Ch 6 reading

Chapter 6: Understanding Social Deviance and Its Impact on Society

Introduction to Smiley and Victor

• Smiley's Nickname: Smiley received his nickname due to his habit of smiling during inappropriate times, even when he faced trouble or discipline.

• Life Challenges: Smiley smiled amidst serious situations such as:

  • Yelling from teachers for lack of attention.

  • Breaking into cars for shelter after being kicked out by abusive parents.

  • Visiting rival gang members, where he encountered violence leading to his death.

• Victor's Perspective: Victor, a friend of Smiley who later became a professor, reflects on the harsh realities of their neighborhood, particularly aggressive policing that criminalizes youth.

The Disparity in Outcomes

• Victor's Journey: From gang member to Associate Professor.

• Contrasting Paths:

  • Of the original gang's members, 4 were murdered, 9 permanently injured, and 12 became addicted to drugs.

  • Only Victor and another individual graduated high school.

• Opportunity vs. Hard Work: Victor argues that while hard work is important, it is not sufficient for success without opportunities.

Systemic Issues in Education and Policing

• Finding Support: Victor had a supportive teacher who helped him see larger systems of racism, classism, and segregation.

• Policing's Effect on Youth: Current aggressive policing strategies lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of criminalization among minority youth.

• Questions for Society:

  • Why do innocent children end up in prison?

  • How did Victor escape the cycle?

  • How does society enforce norms and maintain order?

Concept of Social Deviance

• Definition: Social deviance refers to any transgression of socially established norms which can be informal or formal.

• Types of Deviance:

  • Informal Deviance: Minor breaches of social norms (e.g., inappropriate behavior).

  • Formal Deviance (Crime): Violations of laws, resulting in state-sanctioned punishments.

• Fluidity of Norms: Norms change, making the definition of deviance context-dependent.

• Historical Examples:

  • Killing an enemy combatant vs. killing a spouse perceived differently based on context.

  • Changes in societal views on issues like premarital sex and racial integration illustrate evolving definitions of deviance.

Theories of Deviance

• Mechanisms of Social Control:

  • Formal Social Sanctions: Laws and regulations prohibiting deviant behavior.

  • Informal Social Sanctions: Unwritten social norms and rules that guide behavior.

• Durkheim’s Approach:

  • Functionalism: Explains social phenomena by the functions they serve; focuses on how societal parts function.

  • Mechanical vs. Organic Solidarity:

    • Mechanical Solidarity: Characterizes premodern society with cohesion from similarity (e.g., small communities).

    • Organic Solidarity: Characterizes modern society with cohesion from interdependence due to specialization.

Punishment and Social Cohesion

• Punitive Justice: Societies held together by mechanical solidarity often resort to collective punishment, reinforcing boundaries of acceptable behavior.

• Rehabilitative Justice: Societies characterized by organic solidarity focus on individual circumstances and rehabilitation of offenders.

• Restitutive Sanctions: Attempts to restore balance (e.g., tort law).

Policing and Social Control

• Aggressive Policing: Flooding neighborhoods with police may not reduce crime and can lead to increased arrests due to reinforced stereotypes.

• Experiences of Violent Crime: The police's role in policing neighborhoods has wide implications for community relationships and societal perceptions of crime.

Strengthening Social Cohesion

• Community Efforts: Neighborhood watch groups and individual eyeing reduce crime and enhance community feelings.

• Cohesion and Surveillance: Modern society operates on constant social surveillance; informal norms govern behavior alongside formal laws.

The Panopticon and Discipline

• Foucault's Analysis of Discipline: Society functions through discipline, influencing behavior even outside of prisons.

• Examples from Daily Life: Standardized tests in schools and strict regulations in schools reflect societal discipline.

Deviance and Social Identity

• Labeling Theory: Stipulates deviance emerges through societal reactions to behaviors and labeling individuals.

• Primary vs. Secondary Deviance: Initial acts of rule-breaking can lead to labels which then dictate future behavior; secondary deviance is behavior shaped by the deviant label.

Stigma and its Social Impact

• Social Stigma: Negative label affecting one's self-concept; perpetuates social inequalities, particularly for marginalized individuals.

• Employment Consequences: Pager's study revealed the impact of race and past criminal records on job opportunities, highlighting prevalent discrimination.

Conclusion

• Understanding Deviance: Sociology examines how broader social frameworks define deviance, ensuring accountability and accountability for actions that go against societal norms.