Deviance, crime, and punishment in Sociology

Deviance

Modes of action that do not conform to the norms or values held by most members of a group or society.

Norms

Norms are rules of conduct that specify appropriate behavior in various social situations, prescribing or forbidding certain behaviors.

Sanction

A mode of reward or punishment that reinforces socially expected forms of behavior, which can be positive, negative, formal, or informal.

Crime

Any action that violates the laws established by a political authority.

Deviant subculture

A subculture whose members hold values that differ substantially from those of the majority.

Durkheim's theory

Deviance is necessary for society.

What is the concept of anomie as introduced by Emile Durkheim?

A situation in which social norms lose their hold over individual behavior.

Modified Anomie

strain put on individuals behavior when accepted norm conflict with social reality

What does Robert Merton's deviance typology include?

It includes concepts like relative deprivation and subcultural explanations for collective deviant responses.

Relative deprivation

Deprivation a person feels by comparing her or himself with a group

Differential association theory

A theory that suggests criminal behavior is learned through association with others who regularly engage in crime(EdwinH. Sutherland 1949).

Labeling theory

An approach that suggests individuals become 'deviant' because certain labels are attached to their behavior by authorities.

Primary and secondary deviations

Primary deviation refers to actions that cause others to label one as deviant, while secondary deviation occurs when an individual accepts the label and acts accordingly.

How does conflict theory view deviance?

Deviance is deliberately chosen by the powerful and is political in nature; it reflects inequality in society and maintains the privileges of the powerful.

Control theory

The theory that views crime as the outcome of an imbalance between impulses toward criminal activity and controls that deter it.

Theory of Broken Windows

A theory stating that any sign of social disorder in a community(even a broken window) can encourage the rise of more serious crime(Zimbardo).

What is mass incarceration?

The phenomenon where the U.S. incarcerates more people per capita than any other country, often without evidence that it deters crime.

How do sex, age, and location impact crime?

They affect an individual's likelihood of committing or being a victim of crime.

Community policing

A renewed emphasis on crime prevention rather than law enforcement, aimed at reintegrating policing within the community.

What is shaming in the context of crime?

A way of punishing criminal and deviant behavior based on public disapproval rituals rather than incarceration.

What role do sanctions play in maintaining social norms?

Sanctions reinforce norms by rewarding conformity and punishing deviance, thus helping to maintain social order.