Chapter 6 Soc 2010 Henslin

Deviance and Social Control

1

Chapter 6 Overview

What is Deviance?

The Symbolic

Interactionist

Perspective

The Functionalist

Perspective

The Conflict

Perspective

Types of Crime

The U.S. Prison

System


“It is not the act itself, but the reaction to the act, that make

something deviant.” Howard Becker, 1966

Deviance- refers to any violation of norms, whether

the infraction is as minor as driving over the speed

limit or as serious as murder (p. 142)

2


Canadian Hockey Team Celebrates Gold Medal


Deviance is a violation of societal norms

What is deviant to some is not deviant

to others

Unlike the general public, Sociology uses the term

“Deviance” non-judgmentally to refer to any act to which

people respond negatively.

Deviance is relative

To sociologist –all of us are deviants of one sort or

another… we all violate norms from time to time4


Is a specific form of deviance

Violation of rules that have been written into law

What constitutes crime will vary with cultures (e.g. Adultery in U.S. vs. Arab Countries or Profiteering in

China was until recently illegal where in the U.S. making lots of money on business deals

is desirable)

5


Erving Goffman

To be considered deviant a person does

not even have to do anything

Stigma = Characteristics that discredit people

(e.g. blindness, disability, facial deformity, obesity)

A stigma is a blemish on ones identity

A stigma is a violation of norms of appearance and ability

A person can have a stigma by being a member of an

involuntary group (e.g. victim of AIDS, brother of a rapist)6


7

Examples of

situations where

people deal with

stigma


By making behavior Predictable

Without norms we would have social chaos

Informal and Formal Norms (crimes)

Norms Bring About Social Order

8


Deviance undermines

predictability, which is the

foundation of social life

Consequently human groups have developed a system of social control

Social control is – the formal and informal means of enforcing norms.

http://improveverywhere.com/2010/01/10/no-pants-2010-nyc-reports/

9













We talked about this a bit in Chapter 2

Negative Sanctions- Expressions of disapproval of deviance (e.g. frowns and stares to imprisonment and capital

punishment)

Positive Sanctions- Reward people for conforming to norms

(e.g. smiles and awards, or getting a raise)

10


Socio-biologists

Look for Answers Inside Individuals

Genetic Predispositions

Look for Answers

Outside

Individuals

Social influences that “recruit” people

Sociologist

11

Psychologist

3 different options, Sociology favors “outside the individual”

Focus on Conditions Within Individuals

Personality Disorders


Functional Analysis, Symbolic Interaction, and Conflict Theory All provide different perspectives on Deviance.

12


13

1) Differential Association Theory

2) Control Theory

3) Labeling Theory


People learn deviance

Differential association = we learn to deviate from or conform to society’s norms primarily from the different groups we associate with.

Families- Of all jail inmates in the U.S. almost HALF have a father,

mother, brother, sister or spouse who has served prison time.

Friends, Neighborhoods, & Subcultures14


Created by Walther Reckless & Travis Hirschi

We all want to commit deviant acts but we don’t because of

inner and outer controls

The stronger the controls, the less likely deviance is to occur

Inner controls:

Conscience, Morals, Religious Beliefs

Outer controls:

Attachments, Commitments, Involvements

15


Focuses on the significance of the labels (names/

reputations) we are given. For example: “cheat” or “pervert”

One way to deal with deviance is to “Neutralize” the

Label associated with the deviant act.

There are 5 ways people try to reject labels:

1. Denial of Responsibility – “I am not responsible because….”

2. Denial of Injury – “No one got hurt”

3. Denial of a Victim – “He / She deserved what they got”

4. Condemnation of the Condemners – “Who are you to judge

me?”

5. Appeal to Higher Loyalties – “I had to help my friends” 16


Option 2: EMBRACE THE LABEL

Although most of us resist attempts to appear deviant… some people enjoy the deviant identity (at least on a part time bases).

Biker Gangs (Mark Watson’s Study)

17


According to Durkheim, deviance is

functional because:

1) It Affirms Moral Boundaries

2) Promotes Social Unity

3) Promotes Social Change

18


Robert Merton

We are all socialized to want certain

cultural goals but we don’t all have the

means to attain those goals

Because cultural goals (wealth or high status) are not

obtainable… People develop strain and a sense of anomie.

19

I died in 1990


Conformity – This is the most common response to strain

and is a non-deviant response

Innovator – Wants to achieve cultural goals but uses

illegitimate methods

Ritualism – Has given up on attaining cultural goals but

still clings to conventional means of conduct

Retreat – Rejects cultural goals and means to attain those

goals

Rebellion – Rejects cultural goals and tries to replace

them with own goals 20



22

White Collar Crime

More privileged social class

is not crime free… they just

have different illegitimate

opportunities

Crime that is committed by

those who have wealth and

power

Corporate crime is a type of

white collar crime

Street Crime

Industrialized societies have

no problem socializing the

poor to want items they can’t

afford / have.

Often committed by those of

the lower social classes as a

way to survive

Includes property crime


The law is used as a means to oppress

the masses

Those who have the wealth and power

often bypass the law and others must

pay full penalties

Every once in a while someone from

the upper social classes is

“showcased” so as to appear fair

23

Are you sick of me

yet?


The U.S. has the highest amount of

prisoners in the world

The recidivism rate is high; 2/3 of

those who commit violent crimes are

rearrested

The majority of prisoners are male,

have a high school education, and

are from the lower to middle social

classes 24





28


29


http://www.correctionsone.com/

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=correctionsone&init=quick#!/correctionsone?v=wall&ref=search

Deviant behavior does not stop

when people enter the prison system

30

http://www.correctionsone.com/

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=correctionsone&init=quick

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=correctionsone&init=quick

Documents

Chapter 6 Soc 2010 Henslin