The Sociology of
Deviance & Crime
Part 1: What is
Deviance?
What is Deviance?
• DEFINITION: any behavior
that violates social norms,
and is of sufficient
severity to warrant
disapproval from the
majority of society
• Criminal or non-criminal
What is Deviance?
• No act is inherently deviant
• For something to be deviant it has to be judged
by the larger culture as so
• Deviance is socially constructed
Cultural Implications
• Considerable variation of norms across groups,
time & place; therefore, definitions of deviance
may vary
• EXAMPLES:
• Female circumcision v. genital mutilation
• Taking someone’s life
• Divorce
The Deviant
• Two components:
• Person must be detected committing a deviant
act
• Person must be stigmatized by society
• Stigma: mark of social disgrace that sets the
deviant apart from the rest of society
The Deviant
Part 2: The Social
Functions of Deviance
Social Functions of Deviance
• In The Rules of Sociological Method,
Durkheim observed that deviance
has some uses in social life…
Social Functions of Deviance
• Clarifies cultural norms
• Defines boundaries of acceptable behavior
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOvpMjRPp6
Q
• Promotes social unity
• Draws the line between conforming members &
“outsiders”
• Reinforces sense of community & belief in shared
values
Social Functions of Deviance
Boston Strong” is the
rallying cry of a group of
citizens who now feel
more pride, solidarity,
and stability within their
city. Sometimes a
deviant act, no matter
how tragic or
reprehensible, can
actually serve to
strengthen the bonds of
a city that is half a million
“strong.”
“
Social Functions of Deviance
• Diffuses social tension
• When people are unhappy with social conditions,
may strike out at society
• Minor acts of deviance serve as a safety valve
Social Functions of Deviance
• Promotes social change
• Identifies problem areas that need to be
addressed
Social Functions of Deviance
Social Functions of Deviance
• Provides jobs
• Examples?
Part 3: Explaining
Deviance - Theories
Structural-Functionalist
Analysis
R. Merton: Strain Theory
• Deviance is a natural outgrowth of the values,
norms, beliefs & structure of society
• BIG QUESTION:
• How do individuals respond to culturally
approved goals & the means of achieving those
goals?
R. Merton: Strain Theory
• Not everyone has legitimate means to achieve
societal goals; the strain of incompatible goals &
means leads to anomie
• Anomie:
• Situation that arises when the norms of society
are unclear or no longer applicable
Deviant
Responses
Mode of
Adaptation
Cultural
Goals
Cultural
Norms
Conformity
Accept
Accept
Innovation
Accept
Reject
Ritualism
Reject
Accept
Retreatism
Reject
Reject
Rebellion
Reject &
Replace
Reject &
Replace
R. Merton: Strain Theory
• The Conformist:
• Has access to and accepts the conventional means
and uses them to achieve cultural goals
• The Innovator:
• Does not have access to or rejects the
conventional means but still accepts and achieves
cultural goals
R. Merton: Strain Theory
• The Ritualist:
• Has access to and accepts the conventional
means, but rejects the cultural goals
• The Retreatist:
• “Drops out” of society; rejecting both the
conventional means and the cultural goals
R. Merton: Strain Theory
• The Rebel:
• Seeks new goals through new means
Conflict Theory
R. Quinney: Conflict Theory
•
•
•
•
•
•
Competition & social inequality lead to deviance
Why are people deviant?
To maintain position
To obtain economic reward
Low self-esteem & feelings of powerlessness
RATES OF DEVIANCE MISLEADING
Symbolic-Interactionist
Analysis
Control Theory
• Deviance is a natural occurrence
• Interested in the reasons for which people
conform, rather than the causes of deviance
Integrated into community
Weak community ties
Likely to conform
Likely to be deviant
Control Theory
•
•
•
•
•
Develop social bonds in 4 ways:
Attachment
Belief
Commitment
Involvement
Techniques of Neutralization
• Some people, despite strong ties to the
community, still perform deviant acts
• Suspend moral beliefs in order to do so
• HOW?
Techniques of Neutralization
• Denial of responsibility
• You are a victim of your circumstance
• Denial of injury
• You didn’t cause any
harm; the victim can
afford the loss
• Denial of the victim
• Blame victim - the
victim deserved it
Techniques of Neutralization
• Condemnation of the authorities
• Shift blame – “corrupt cops”
• Appeal to higher loyalties
• Rules of society take a back seat to loyalty
• “protect my family” – “help my friend”
Cultural Transmission
Theory
(Edwin Sutherland)
• Suggests that deviance is learned through
association with those who encourage the
violation of norms
Cultural Transmission
Theory
• Differential association: If the majority of a
person’s interactions are with deviant
individuals, the person is likely to be socialized
into patterns of deviant behavior
• Generally occurs in primary groups
Labeling Theory
• Focuses on how individuals come to be
identified as deviant, rather than why people
perform deviant acts
• ALL people commit deviant acts; not everyone
is labeled as deviant
Labeling Theory
• Primary Deviance:
• Nonconformity that
goes undetected by
those in positions of authority
• Society does not consider individuals who
commit primary acts of deviance to be deviants
Labeling Theory
• Secondary Deviance:
• An act of deviance in
which the individual becomes labeled as deviant
& accepts the label as true
• Alters self-concept & social identity (stigma)
• Degradation ceremony
Part 4: Crime
Types of Crime
• FBI defines 5 broad
categories:
• Violent crimes
• Crimes against property
• Victimless crimes
• White-collar crime
• Organized crime
Types of Crime
• Violent crimes: murder, forcible rape, robbery,
aggravated assault
• Crimes against property: burglary, larceny, motor
vehicle theft, arson
• Victimless crimes: prostitution, illegal gambling,
illegal drug use, vagrancy
• White-collar crime: Fraud, tax evasion,
embezzlement, insider trading, forgery
• Organized crime: “business” – drug trafficking,
illegal gambling, loan-sharking, etc
Statistical Limitations
• Individuals are less likely to report a crime if
their friends or family are involved
• Members of the upper classes are more likely to
file formal reports; police are more likely to
follow through
• Some crimes are less likely to be reported
Criminal Statistics
Persons Arrested by Race
White
Black
Other
Criminal Statistics
Persons Arrested by Age
Under 18
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
Criminal Statistics
Persons Arrested by Gender
Male
Female
Criminal Statistics
Criminal Statistics
Part 6: Juvenile
Delinquency
Minor v. Juvenile
• Minor:
• Anyone who is under
the age of 18; not all
minors are considered “juvenile” in terms of
criminal responsibility
Minor v. Juvenile
• Juvenile:
• Anyone who has not yet
reached the “age of majority” (threshold of
adulthood)
• Juvenile status is defined by age, but varies by
jurisdiction
Upper Bound in U.S.
(“Age of Majority”)
•
•
•
•
•
•
40 states – 18 years of age
10 states – 16 or 17 years of age
Upper Bound of 17:
GA, IL, LA, MI, MA, MO, SC and TX
Upper Bound of 16:
NY and NC
Lower Bound in U.S.
(“Age of Reason”)
• In the United States,
the lower bound
used to be 7 years of age, though as of 1995
most states did away with the “age of reason”
• No lower age limit – controversial?
Special
Privileges/Protections
• Juvenile court, except
in extreme situations
• Parent/guardian MUST be present during
questioning
• Confidentiality (when accused of a crime)
Special
Privileges/Protections
• May NOT be housed with
adult inmates (even if
child is tried as an adult)
Other Considerations
• Juveniles have a lower
brain capacity than
adults
• Evidence suggests that
incarceration leads to a
higher incidence of
reoffending, than do other non-punitive
consequences
Other Considerations
• Death penalty for juveniles was discontinued in
2005 (Roper v. Simmons)
• Severe offenses (i.e. murder, gang-related acts)
are treated as “adult crimes” in 44 states; the
lower age limit is generally 14 years of age
250,000
Number Arrested
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Murder
Rape
Robbery
Aggravated
Assault
Burglary
Crime
Larceny
Auto Theft
Arson
19
60
19
62
19
64
19
66
19
68
19
70
19
72
19
74
19
76
19
78
19
80
19
82
19
84
19
86
19
88
19
90
19
92
19
94
19
96
19
98
20
00
20
02
Arrest Rate (per 100,000)
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Year
800,000
Number of Arrests
700,000
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
Male
Non-Index
Female
Violent
Property
800,000
Number of Arrests
700,000
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
White
African American
Non-Index
Violent
Property
Other