Transcript powerpoint - Taft College

Deviance and Social
Control
Chapter 6
Chapter Overview
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Introductory “Quiz”
Background
Perspective: Symbolic Interactionist
Perspective: Functionalist
Perspective: Conflict Theory
Reactions to Deviance
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.
B.
C.
D.
What is deviance?
Standing roll: Deviance is inevitable
What part do norms play?
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
Control Theory
Labeling theory
(p. 134)
(p. 135)
(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
Suspects convicted
of rape
24671
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
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 lowerincome families.
False. Many gang members do; however, some
young people from middle- and upper-middleincome 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.
2.
3.
4.
Retribution
Deterrence
Rehabilitation
Incapacitation
KVPR clip
Federal Prosecution of Public Corruption
1975-1991
Inmates in U.S. State Prisons, 1995
Deviant and Criminal Behavior
Actor complies with
legal code
Actor violates
legal code
Actor complies with
group norms
Conforming
Behavior
Criminal
Behavior
Actor violates
group norms
Deviant
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?