Sociology Chapter 7

Deviance

any belief or condition that violates significant social norms in the society or group in which it occurs

Strain Theory

the proposition that people feel strain when they are exposed to cultural goals that they are unable to obtain because they do not have access to culturally approved means of achieving those goals 

Primary Deviance

the initial act of rule breaking 

Felony

 a serious crime such as rape, homicide, or aggravated assault, for which punishment typically ranges from more than a year’s imprisonment to death 

Secondary Deviance

the process that occurs when a person who has been labeled a deviant accepts that new identity and continues the deviant behavior

Misdemeanor

a minor crime that is typically punished by less than one year in jail & could include a fine as a sanction

Victimless Crime

 crimes involving a willing exchange of illegal goods or services among adults

Social Control

•  refers to the systematic practices that social groups develop in order to encourage conformity to norms, rules, & laws & to discourage deviance 

  • Internal social control methods takes place through socialization processes 

    • Individuals internalize societal norms & values that prescribe how people behave

    • Follow those norms & values in everyday life 

  • External social control involves the use of negative sanctions that proscribe certain behaviors 

    • Set forth punishments for rule breakers & nonconformists 

Criminology

• is the systematic study of crime & the criminal justice system, including the police, courts, & prisons 

• Social Control & Criminology describe the ways in which we prevent, react, and control deviance in society in order to make sure people our complying to norms & values 

  • Deviance is handled at different levels between these things 

  • They all look at the causes for deviance in societies & the differences between deviance in multiple societies 

Functionalist Perspective of Deviance

• The functionalist perspective explains that deviance existence in societies with rapid change that has a lack of social integration among people 

  • As social integration (bonding & community) decreases → deviance increases 

  • Deviance Clarifies Rules: by punishing deviant behavior, society reaffirms its commitment to the rules & clarifies their meaning 

  • Deviance Unites a Group: deviant behavior is seen as a threat to group solidarity & people unite in opposition to that behavior, their loyalties to society are reinforced 

  • Deviance Promotes Social Change: deviants may violate norms in order together them changes 

    • Acts of Civil Disobedience were used to end segregate & correct injustices 

• If everyone commits deviance acts than everyday existence will be unpredictable, chaotic, & violent 

  • Some deviant acts that threaten the survival of society are criminal 

Innovation

•  occurs when people accept society’s goals but adopt disapproved means for achieving them 

  • Acquiring material possessions or money cover a wide variety of illegal activities (ex. theft, drug dealing) 

Ritualism

• occurs when people give up on societal goals but still adhere to the socially approved means for achieving them 

  • Is the opposite of innovation; persons who cannot obtain expensive material possessions or wealth may nevertheless ek to maintain the respect of others by being a hard worker or good citizen 

Retreatism

• occurs when people abandon both the approved goals & approved means of achieving them 

  • Some may be middle or upper income individuals who see themselves as rejecting the conventional trappings of success or the means necessary to require them

Rebellion

• occurs when people challenge both the approved goals & approved means for achieving them and advocate an alternative set of goals or means 

  • To achieve alternative goals they may use viole (ex. rioting) or register dispelse with society through acts of vandalism 

Illegitimate Opportunity Structure

• Circumstances that provide an opportunity for people to acquire through illegitimate activities what they cannot achieve through legitimate channels 

  • Forces people to commit crimes in order to get what they want or need 

  • For instance gangs sell drugs, steal, and use violence to support themselves 

  • These illegitimate opportunity structures are usually done due to economic status 

    • Individuals that engage in these activities are usually living in poverty & racing discrimination 

    • It ensures that those who are poor cannot become richer equally or “legitimately” 

• Financial survival is meant with illegal acts in order to survive especially when individuals don’t have access to resources/things to progress their lives

  • Gangs/organized crimes are formed because there is not necessary resources in the area 

  •  Italian Mafia for example 

    • Had discrimination → denied housing, employment, etc. 

    • Organized crime filled that void

    • Finding ways outside the norm to fill the void 

• Alternative to mainstream social structure → sign of disfunction in society

Power Relationship Branch

• The lifestypes that are considered to be deviant are set by the political & economic elite individuals 

  • Most of these deviant things are made illegal by them 

• Norms & laws are established to benefit those in power 

  • They do not represent any absolute standard of right & wrong

  • Activities of poor/lower income individuals are more likely to be defined as criminal than those of persons from the middle/upper class 

  • Minorities (African Americans) are more likely to be charged for acts of deviance than whites

    • They receive longer sentences  

Capitalism Branch

• Deviance & crime are viewed as a function of the capitalist economic system 

•  Laws & the criminal justice system protect the power & privilege of the capitalist class 

  • People with economic & political power define crime as any behavior that threatens their own interests 

  • Criminal laws protect the interests of the affluent & powerful 

•  Laws are written & enforced to benefit the capitalist class 

  • Ensures that individuals at the bottom do not infringe on the property or safety of those on top

Liberal Feminist Approach

• women’s deviance & crimes are rational responses to the gender discrimination that women experience in families & the workplace

  • Low-income & minority women have less education & more likely to be criminals 

Radical Feminist Approach

• women’s crimes originate from patriarchy 

  • Prosecution for crimes such as prostitution reflect society’s double standards

Marxist Feminist Approach

• assumption that women are exploited by capitalism & patriarchy

  • Females have low-wage jobs & few economic resources 

  • Crimes (shoplifting, prostitution) become means for earning money  

Differential Association Theory (symbolic-interactionist)

• people have a greater tendency to deviate from societal norms when they frequently associated with individuals who are more favorable toward deviance than conformity 

  • Deviant behavior reflects learned techniques, values, attitudes, motives, & rationalizations 

  • Criminal activity is more likely to occur when a person has frequent interactions with other who violate the law

Rational Choice Theory (symbolic-interactionist)

• the proposition that deviant behavior occurs when a person weighs the costs & benefits of conventional or criminal behavior & determines that the benefits will outweigh the risks involved in such actions

Social Bond Theory (symbolic-interactionist)

• holds that the probability of deviant behavior increases when a person’s ties to society are weakened or broken 

  • Social bonding consists of 1) attachment to other people, 2) commitment to conformity, 3) involve in conventional activities, & 4) belief in the legitimacy of conventional values & norms

  •  Depends on the behavior we are raised with

Labeling Theory (symbolic-interactionist)

• states that deviance is a socially constructed process in which social controla fences designate certain people as deviants & they in turn, come to accept the bale placed upon them & begin to act accordingly 

Violent Crimes

actions - murder, rape, robbery & aggravates assault - involving force or the threat of force against others

Property Crime

•  burglary (breaking into private property to commit a serious crime), motor vehicle theft, larceny-theft (theft of property worth $50 or more), & arson

Public Order Crime

•  crimes involving a willing exchange of illegal goods or services among adults 

  •  Prostitution, gambling, use of illegal drugs, & illegal pornography

Occupational & Corporate Crime

• illegal activities committed by people in the course of their employment or financial affairs 

Internet Crime

 illegal acts committed by criminals on the internet, including FBI-related scams, identity theft, advance fee fraud, non auction/nondelivery of merchandise, & overpayment fraud

Gender & Response to Crime

• Significantly more men than women are arrested 

•  Men make up 80% of all persons arrested for violent crimes 

  • Females have higher arrest rates for prostitution, commercial vice, & embezzlement

  • Most common arrest categories for men & women are DUI, drug abuse, larceny, & minor crimes 

    • These are all equal 

• Equal in crimes with liquor violations, assault, or disorderly conduct 

• Greater male involvement of major property crimes (robbery & larceny theft)

Age & Response to Crime

• Arrest rates for violent crime & property crime is highest between the ages of 13 -25 

  • Peak ages are 16 & 17 

• Median age of those arrested for aggravated assault & homicides is generally late 20s

•  White-collar crimes are older → takes time to acquire both a high-ranking positions & skills to commit this crime

Class & Response to Crime

• Persons from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be arrested for violent & property crimes 

• Persons from upper class are commit white collar or elite crimes 

  • Very few will be actually arrested & charged for these crimes 

Race & Response to Crime

• More African Americans are arrested for murder & robbery 

•  Whites are more arrested for nonviolent property crimes 

•  African Americans can still be noted as making up a majority of arrests for crimes in certain areas

  • Research & statistics are not the best & most clear 

  • Police have bias on who they arrest

    • Courts are bias on whom they charge

Retribution

• punishment that a person receives for infringing on the rights of others 

  •  Imposes a penalty on the offender & is based on the premise that the punishment should fit the crime 

  •  Great degree of social harm = more the offender should be punished

Rehabilitation

•  seeks to return offenders to the community as law-abiding citizens by providing therapy or vocational or education training 

  •  Offenders are treated (not punished) → not continue criminal activity 

    • Job skills they learn in prison do not transfer to the outside world 

    • Offenders aren’t given help to transition back

Deterrence

•  seeks to reduce criminal activity by instilling a fear of punishment in the general public 

  •  Specific Deterrence  is inflicts punishment on specific criminals to discourage them from committing future crimes 

  •  Typically 30-50% of those who are released from prison return to prison

Incapacitation

• based on the assumption that offenders who are detained in prison or are executed will be unable to commit additional crimes 

  • Selective Incapacitation - offenders who repeat certain kinds of crimes are sentences to long prison terms 

Restorative Justice

• Stabilize society; training & counseling

• Sooner you can integrate someone into society → easier for them to get back into society & be successful