Social Deviance Constructing Difference

Cost of White Collar/Corporate Crime 1997 estimate that WC crime cost $ billion—far greater than the cost of street crimes; –FBI estimates that burglary and robbery costs the nation $3.8 billion a year –GAO estimates government alone is defrauded out of $100 billion a year

Cost of White Collar/Corporate Crime Deaths from work-related incidents alone (including violations of OSHA) are greater than deaths from all the crime index crimes reported to the Justice Department combined (1997) According to your text, “Between 1982 and 2002, about 170,000 American workers died on the job…[W]orkplace safety agencies investigated 1,798 fatality cases in which companies willfully violated workplace safety laws” (p. 243).

Cost of White Collar/Corporate Crime December 23, 1984 – 5,000 killed instantly and up to half a million are injured when methyl isocynate gas leaks from a Union Carbide factory

Punishment for White Collar/Corporate Crime When white collar criminals are arrested, studies indicate that they are: –more likely to have their cases dismissed (40% vs. 26%) –more likely not to have to put up bail (13 % vs. 40 %) –more likely to be given probation than a jail term (54% vs. 40 %) –more likely to be given a shorter sentence, if sentenced to jail (29 months vs. 50 months)

Life at “Club Fed”

Problems with Social Conflict Approach Assumes that laws and cultural norms are created directly by the rich and powerful Conflict theorists only give one reason why enforcement against white collar crimes is less than street crimes (elite power) –complex nature of white collar crimes (can’t always tell if a crime has occurred)

Who gets to define what is deviant? Labeling Theory: States that deviance is the consequence of the application of rules and sanctions to an offender; a “deviant” is individual who has been successfully labeled as suchLabeling Theory Stigma is a powerfully negative social label that can dramatically change a person’s self identity One benefit of having power = ability to resist label. ©Pine Forge Press, an imprint of Sage Publications, 2008.

The Power of Labels Mentally Ill as a stigmatizing label Rosenhan study, “On Being Sane in Insane Places” Other stigmatizing labels –HIV Positive –Traitor –Child MolesterChild Molester

Other Theoretical perspectives Structural Functionalism: Functions of deviance: –affirms cultural values and norms –reaction to deviance clarifies moral boundaries and promotes social unity –deviance encourages social change

How do people become deviant? Merton’s (1957) Strain Theory: deviance occurs when culturally approved goals cannot be achieved by culturally approved means. –Five potential responses to Strain: Conformity Innovation Ritualism Retreatism Rebellion

Responses to Strain MeansGoals Conformity ++ Innovation -+ Ritualism +- Retreatism -- Rebellion +/-

Election Issues Bans on same-sex marriage passed in: –Florida –Arizona –California? Single individuals prohibited from adopting or serving as foster parents in Arkansas Colorado and South Dakota rejected measures that would place limits on abortion Michigan voted to allow human embryonic stem cell research (with limitations) Medicinal use of marijuana approved in Michigan Massachusetts decriminalized the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana Nebraska voted to eliminate affirmative action programs in the state Washington state voted to allow physician assisted suicide South Carolina voted to raise the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16

Symbolic Interaction Sutherland’s (1955) Differential Association Theory People learn deviant patterns of behavior from people with whom they associate on a regular basis: friends, family members, peers.

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