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Lecture #2

SOC*1000: CURRENT TOPICS IN CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

LECTURE 2: DEFINING DEVIANCE

Overview of Lecture Content

  • Establishing foundational terminology

  • What is “deviance”?

  • Comparing definitions of deviance

  • What is “crime”?

  • Crime typologies:

    • Legal

    • Target-based

    • Other classifications

DEFINING DEVIANCE

Conceptual Framework

  • Does society need rules to properly function?

    • Thomas Hobbes' view: Believed that human nature requires rules to preserve social order.

    • Jean-Jacques Rousseau's view: Suggested that human nature is inherently good but that society introduces complications, necessitating a social contract.

    • These theories align with the functionalist paradigm in social theory.

  • Conformity: The act of following the rules of order, referred to as norms.

  • Deviance: Defined as norm-violating behavior.

Classification of Norms

  • Norms can be categorized as follows:

    • Formal norms: Codified norms such as laws.

    • Informal norms: Unwritten norms such as customs and moral codes.

  • Classification of informal norms:

    • Mores:

    • High degree of importance

    • High severity of punishment

    • Folkways:

    • Low degree of importance

    • Low severity of punishment

    • Crimes:

    • Violations of laws and thus categorized under formal norms, subject to enforcement by the criminal justice system.

RECOGNIZING DEVIANCE

Perspectives on Deviance

  • Deviance is universal but also relative and situational.

  • Four main perspectives on deviance:

    1. Statistical rarity: Deviance can be determined by its rarity.

    2. Social harm: Assessment based on the level of harm inflicted.

    3. Normative violation: Defined as behaviors violating social norms.

    4. Societal reaction: How society responds to deviant behavior.

Statistical Rarity Perspective

  • Definition: A behavior is considered deviant if it is statistically rare.

  • Limitations:

    • Criteria for rarity may be ambiguous.

    • Common behaviors might be viewed as deviant.

    • Some rare behaviors might be socially acceptable.

Social Harm Perspective

  • Definition: Deviance is defined by its level of harmfulness.

    • Evaluates:

    • Bodily or emotional harm to others.

    • Self-harm.

    • Societal harm.

    • Threat to societal understanding and structure.

  • Limitations:

    • Harm is subjective and varies across time and context.

    • Harm perceptions can be exaggerated by “moral panics.”

Normative Violation Perspective

  • Definition: Deviance is any behavior that violates social norms.

  • Limitations:

    • Lack of consensus regarding normative standards.

    • Existence of competing norms.

    • Not all violations lead to definitions of deviance.

EXAMPLE OF DEVIANCE

Body Ritual of Nacirema (Miner, 1956)

  • Highlights how practices deemed normal in one culture can seem deviant to outsiders.

  • Example description:

    • Ritual includes the insertion of a bundle of hog hairs into the mouth, alongside magical powders, accompanied by a highly formalized series of gestures.

    • Visits to the holy-mouth-man involve extensive and ritualistic torture to maintain oral health.

    • Despite decay, the ritual remains sacred and consistently performed.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF DEVIANCE

Key Theories

  • Relativism: Deviance varies by context; it is perceived differently across different social landscapes.

  • Quote from Durkheim: “Deviance is in the eyes of the beholder.”

  • Social constructionism: Deviance is constructed through the application of the deviant label.

Societal Reaction to Deviance

  • Defined by the social response to deviant behavior:

    • Importance of dominant moral codes:

    • The number of people condemning the act.

    • The intensity of their disapproval.

    • The power dynamics involved.

  • Influence of power:

    • Politicians, scientists, religious institutions, and commercial enterprises (referred to as “moral entrepreneurs”) play authoritative roles in defining deviance.

    • Individuals lacking power face disproportionate labeling, while those in power often control the labeling processes.

Process of Constructing Deviance

  1. Create a label with a negative judgment.

  2. Apply the label to an individual or group.

  3. Enact justified control over those labeled.

Labeling Theory of Crime

  • Constructing and controlling “outsiders” (Becker, 1963).

  • Reactions are relational processes in categorizing individuals as criminal or non-criminal.

  • Types of labels:

    • Informal (peer group influence).

    • Formal (criminal justice system influence).

IMPACT OF LABELING

Consequences of Labeling

  • An individual’s response to being labeled impacts future criminality.

  • Acceptance of labels may lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

  • Criminal labels can limit access to legitimate avenues for success.

  • Chambliss (1973): Analyzed "The Saints and Roughnecks" to demonstrate differential treatment by criminal justice agents based on social status.

  • Labeling example: Who is more likely to be labeled as criminal?

DEFINING DEVIANCE AGAIN

  • Definition of Deviance:

    • “Presumed behavior that defies social expectations and is enforced by people with influence and applied to particular individuals or groups in specific contexts.” (Deutschmann, 1998)

    • Open discussion on the validity of this definition.

CRIME TYPOLOGIES

Distinction Between Deviance and Crime

  • Crimes: A special category of deviance concerning violations of formal norms (laws).

  • Classification of crimes:

    1. Legal Classifications: Differentiating crimes by severity and harmfulness per Canadian law.

    2. Target-Based Classifications: Identification of whom is harmed.

    3. Other Classifications: Consideration of context, motivations, and behaviors.

Legal Classifications of Crimes

  • Summary offense:

    • Considered a less serious criminal behavior.

    • Results in punishment, such as fines (< $5000) or short jail time (< 2 years).

    • Example offenses: shoplifting, trespassing, vandalism, disorderly conduct.

  • Indictable offense:

    • More serious criminal behavior.

    • Punishment is severe, including longer imprisonment (up to life).

    • Example offenses: murder, sexual assault, burglary, kidnapping, arson.

Target-Based Classifications of Crime

  1. Crimes against persons:

    • Involves use or threat of force/violence against individuals.

    • Violent offenses include homicide, kidnapping, assault, robbery, and sexual assault.

  2. Crimes against property:

    • Aim to obtain money, property, or tangible benefit.

    • Examples include theft, burglary, robbery, arson, and vandalism.

  3. Crimes against public order:

    • Disrupt social order by violating societal prohibitions.

    • Often labeled as “victimless” crimes.

    • Examples: disorderly conduct, loitering, gambling, prostitution, drug violations.

Other Types of Crime

  • Street Crime: Commonly occurring offenses in public spaces.

  • White-Collar Crime: Non-violent crime committed for financial gain through deceit.

  • Organized Crime: Criminal activities carried out by structured groups to supply illegal goods or services.

  • Political Crime: Crimes committed for political motives or by government officials.

  • Cybercrime: Criminal activities involving computers or the internet.

NEXT LECTURE

Lecture 3: Studying and Measuring Crime

Upcoming Topics:

  • Crime data sources: police records, victimization surveys, offender data, and media impact.
    Required Readings:

  • Jacobs (1998)

  • Steeves & Scott Milford (2024)