Deviance and Social Control

Deviance and Social Control Chapter 8Crime in the NewsPolls reveal that most American adults believe that youth are committing more violent crimes than in the past and that random school shootings are a growing threat. In reality, in 2001 the rate of murder committed by juveniles was at its lowest point since 1966. In addition, the chance of a child being killed while at school was 1 in 2M. Some experts cite an increased coverage of violent crime in the news as fueling Americans fear.Crime in the NewsWhat might be some of the sociological factors behind Americans fear of crime? What do these have in common?Continuously talking to oneself in publicDrag racing on a public street or highwayRegularly using illegal drugsA man wearing womens clothes Attacking another person with a weapon

Even sanctions cannot bring complete social controlDeviance: behavior that violates significant social norms Nature of deviance Countless norms that govern behaviorInsignificant: personal cleanliness or table mannersSignificant: taking someones life or stealing their property Not all norm violations are considered deviant It depends on the situationi.e. police officer or military personnel kill someone on dutyDeviance changes society to society Divorce is legal in the U.S. but illegal in PhilippinesTime period matters too Early 1900s, illegal to do business on Sundays Nature of deviance Labeled a deviant:Repeat offender: speeding ticketSingle act: murder, sexual assault, robbery Stigma: mark of social disgrace that sets the deviant apart from societyName some stigmasNo longer seen as being normal or wholeSocial functions of devianceDurkheim observes deviance as having uses in societyClarifying norms Unifies the groupDiffuses tensionPromotes social change Social functions of devianceCLARIFYING NORMS Deviance defines boundaries of acceptable behaviorPunishment for norm violators warns othersHarsh prison sentencing

Social functions of devianceUNIFYING THE GROUPDraws the line: conforming members & outsidersUs against them attitude

Durkheim believed it is so important to the maintenance of group unity, It would have to be invented if it did not exist naturally.Social functions of devianceDIFFUSING TENSION When were unhappy with society, we strike outMinor acts of deviance serve as safety valve Unauthorized protest

PROMOTING SOCIAL CHANGE When large #s of ppl violate a norm it indicates something

Social functions of deviancePROVIDING JOBSJudges, lawyers, police officers, prison personnel, etcCriminologist: social scientists who study criminal behavior Many other jobs; clothing, food services, architects, constructionhow? Explaining deviance:Functionalist perspective Strain theory (Kevin Merton): natural outgrowth of the values, norms, and structure of society High values on certain goals: economic success Not everyone can attain these goals; lack of social conditions or educationAnomie: when norms of society are unclear & no longer applicable No guidelines for behavior for ppl Merton: ppl respond to culturally approved goals and legitimate means of achieving them in five ways

Mertons structural strain theory of deviance Model of AdaptionCultural GoalsCultural NormsConformity Accept Accept Innovation; want to be rich but reject acceptable means of gaining wealth AcceptRejectRitualism; pass on promotion rather than face failure RejectAcceptRetreatism; beggars, drug addicts, hermitsRejectRejectRebellionReject and replaceReject and replaceExplaining deviance:Conflict perspective Competition and inequality lead to deviance Struggle between: Ruling Class and Lower ClassRuling Class: power, commit deviant acts to retain power Lower Class: 2 reasons; obtain economic rewards or feeling of powerlessness Ruling class label any behavior that threatens their power, deviant Est. ideology belief system that explain deviance as a problem found primarily in lower classLaw enforcement efforts directed towards crimes committed by lower classExplaining deviance:interactionist perspective 3 major explanations control theory: a deviant behavior in which deviance is seen as a natural occurrence and conformity is seen as as the result of social controlInterested in why ppl conformStrong community ties=lower deviance, vise versa Ppl develop social bonds in 4 ways1. Form attachments w/ others, 2. strong belief in moral codes, 3. commitment to societal values, 4. involved in nondeviant activities Explaining deviance:interactionist perspective Those w/ strong self-control conform, vise versa Self-control based on childhood socialization^self-control= parents punished you for deviant acts Cultural transmission theory: deviance is a learned behavior through interaction w/ others *others* are committing deviant acts Differential association: closeness of association a person has w/ a deviant/nondeviant individuals more deviants=more deviant behavior, vise versa Explaining deviance:interactionist perspective Sykes and Matza say that some ppl have strong commitment to societal norms, yet still engage in devianceTechniques of neutralization: ppl suspend moral beliefs to commit deviance5 techniques: Denying responsibility, denying injury, denying the victim, condemning the authorities, and appealing to higher loyalties Labeling theory: focuses on how individuals come to be identified as deviant 2 types: Primary and Secondary deviance Explaining deviance:interactionist perspective Severity of deviance:Primary: nonconformity that goes undetected by those in authority Acts that are well concealed or occasional deviant actsSecondary: ind. Being labeled a deviant and accepting the label as true Degradation ceremony: public setting where an ind. Is denounced, found guilty, and given a new identityLife changing event 8.2 CrimeCrime: act that is labeled by authority that is prohibited by law and punishable by govt

Crime stats: (arrests)67% Caucasian 30% African American (only 12% of the total pop.)78% male50% 25 and younger75% 35 and youngerCrime stat exceptionsNot all complaints make the official statisticsLess likely to report when family involved Police more likely to report when upper class affected Complaints filed based on attitude of indiv. filing complaintTypes of crime: Violent Murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault (small %)Occur every 22 sec. Aggravated assault every 35 sec. Robbery every min. Rape every 6 min. Murder every 33 min. Most victims of violence are AA AA men 18-24 are 8x more likely then AA women to be victims, 8x white men, and 30x more likely than white women

Types of crime:Crime against poverty Property crime: burglary, larceny, car theft and arson Much more common than violent crimesEvery 3 seconds ^ or v with pop. Changes1980s & 1990s ^ in crime due to illegal drug use

Types of crime: White-collarWhite-collar crime: offenses committed by ind. of high social statusTax evasion, embezzlement, price fixing, pollution, insider trading, political corruption, etc. Corporations are charged even though indiv. commit the act Estimates; white collar crimes cost the U.S. $300B+ a year

Criminal justice system Criminal justice system: syst. of police, courts, and correctionsOnce a crime is committed it falls herePOLICEPolice discretion: decision of who is actually arrestedSeriousness of offense, wishes of the victim, attitude of suspect, if bystanders are present, and race Racial profiling: assuming that nonwhite Americans are more likely to commit a crime than white Americans Criminal justice system COURTSAfter arrest is made, responsibility lies in courtDetermine innocence or guilt If guilty, assign punishment Most cases are settled through plea Plea bargaining: legal negotiation that allows the accused to plead guilty to a lesser charge for a lighter sentence

Criminal justice system CORRECTIONS Corrections: sanctions such as imprisonment, parole, and probation, used to punish criminals Serve 4 basic functionsRetribution Deterrence Rehabilitation Social protection Recidivism: repeated criminal behavior 62% new crimes, 41% return to prison w/in 3 years of release Criminal justice system JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM Until the 60s juveniles werent rep. the same as adultsBc of age, couldnt be expected to be as responsible as adults Courts now guarantee same legal rights as priv. adults Juveniles can still be tried as adults Juvenile courts try to provide more services than adult courts