Deviance any variation from the social norm Macionis, Sociology Chapter Nine.
-
Upload
bernard-ward -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
0
Transcript of Deviance any variation from the social norm Macionis, Sociology Chapter Nine.
42510011 0010 1010 1101 0001 0100 1011
Devianceany variation from
the social norm
Macionis, SociologyChapter Nine
2
Deviance• The recognized violation of cultural norms
– Biased towards the positive– Biased towards the negative– “Different” or “unexpected” are words often
used to describe deviance from a sociological perspective
• Distinct areas– Crime or criminal deviance (laws)
• Violation of a society’s formally enacted criminal law
– Non-conformance or rule breaking
3
Social ControlThe attempts a society makes at regulating thought and behavior
• 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 modest effect on
whether a person becomes a criminal
• Personality factors– Deviance is viewed as unsuccessful socialization”
4
Social Foundations of Deviance
• Deviance varies by cultural norms
• People become deviant as others perceive, define, and label
• Deviance involves social power– Rule-makers, rule-breakers, and rule-
enforcers– Norms and applying them are linked to
social position
5
Emile Durkheim:Functions of deviance:
structural-functional analysis
• Affirms cultural values and norms
• Clarifies moral boundaries
• Promotes social unity
• Encourages social change
• Flaw in theory – people do not always come
together to fight crime
6
Merton’s Strain TheoryThe gap between what “ought to be” and
“what is” leaves a person “strained”
• Conformity – Pursuing and reaching goals via normal
means, i.e. American dream• Innovation
– Unconventional means to achieve approved goals, i.e. wealth via crime
• Ritualism – Accept means; cannot reach so reject goals
• Retreatism: – reject goals and means
• Rebellion– Define new goals and means to achieve goals
Figure 9-1 (p. 220)Merton’s Strain Theory of DevianceCombining a person’s view of cultural goals and the conventional means to obtain them allowed Robert Merton to identify various types of deviants.Source: Merton (1968).
Issue with this theory is not everyone seeks wealth as defined by Merton
8
Labeling DevianceSymbolic-interaction analysis
The assertion that deviance and conformity result not so much from what people do as from how others respond to those actions.
• Primary deviance– Episodes of norm violation that most people take part in with
little harm done to self-concept (skipping class)
• Secondary deviance– When people “make something” of another’s deviant behavior
(substance abuser)
• Stigma– Powerful negative label that greatly changes a person’s self-
concept and social identity
9
Labeling Deviance• Retrospective labeling
– Re-interpreting someone’s past in light of
present deviance (Monday Morning Quarterback)
• Prospective labeling
– Predicts future deviant behavior
• Medicalization of deviance– Transform moral and legal deviance into a
medical condition
10
Labeling: Critical Evaluation
• Works best with less serious deviance
• Consequence of deviant labeling is inconclusive
• Some seek deviant labeling
11
Deviance and InequalitySocial-conflict analysis
• Deviance and power– Norms or laws reflect interests of rich and
powerful
– Powerful have resources to resist deviant labels
– Belief that norms and laws are natural and good masks political character
12
CrimeThe violation of criminal laws enacted by a
locality state, or the federal government
• Two elements– The act itself – Criminal intent
• Crimes against the person– Direct violence OR threat of it
• Criminal statistics– Victimization surveys state crime rate is two to
four times higher than official reports
National Map 9-1 (p. 230)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. 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.
Crime Clock Handout
14
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
15
Deviance and Capitalism
• 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 o
its behalf
• Organized crime– A business supplying illegal goods or services
17
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
-- Martin Luther King Jr.