Deviance and Social Control Chapter 6

Chapter Overview I.Introductory “Quiz” II.Background III.Perspective: Symbolic Interactionist IV.Perspective: Functionalist V.Perspective: Conflict Theory VI.Reactions to Deviance VII.Review

I. Introductory “Quiz”

1. Bolivian Indians chew coca leaves to get high. False

2. Deviants are sick. False

3. Society causes deviance. True

4. Families can cause deviance. True

5. A label can cause a person to become a deviant. True

6. Deviance is functional. True

7. Our criminal justice system favors the upper class and is biased against the working class. True

8. Upper class members have more opportunities to commit crime than lower class members. It’s debatable.

9. American prisons are designed to rehabilitate criminals to become productive members of society. False

10. There is no such thing as mental illness. According to Thomas Szasz, True

II. Background A.What is deviance? B.Standing roll: Deviance is inevitable C.What part do norms play? D.Sanctions

E.Explanations for Deviance 1. Biological 2. Psychological 3. Sociological

1.Biological a. William Sheldon’s body types b. Extra Y chromosome c. “All have been discredited,” … let’s talk about this.

2. Psychological a. Criminals and deviants are morally inferior and have personality deficiencies b. Ignores the fact that most criminals are “normal.”

3. Sociological: Group Work: Why did she mutilate her body? a. Symbolic Interactionist Differential association (p. 134) Control Theory(p. 135) Labeling theory(p. 136) b. Functionalist Strain theory (p. 140) Illegitimate Opportunity Structures (p. 141)

Y.J.U.: Which theory has the most explanatory power?

Merton’s Theory

Gangs: True/False “Quiz”

1. According to some sociologists, deviance may serve a useful purpose in society. True

2. Official crime statistics provide highly accurate information about how many crimes occur in the United States. False. They reflect only crimes that have been reported to law enforcement officials, not all offenses that are committed.

Criminal Case Mortality Criminal Case Mortality refers to the number of cases that drop out of the criminal justice system at each stage of processing National Crime Survey estimate of total number of rapes 141,000 Rape complaints reported to police 97,761 Suspects identified 50,346 Suspects prosecuted for rape or attempted rape 37,266 Convicted rapists sent to prison 11,549 Suspects convicted of rape 24671

3. Most people join gangs to escape from broken homes caused by divorce or the death of a parent. False. Recent studies have found that people join gangs for a variety of reasons, including recreation, protection, and the desire to gain access to money.

4. Juvenile gangs are an urban problem; few rural areas have problems with gangs. False. Central-city gangs organized around drug dealing have become prominent recently, but gangs are found in rural areas throughout the country. Recently, areas of the Midwest and Southwest that once were thought to be immune to gangs have seen an increase in gang-related violence.

5. Street crime has a much higher economic cost to society than crimes committed in executive suites or by government officials. False. Street crime (assault, robbery, etc.) has a greater psychological cost, but white collar crime has a far greater economic cost, especially for U.S. taxpayers.

6. Persons aged fifteen to twenty-four account for almost half of all arrests for property crimes such as burglary, larceny, arson, and vandalism. True. They account for about 46% of all arrests for property crimes, the most common crimes committed in the United States.

7. Virtually all gangs are made up of persons from lower- income families. False. Many gang members do; however, some young people from middle- and upper-middle- income backgrounds create or join gangs for status or protection against other gangs.

8. Many gang members continue their membership into adulthood. True. Many do and some move into adult criminal activity. However, others cease participating in gang activities.

VI. Reactions to Deviance A.Negative sanctions B.Degradation ceremonies C.Imprisonment: motivations for 1.Retribution 2.Deterrence 3.Rehabilitation 4.Incapacitation KVPR clip

Federal Prosecution of Public Corruption

Inmates in U.S. State Prisons, 1995

Deviant and Criminal Behavior Conforming Behavior Actor complies with legal code Actor violates legal code Actor complies with group norms Actor violates group norms Deviant Behavior Criminal Behavior Deviant and Criminal Behavior

D. Medicalization: Dr. Thomas Szasz

VII. Review Deviance = behavior contrary to dominant norms of society BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS (mostly discredited) 1. William Sheldon’s body types Endomorphic = soft and fat Ectomorphic = thin and fragile Mesomorphic = muscular and most prone to crime 2.Extra Y chromosome theory = criminals have an XYY chromosome makeup rather than XY makeup.

Psychological Explanations 1.Criminals and deviants are morally inferior and suffer from keen personality deficiencies 2.Neglects the fact that most criminals are “normal” people

SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS 1.Robert K. Merton: Strain Theory or Theory of Opportunity Structures A.Importance of financial success B.Not everyone has equal opportunity to achieve success C.This strain creates deviant behavior 2.Edwin H. Sutherland: Differential Association –Criminal behavior is learned though interaction 3.Labeling Theory A.No act is inherently deviant B.Deviance results from labeling specific acts or persons

CRIME 1.Acts contrary to legal code or laws 2.Types of crimes A.Against persons Violent crimes (rape, homicide, assault) Usually young, urban, poor, racial minorities B.Against property I.E., theft including white collar crime, drug trafficking; corporate crime such as pollution C.Against morality Victimless crimes (illegal gambling, prostitution)

1.Why do sociologists say that deviance is relative? 2.What is the difference between functionalist and conflict views on social control? 3.Why are norms and social control necessary? 4.What are the biological, psychological, and social explanations of deviance?

5.How do people tend to neutralize their deviance? 6.In what ways is deviance functional? 7.What is Merton’s strain theory? 8.What are the four types of responses to anomie? 9.What does social class have to do with crime? 10.Explain the conflict view of the relationship between class, crime, and the criminal justice system.

11.Why is there a need to use more than one theory to explain deviance? 12.How can the different theories be combined? 13.What are sanctions, degradation ceremonies, and imprisonment? 14.What are the problems with imprisonment? 15.What is the purpose of the death penalty and how is it biased in its use?

16.Why don’t official statistics accurately reflect crime in the U.S.? 17.What is the medicalization of deviance? 18.How do social conditions like homelessness contribute to mental illness? 19.Does America need a more humane way to deal with deviance? Why? Why not?