1. Deviant Behavior and Social Control Chapter 7

2. Learning Objectives Understand deviance as culturally relative.
Explain the functions and dysfunctions of deviance.
Distinguish between internal and external means of social control.
Differentiate among the various types of sanctions.
Describe and critique biological, psychological, and sociological theories of deviance.
Discuss the concept of anomie and its role in producing deviance.
Know how the Uniform Crime Reports and the National Crime Victimization Survey differ as sources of information about crime.
Describe the major features of the criminal justice system in the United States.

3. Defining Behavior
Normal –behavior we most commonly expect to encounter
Deviant – behavior that fails to conform to the rules or norms of the group in question
(Durkheim)

4. Source of Definitions
Cultural expectations based on symbolic interpretation of:
Good
Bad
Right
Wrong

5. Functions of Deviance Émile Durkheim
“An integral part of all healthy societies”
Causes members to connect, close ranks
Prompts members to organize against future deviance
Clarifies beliefs and expectations of group
Teaches norms by providing examples of deviance
Acts as safety valve, inhibiting greater deviance
Ex.: Amish teens

6. Dysfunctions of Deviance
Threat to the social order
Makes social life difficult and unpredictable-threatens social order
Causes confusion about the norms and values of a society
Undermines trust
Consumes resources that must be shifted from other social needs

7. Control Mechanisms Internal Means External Means
Individual conformity as part of acceptance
Must internalize standards
External Means
Social rewards and punishments for failure to conform

8. External Means Sanctions-rewards and penalties Positive (rewards)
Negative (penalties)
Formal (public ritual, force of law)
Informal (spontaneous, indirect)
+Formal: awards; testimonials +Informal: congrats
-Formal: jail -Informal: silent treatment

9. Theories of Crime and Deviance
♦ Biological Theories of Deviance ♦
♦ Psychological Theories of Deviance ♦
♦ Sociological Theories of Deviance ♦

10. Biological Theories Cesare Lombroso E.A. Hooten / William H. Sheldon
Criminals are born as such
Evolutionary throwback, instinct-driven
Physiologically different – head, face, hair
E.A. Hooten / William H. Sheldon
Deterioration of organism-organic inferiority
The mesomorph
Generally disccredited

11. Psychological Theories
Explanation of Adult Deviant Behavior
Manifestation of early experiences
Not product of later social or cultural factors
Downplay biological factors / emphasis on conditioning
Parenting and early childhood experiences
Other earlier behavioral conditioning

12. Modern Biological Theories
XYY Male
Sarnoff Mednick: theory of inherited criminal tendencies-some inherit a genetic predisposition for criminal behavior
Low serotonin levels
“Biocriminolgy”
Most believe that genes and environment interact

13. Psychological Theories
Psychoanalytic – Freud
Unconscious; irrational thoughts and feelings lead to deviant acts
Behavioral
Adjusted in response to rewards and punishments / favorable outcomes repeated
Individual Choice – Wilson & Herstein
Rational choice (punishment / benefit analysis) based on factors affecting people

14. Sociological Theories
Anomie – Durkheim
Values and norms lose impact / cultural guidance void exists
Strain – Merton
Lack of legitimate means to achieve financial success leads to deviance
Control – Hirschi
Deviance is product of absence of social control / product of weak bonds to society

15. Merton’s Modes of Adaptation
Mode Goal Means Conformity + + Innovation + - Ritualism - + Rebellion Retreatism - -

16. Cultural Transmission Theory – Sutherland and Cressey
Two components in which criminal behavior is learned:
Criminal techniques
How to break into houses
Criminal attitudes
Rationalizations that justify criminal behavior

17. Labeling Theory Grounded in social process
A person must be labeled as deviant
Consequences of such labeling for the individual
Labeling dependent upon:
Importance of norms violated
Identity of the potential deviance
Social context of the behavior

18. Two Levels of Deviance Primary deviance Secondary deviance
The original behavior that leads to the application of the label to an individual
Secondary deviance
The behavior that people develop as a result of having been labeled as deviant

20. The Importance of Law Legal code
The formal rules, called laws, adopted by a society’s political authority
The code is enforced through the use of formal negative sanctions when rules are broken

21. The Emergence of Laws

22. Consensus approach Conflict approach
Formalized version of norms and values of society
Conflict approach
Elite use of power to support their own economic interests and go against the interests of the lower classes

23. Crime in the United States
Violent crime
An unlawful event that may result in injury
to a person.
Aggravated assault
Rape
Murder
Robbery

24. Property crime
An unlawful act that is committed with the intent of gaining property but that does not involve the use or threat of force against an individual.
Larceny
Burglary
Motor vehicle theft

25. Classification of Crime
Felonies
Offenses punishable by a year or more in state prison.
Misdemeanors
Less serious offenses punishable by jail or a fine.

26. Juvenile crime Recidivism
The breaking of criminal laws by individuals younger than age 18
Recidivism
Repeated criminal behavior after punishment

27. White-Collar Crime Coined by Edwin H. Sutherland (1940)
Refers to the acts of individuals who, while occupying positions of social responsibility or high prestige, break the law in the course of their work for the purpose of illegal personal or organizational gain

28. Victimless Crime – Violation of laws meant to enforce the moral code
Personal use of narcotics
Illegal gambling
Public drunkenness
The sale of sexual services
Status offenses by minors

29. Victims of Crime / Dependent Variables
Race
Gender
Age
Socioeconomic status

30. The Criminal Justice System
Provides personnel and procedures for arrest, trial, and punishment to deal with violations of the law.
Police
Courts
Corrections

31. Social Role of Corrections
Four primary roles/goals
Separate criminals from society
Punish criminal behavior
Deter criminal behavior
Rehabilitate criminals

32. Problems with Corrections
Shortage of Prisons
Overzealous establishment and enforcement of norms
Budgetary constraints
Female Incarceration
Family dependence problems; children as victims
Funnel Effect
Under-reporting; minimum sentencing