory: Connection to : Connection to members of society leads people to members of society leads people to systematically conform to society’s normssystematically conform to society’s norms

Functionalist PerspectiveFunctionalist Perspective

Durkheim’s LegacyDurkheim’s Legacy Punishments established within Punishments established within

a culture help define acceptable a culture help define acceptable behavior and contribute to stabilitybehavior and contribute to stability

Erikson illustrated boundary-Erikson illustrated boundary-maintenance function of deviancemaintenance function of deviance

AnomieAnomie: Loss of direction felt in : Loss of direction felt in society when social control of individual society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffectivebehavior has become ineffective

Functionalist PerspectiveFunctionalist Perspective

Merton’s Theory of DevianceMerton’s Theory of Deviance Anomie Theory of DevianceAnomie Theory of Deviance: :

5 basic forms of adaptation5 basic forms of adaptation ConformistConformist InnovatorInnovator RitualistRitualist

• Retreatist• Rebel

Interactionist PerspectiveInteractionist Perspective

Cultural Transmission TheoryCultural Transmission Theory Cultural transmissionCultural transmission: Humans learn : Humans learn

how to behave in social situations, how to behave in social situations, whether properly or improperlywhether properly or improperly

Differential associationDifferential association: Process : Process through which exposure to attitudes through which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads favorable to criminal acts leads to the violation of rules to the violation of rules (Sutherland)(Sutherland)

Interactionist PerspectiveInteractionist Perspective

Social Disorganization TheorySocial Disorganization Theory: : Increases in crime and deviance Increases in crime and deviance attributed to absence or breakdown attributed to absence or breakdown of communal relationships and social of communal relationships and social institutionsinstitutions Some claim social disorganization Some claim social disorganization

theory seems to “blame the victim”theory seems to “blame the victim”

Interactionist PerspectiveInteractionist Perspective

Labeling TheoryLabeling Theory: Attempts to : Attempts to explain why some people are viewed explain why some people are viewed as deviants while others are not; also as deviants while others are not; also known as societal-reaction approachknown as societal-reaction approach Societal-reaction approachSocietal-reaction approach: response : response

to to an act, not the behavior, determines an act, not the behavior, determines deviancedeviance

Interactionist PerspectiveInteractionist Perspective

Labeling and Agents of Social ControlLabeling and Agents of Social Control Focuses on police, probation Focuses on police, probation

officers, psychiatrists, judges, officers, psychiatrists, judges, teachers, employers, school teachers, employers, school officials, and other officials, and other regulators of social controlregulators of social control

Social constructionist Social constructionist perspectiveperspective: deviance : deviance product of the product of the culture we live inculture we live in

Conflict PerspectiveConflict Perspective

People with power protect their own People with power protect their own interests and define deviance to suit interests and define deviance to suit their needstheir needs Contend that the entire criminal justice Contend that the entire criminal justice

system system in the United States treats suspects in the United States treats suspects differently based on their racial, ethnic, or differently based on their racial, ethnic, or social-classsocial-class

Differential justiceDifferential justice: Differences in way : Differences in way social control is exercised over different social control is exercised over different groupsgroups

Crime: A Sociological ApproachCrime: A Sociological Approach

CrimeCrime: Violation of criminal law : Violation of criminal law for which governmental for which governmental authority applies formal penaltiesauthority applies formal penalties 6 types of crime differentiated by 6 types of crime differentiated by

sociologists:sociologists: VictimlessVictimless ProfessionalProfessional OrganizedOrganized White-collar and technology-basedWhite-collar and technology-based Hate crimesHate crimes Transnational crimeTransnational crime

Types of CrimeTypes of Crime

White Collar and Technology-Based White Collar and Technology-Based CrimeCrime White Collar crimeWhite Collar crime: Illegal acts : Illegal acts

committed in the course of business committed in the course of business activitiesactivities

Computer crimeComputer crime: Use of high technology to : Use of high technology to carry out embezzlement or electronic fraudcarry out embezzlement or electronic fraud

Corporate crimeCorporate crime: Any act by a corporation : Any act by a corporation that is punishable by the governmentthat is punishable by the government

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

Crime index is disproportionately Crime index is disproportionately devoted to property crimesdevoted to property crimes Only track crimes reported Only track crimes reported

to law enforcement agenciesto law enforcement agencies Victimization SurveysVictimization Surveys: Surveys of : Surveys of

ordinary ordinary people, not police officers, to determine people, not police officers, to determine whether they have been victims of whether they have been victims of crimecrime

The Death Penalty in The Death Penalty in the U.S. and Worldwidethe U.S. and Worldwide

Looking at the IssueLooking at the Issue Execution significant form of punishment for Execution significant form of punishment for

deviance from social norms and criminal deviance from social norms and criminal behaviorbehavior

In North America, death penalty used for In North America, death penalty used for centuries to punish murder, alleged witchcraft, centuries to punish murder, alleged witchcraft, and other crimesand other crimes

Death penalty is still on the books in most statesDeath penalty is still on the books in most states As of late 2010, 95 nations renounced As of late 2010, 95 nations renounced

capital punishment, and many more use it capital punishment, and many more use it sparinglysparingly

Applying SociologyApplying Sociology Debate over the death penalty focused Debate over the death penalty focused

on its appropriateness as a form of on its appropriateness as a form of punishment and its value in deterring crimepunishment and its value in deterring crime

Sanctions against deviant acts help to Sanctions against deviant acts help to reinforce society’s standards of proper behaviorreinforce society’s standards of proper behavior

Death penalty also creates some dysfunctionsDeath penalty also creates some dysfunctions Conflict theorists: social inequality in Conflict theorists: social inequality in

society puts poor people at a disadvantagesociety puts poor people at a disadvantage

The Death Penalty in The Death Penalty in the U.S. and Worldwidethe U.S. and Worldwide

Initiating PolicyInitiating Policy Several states considering broadening Several states considering broadening

range of offenses for which convicted range of offenses for which convicted criminals may be sentenced to executioncriminals may be sentenced to execution

A movement away from the death penalty A movement away from the death penalty based on doubts about whether based on doubts about whether executions can be carried out humanelyexecutions can be carried out humanely

About 40 to 50 death sentences handed out About 40 to 50 death sentences handed out for the more than 15,000 reported murdersfor the more than 15,000 reported murders

International focus on China and IranInternational focus on China and Iran

The Death Penalty in The Death Penalty in the U.S. and Worldwidethe U.S. and Worldwide

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

Are the homeless deviant? (use Are the homeless deviant? (use theories)theories)

Where does self control come from?Where does self control come from? Use differential association theory to Use differential association theory to

solve recidivismsolve recidivism How is labeling good? Bad?How is labeling good? Bad? Labeling and mental illness?Labeling and mental illness? Why so much crime in US?Why so much crime in US?

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

What is the purpose of prisons?What is the purpose of prisons? Does capital punishment work?Does capital punishment work? What about terrorism?What about terrorism? Solutions?Solutions?