CRIMINOLOGY & THEORIES OF DEVIANCE Deviance is a recognized violation of cultural norms

CRIME AND CRIMINALITY When we think of deviance we often think of crime and criminality

Cesare Lombroso and the biological roots of criminality

William Sheldon body structure as a predictor of criminality

Major Theories in Sociology Functionalism Symbolic Interactionism Conflict Theory

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM

Emile Durkheim deviance affirms cultural values and norms -condemning something as “deviant” clarifies moral boundaries -constructing an act as deviant can unify social groups -what is constructed as deviant may often be reconstructed as a social or commercial good

Robert Merton’s Strain Theory Deviant behavior arises from social realities in which few opportunities or “means” to an end exist to achieve cultural goals

Strain Theory Conformity- embracing the society’s definition of success and adhering to the established and approved means of achieving success

Strain Theory Innovation-refers to used of illicit means to reach approved goals

Strain Theory Ritualism- involves strict adherence to the culturally prescribed rules, even though individuals give up on the goals they hoped to achieve

Strain Theory Retreatism-giving up on both the goals and the means to achieve them

Strain Theory Rebellion-rejecting the socially approved ideas of success and the means of attaining that success but replacing them with alternative definitions of success and alternative strategies for attaining the new goals

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE ON DEVIANCE what we understand to be deviant is nothing more than a function of perspective examples: “crimes” such as murder, theft, statutory rape

Deviance and Conflict Theory

Conflict Theory This approach links deviance to social inequality Who or what is labeled “deviant” depends on which categories of people hold power in a society

Deviance, Conflict Theory and Capitalism Deviant labels have often been applied to people or populations that are perceived to have no or little use in a system of industrial or capitalist production

Erving Goffman and Stigma Stigma: culturally negative label that greatly alters or shapes ones self-concept/identity

MEDICALIZATION OF DEVIANCE when behavior constructed as deviant becomes medicalized, the notions of objectivity and legitimacy associated with science and scientific inquiry alter the construction of the behavior; ?What is the difference between behavior that is “biologized” versus “medicalized”?

Travis Hirschi: Control Theory four types of social control 1. attachment 2. opportunity 3. involvement 4. belief

attachment Attachment to other people who respect the values and rules of the society; individuals do not want to be rejected by those to whom they are close or they admire

commitment Commitment to conventional activities (schools and jobs) that they do not want to jeopardize

involvement Involvement in activities that keep them so busy with conventional roles and expectations that they do not have time for mischief

belief Belief in the social rules of their culture that they accept because of childhood socialization and indoctrination into conventional beliefs.

Differential association theory Refers to the difference in people with whom members of a society interact; some people learn to conform and other learn to deviate, depending on their associations

Differential association theory This theory focuses on the process of learning deviance from family, peers, fellow employees, political organizations, gangs etc…

Differential association theory According to this theory, the possibility of becoming deviant depends on four factors: Duration Intensity Priority Frequency

LABELING THEORY Labeling theory focuses on how people define reality or what is or is not “normal” No behavior or individual is intrinsically deviant Behavior “is” deviant because individuals label it deviant Members of a society create deviance by defining behaviors as deviant; they then react to the deviance by rejection or by imposing penalties

LABELING THEORY Labeling theorists define 2 stages in the process of becoming a deviant: 1. Primary deviance-a violation of a norm that may be an isolated event 2. Secondary deviance-continuing to violate a norm and taking on a deviant identity

ANOMIE Anomie or “normlessness” describes the breakdown of norms caused by the lack of shared, achievable goals and lack of socially approved means to achieve goals