SOCIAL CONTROL

Societal attempts to regulate people’s thoughts & behavior: Three types

1. Personal Control2. Informal Social Control3. Formal Social Control

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMFormal response by police, courts, and

prison officials to alleged violations of law

Early interest in deviance (criminality) focused on biological causes

Criminals stand out physically

Cesare Lombroso, Facial (1835-1909)

Sheldon, Body structure

To the trained eye people organized into categories.

Those in group "A" are shoplifters

"B" are swindlers

"H" are purse snatchers,

"E" are murderers, etc.

You can see a man's real character at a glance.

Body structure and criminalitySheldon

CRITIQUE: BIOLOGICAL CRITIQUE: BIOLOGICAL THEORIESTHEORIES

1. Limited to explanation of crime

2. Most actions defined as deviant are carried out by people who are physically normal

Deviance

• Behavior, belief, or condition that violates social norms

• Skipping

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YsJ186p17U

• Examples:1. Drinking too much2. Robbing a bank3. Laughing during a funeral

Deviance vs Conformity

Range of unacceptable behavior outside ideal norm

Outside the boundary = deviance

Body Mass Index Calculator

BMI Weight StatusBMI Weight Status

Below 18.5 Underweight 18.5 – 24.9 Normal 25.0 – 29.9 Overweight 30.0 and Above Obese

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm

Over conformingOver conforming

Under Under conforming->conforming->

Normative Definition

Deviance--Violation of a Violation of a normnorm, a socially-shared standard of conduct

Norms=What persons should/should not do Behaviors that are “normal” in certain situations

Most popular sociological definition of deviance

Legalist Definition

Deviance is an act that breaches a law.

Problem 1: Not all deviant acts are illegal.

Problem 2: Not all illegal acts are deviant.

Structural-Functionalist Functions of Deviance:Functions of Deviance: Affirms cultural values Generates & sustains morality Clarifies moral boundaries Promotes social unity Encourages social change

Absolutist View of Deviance

2 fundamental types of human 2 fundamental types of human behaviorbehavior1. Inherently good2. Inherently bad

Deviance is potentially destructive Deviance is potentially destructive Society needs to control or

eliminate

Relativism and Deviance

Location: Speaking loudly during church service Speaking loudly at a party would not.

Taking the life of another person During war, deviant

4/2 Relativism and Deviance Time Period: Alcoholic beverages legal to

produce, transport, and sell Not legal—Prohibition:January 16, 1919 Legal:Repealed in 1933

Age: 5-year-old can cry in a supermarket Older child or adult cannot

Relativism and Deviance

Social status: Famous people, rich people

Culture: United States: Customers do not barter or

negotiate for goods

Other countries: People haggle over the price Not to do so is deviant

Other Influences on Definitions of Deviance

Situational Circumstances

Societal Reaction TheoriesSocietal Reaction Theories

Processes by which:• Certain types of behavior become viewed as unacceptable, deviant, or criminal

Deviance is not a quality of an act

Deviance is based on reaction

Societal ReactionSocietal Reaction

•Symbolic interaction theory

•Labeling theory

Societal Reaction TheoriesSocietal Reaction Theories

Symbolic Interactionism

Stresses the importance of the real or imagined reactions of others upon how we act and how we view of ourselves.

Labeling Theory•Society causes deviance

•How and why society labels certain behaviors deviant

• Response to behavior

•Rather than behavior

Mental Disordershttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv49RFo1ckQ&feature=player_embedded

20 Million Kids & Adolescents are labeled with "mental disorders" based on a checklist of behaviors. No brain scans, x-rays, genetic or blood tests can prove they are "mentally ill

Edwin Lemert: Primary and Secondary Deviation

• Process of labeling• Deviant behavior results from a stigmatized

sense of self• Primary deviance: General deviance before

labeling

• Example: Person gets drunk several times—sees self as enjoying party

•

Secondary Deviance

• Result of labeling

• Example: Person notices that friends hide liquor during visits

• Sees self as a ‘drunk’ Continues to get drunk

Merton’s Strain Theory

• Some deviance may be necessary for society to function

• Extent and kind of deviance • Depends on whether society provides the

means to achieve cultural goals

• Conformity=Pursuing cultural goals through approved means

CONFORMITY

SOCIALLLY APPROVED GOAL:

Making $$$

• SOCIALLY APPROVED MEANS:

• Get a college education

• Work Hard

DEVIANCE: Innovation SOCIALLLY

APPROVED GOAL:

Making $$$

NOT SOCIALLY APPROVED MEANS:

Sell illegal drugs

White collar crime

Join the mafia

Deviance: Ritualism SOCIALLLY

APPROVED GOAL:

Making $$$

FAIL TO ACHIEVE SOCIALLY APPROVED GOAL:

Keep working hard anyway

Deviance: Retreatism SOCIALLLY

APPROVED GOAL:

Making $$$

REJECT GOAL AND THE MEANS:

Work in supermarket & live with parents

Deviance: Rebellion SEEK NEW

GOAL:

Adventure Promoting

equality

NEW MEANS

Work for political change

Start a revolution Join a cult

Medicalization of Deviance

Transformation of moral and legal deviance into a medical condition

Moral terms“Bad” or “Good”

Legal terms“Crime” or “Legal”

Medical terms “Sick” or “Well”

THE DIFFERENCE LABELS MAKE

Three consequences:

1. Who responds to deviance

2. How people respond

3. Personal competence of the person

TRAVIS HIRSCHI: CONTROL THEORY

Conformity linked to four types of social control1. Attachment1. Attachment–> Significant others

2. Commitment2. Commitment—Course of action

3. Involvement3. Involvement—Legitimate use of time & energy

4. Belief4. Belief—Common values

Deviance is not simply the violation of some agreed upon rule

What is considered deviant is largely a function of the ability of groups with political powerpolitical power to impose their concept (or meaning) of right and wrong on the behavior of other groups.

Social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance

Social-Conflict ApproachSocial-Conflict Approach

1. Norms & laws of society reflect interests of rich & powerful

2. The Powerful have resources to resist deviant labels

3. Widespread belief that norms & laws are natural masks political character