Deviance and Social Control

I. DevianceA. Deviance – behavior that departs from societal or

group normsB. Can vary from group to group and society to

societyC. Negative deviance – involves behavior that

underconforms to accepted norms• Obesity

D. Positive deviance – involves behavior that overconforms to social expectations• Anorexia

II. Social ControlA. Social control – ways to encourage

conformity to society’s normsB. Internal social control

1. Lies w/in the individual2. Is developed during the socialization process

C. External social control1. Based on social sanctions – rewards or

punishments that encourage conformity to social norms

III. Costs and Benefits of Deviance

A. Negative effects1. Erodes trust2. Can cause nonconforming

behaviors in others3. Expensive

B. Benefits of deviance1. Clarifies norms2. Temporary safety valve

• Watching TV to relieve stress3. Increases unity4. Promotes needed social change

IV. Theories of Deviance

A. Strain theory – theory that deviance is more likely to occur when a gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to achieve these goals by legitimate means

1. Responses to straina. Innovation – individual

accepts goal of success but uses illegal means to achieve it• Robbery, drug dealing

b. Ritualism – individual rejects goal of success but still uses the legitimate means• Teacher going

about daily routine of teaching w/out concern for students

c. Retreatism – deviant response that rejects both legitimate means and approved goals• Drug addicts,

“bag ladies”

d. Rebellion – reject both success and approved means for achieving it• Live in

isolation, threaten violent behavior

B. Differential association theory – individuals learn deviance in proportion to number of deviant acts they are exposed to• Deviance increases with

—Greater # of people known—Closer relationship with deviants —Younger age of exposure

C. Labeling theory – society creates deviance by identifying particular members as deviant1. Primary deviance – involves occasional

breaking of norms and isn’t part of person’s lifestyle

2. Secondary deviance – individual’s life and identity are organized around breaking norms

3. Stigma – undesirable trait or label that is used to characterize an individual

V. Race, Ethnicity and Crime

A. African Americans and Latinos are more likely than whites to be convicted and serve more time in prison than whites

B. Victim discounting – process of reducing the seriousness of crimes that injure people of lower status

C. White collar crime – job-related crimes committed by high-status people• Usually

economic crimes

VI. Approaches to Crime Control

A. Deterrence – discouraging criminal acts by threatening punishment

B. Retribution – criminals pay compensation for their acts

C. Incarceration – keeping criminals in prison

D.Rehabilitation – changing or reforming a criminal through socialization• Success measured through

recidivism – repetition of or return to criminal behavior

E. Alternatives to prison1. Combination of prison and probation –

designed to shock offenders into recognizing realities of prison life

2. Community-based programs – designed to reintroduce criminals into society

3. Diversion strategy – prevents or reduces offender’s involvement in criminal justice system through referral to community-based treatment programs

Overcrowding in California prisonsSean Bell videoEducation experience of young men of color

States with the death penalty

Information about the death penalty

A case of mistaken identity