Gottfredson and Hirschi The Generality of Deviance

Criminologists complain that they don’t control their own dependent variable 4 What is the D.V. in criminology? 4 Is this unique to criminology? –What about other fields? –SO WHAT?

“Classical Tradition” Vs. “Positivistic” Tradition 4 Classical School of Crime –All human behavior driven by a “hedonistic calculus” –Therefore, how do you prevent undesirable behaviors? 4 Positive School of Crime –Human behavior is “determined” by social, biological, or psychological forces (radical empiricism) –Search for unique causes to specific behaviors

Classical School Revisited 4 Individuals’ behaviors are controlled through sanctions. –The “mistake” of current criminology is to focus only on “political sanctions” –But others were articulated Moral Religious Physical

HERE IS THE HOOK 4 The sanctioning system is only useful for describing a behavior. –i.e., assault is “illegal,” or alcohol abuse is “deviant” –it has no bearing on what factors might cause the particular act –the theory of sin IS the theory of crime, deviance and imprudence

Where the Positivists Failed 4 Made the assumption that each type of behavior required a different type of explanation –“Property crime” different from “drug use” or “violent crime” –Tried to create a web of cause and effect with different forms of deviance and crime (drug and alcohol use causes violence)

The “Big Picture” that they missed 4 Crime, deviance, sin, and recklessness are not separate, or distinct “types” of behavior –Crime: a behavior sanction by the state –Deviance: a behavior sanction by society –Recklessness: natural sanctions 4 According to G&H, a better question is, “what do these behaviors have in common?”

The Generality of Deviance 4 All of these acts are pleasurable (but so are non-criminal acts)… –They have immediate consequences –They are physically and mentally easy –They are risky

G&H’s Definition of Crime 4 The use of force or fraud in pursuit of self- interest –Does this cover all crime? 4 Behaviors “analogous to crime” –Car accidents, adultery, alcohol and drug use

What is the Main Point? 4 Don’t get caught up in “deviance” versus “crime” or “recklessness.” –Those labels simply describe societies reaction to behaviors –Look instead at the commonality 4 The recognition that “deviance is constructed” has little bearing on theories designed to predict crime or deviance