DEVIANCE AND CRIME
Mrs. Banas
Sociology
WRITING DOWN YOUR
“GOALS AND MEANS”
 Write down your major goals in life.
 Then write down the “ means” you will take to achieve your
goals.
 For example: When I was in high school my goals were to
become a high school teacher, find a good, nerdy guy, and get
married, travel to other countries and learn about their
cultures,
 I worked very hard in high school and college and worked two
jobs. I took out a ton of loans to pay for college. I reconnected
with my high school pal Jon and married him. I applied for
grants to travel abroad.
TEXTBOOK TIME!
 Open your textbook to page 204.
 Let’s read 204-206 to see how the
textbook introduces the topic of
deviance and crime.
 Essential Questions:
1. What is deviant behavior and
when is it a crime?
2. What are the major theoretical
perspectives on deviance?
3. How are crimes classified and how
does the justice system deal with
crime?
4. What are the major forms (and
merits) of punishment?
PART 1- LECTURE OUTLINE





What Is Deviance?
Functionalist Perspectives on Deviance
Symbolic Interactionist Perspectives on Deviance
Conflict Perspectives on Deviance
Postmodernist Perspectives on Deviance
PART 2- LECTURE OUTLINE




Crime Classifications and Statistics
The Criminal Justice System
Deviance and Crime in the U.S. in the Future
The Global Criminal Economy
DEVIANCE
 Any behavior, belief, or condition that violates social norms in
the society or group in which it occurs:
 drinking too much
 robbing a bank
 laughing at a funeral
QUESTION

I believe that underage drinking is an important social
problem in our society.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Strongly agree
Agree somewhat
Unsure
Disagree somewhat
Strongly disagree
TRUE OR FALSE?
 True or False?
 Street crime has a much higher economic cost to society than crimes
committed in executive suites or by government officials.
TRUE OR FALSE?
 False
 Although street crime—such as assault and robbery—often has a
greater psychological cost, crimes committed by persons in top
positions in business or government have a far greater economic
cost, especially for U.S. taxpayers.
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PEER
CLIQUES, YOUTH GANGS,AND DEVIANCE?
 True or False?
 Juvenile gangs are an urban problem; few rural areas have problems
with gangs.
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PEER
CLIQUES, YOUTH GANGS,AND DEVIANCE?
 False.
 Gangs are frequently thought of as an urban problem because
central-city gangs organized around drug dealing have become
prominent in recent years; however, gangs are found in rural areas
throughout the country as well.
DEFINING DEVIANCE
Deviance is relative.
An act becomes deviant when it is socially
defined as such.
Definitions of deviance vary widely from place
to place, from time to time, and from group to
group.
Deviant behavior ranges from mild
transgressions of folkways, to serious
infringements of mores, to very violations of
the law.
MORE CONCRETE EXAMPLES






Picking your nose in public
Pedophilia
Rape
Incest
Public urination
Stalking people
 Let’s look at the chart
handout on “Social
Acceptability”
CROSS CULTURAL CONFLICTS
Asian
United States
Canada
Avoiding eye
contact is
considered
polite
United States
When saying
hello or talking
to someone it
is impolite to
not look
directly at the
person.
United States
United States
The O.K. signal
expresses
approval
Thumbs upused for hitch
hiking, or
approving of
something
Someone may
whistle when
happy.
Whistling can
express
approval, as in
cheering at a
public event.
Japan
United States
Nigeria
Europe
The O.K. signal
means that
you are asking
for money.
Using your
middle finger
is very
This is a rude
offensive. Used gesture in
in place of
Nigeria.
inappropriate
language.
Whistling may
be a sign of
disapproval at
public events.
CRIME AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
A crime is a behavior that violates criminal
law and is punishable with fines, jail terms,
and/or other negative sanctions.
Juvenile delinquency, refers to a violation of
law or the commission of a status offense by
young people.
The criminal justice system, which includes
1.the police 2. the courts 3.and the prisons, is
the primary mechanism of external social
control.
QUESTION
 The text defines deviance as any:
a. aberrant behavior.
b. behavior, belief, or condition
that violates social norms.
c. serious violation of consistent
moral codes.
d. perverted act.
ANSWER: B
 The text defines deviance as any behavior, belief, or condition
that violates social norms .
WHAT IS SOCIAL CONTROL?
Practices that social groups develop to
encourage conformity to norms, rules, and
laws and to discourage deviance.
Internal social control takes place when
individuals internalize norms and values and
follow those norms and values in their lives.
External social control involves negative
sanctions that proscribe certain behaviors and
punish rule breakers.
CRIMINOLOGY
The systematic study of crime and the
criminal justice system, including the police,
courts, and prisons.
When sociologists study deviance, they
attempt to determine:
What types of behavior are defined as deviant
Who does the defining
How and why people become deviants
How society deals with deviants.
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
Deviance serves three functions:
1. Deviance clarifies rules.
2. Deviance unites a group.
3. Deviance promotes social change . (think Gandhi and MLK)
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVES
Theory
a. Strain
theory
b.
Opportunity
theory
Key Elements
Deviance occurs when approved
means of reaching approved
goals is blocked.
Lower-class delinquents
subscribe to middle class values
they can’t attain. They may
achieve goals illegitimately.
A. MERTON’S STRAIN THEORY OF
DEVIANCE
Mode
Method
Conformity
Accepts approved goals, pursues
them through approved means.
Innovation
Accepts approved goals; uses
disapproved means.
Ritualism
Abandons society’s goals;
conforms to approved means.
MERTON’S STRAIN THEORY OF
DEVIANCE
Mode
Method
Retreatism
Abandons approved goals and
approved means.
Rebellion
Challenges approved goals and
approved means.
Let’s read “Merton’s Strain Theory, Crime, and My Pants”
and then apply the strain theory to your own goals and
means.
W H I C H O F M E R T O N ’ S M O D E S O F A DA P TAT I O N M I G H T E X P L A I N
S C A RY G U Y O R L I Z A R D M A N ’ S V I E W S O N S O C I A L L I F E ?
B. OPPORTUNIT Y THEORY
When people have limited approved societal means to achieve
their goals, however they do have opportunities to achieve their
goals through illegitimate channels.
Three gang types:
1. Criminal
2. Conflict
3. Retreatist
SYMBOLIC- INTERACTIONIST
PERSPECTIVES
Theory
Differential
association
Key Element
Deviant behavior is learned in
interaction with others.
Social bonds keep people from
becoming criminals. When ties
Social Control/
to family and friends become
Social bonding
weak, individuals are likely to
engage in criminal behavior.
SYMBOLIC-INTERACTIONIST
PERSPECTIVES
Theory
Key Element
Acts are deviant because they
Labeling theory have been labeled as such.
A person accepts the “deviant”
label and continues to engage
in “deviant” behavior.
Let’s read “Sociological Theories: What
They Are and Why We Need Them”
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES
Theory
Critical
approaches
Key Elements
Marxian- The powerful use the
criminal justice system is used
to protect the interests of those
in power (upper classes)
Liberal- deviance arises from
discrimination.
Radical Feminist- focuses on
patriarchy
Socialist - focuses on
capitalism
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES
Conflict theorists focus on power relations in society.
According to this approach, norms and laws are set by those in
power and therefore the ideas of right and wrong are really a
product of the ruling class. The ruling class uses laws to control two
types of people
1. Social dynamites-criminals, gang members, labor organizers,
rioters
2. Social junk- welfare recipients, the homeless, people with
disabilities
“Criminals” are therefore more likely to be from lower classes
POSTMODERN PERSPECTIVE
Theory
Key Element
Power, knowledge, and social
control are intertwined.
Example: In prisons, methods of
Knowledge
surveillance make prisoners think
is power
they are being watched all the
time, giving officials a form of
power over the inmates.
QUESTION
 According to _____ theory, people are
sometimes exposed to cultural goals that
they are unable to obtain because they do
not have access to culturally approved
means of achieving those goals.
a. containment
b. status inaccessibility
c. strain
d. conflict
ANSWER: C
 According to strain theory, people are sometimes exposed to
cultural goals that they are unable to obtain because they do
not have access to culturally approved means of achieving
those goals.
QUESTION

Differential Association theory suggests that
people will become criminal in their behavior:
a. when they have frequent, intense, and longlasting interactions with others who violate
the law.
b. simply by associating with other people.
c. when they learn the rationalization and
neutralization techniques for such behavior.
d. when they learn the techniques for
committing the crimes.
ANSWER: A.
 Dif ferential Association theory suggests that people will
become criminal in their behavior when they have frequent,
intense, and long-lasting interactions with others who violate
the law.
QUESTION

Drug addicts are an example of what type of adaptation in
Strain Theory?
a.
b.
c.
d.
conformity
innovation
retreatism
ritualism
ANSWER: C
 Drug addicts are an example of the retreatism adaptation in
Strain Theory.
SOCIOLOGY IN ACTION!
 Your job is to go into the field to figure out how the staf f at
MHS is dealing with social deviance—things like plagiarism,
stealing, loitering, alcohol abuse, dress code violation,
vandalism, fighting, and inappropriate language.
SOCIOLOGY IN ACTION!
 You will work with a small group of four or five.
 Appropriate MHS behavior is expected. Also, you are a
reflection of me being in the halls so please do not use this as
social hour. No cell phones. Use appropriate, formal language.
Be professional.
 Politely introduce yourself to staf f members and tell them
what you are researching. You might want to even state the
learning objectives.
 To avoid the Hawthorne ef fect, please indicate to your subject
(staf f member) that data will be purely confidential and used
for academic purposes only. DO NOT RECORD NAMES. Be true
to your word and keep staf f comments confidential. During
class discussion, do not use staf f names.
ARRESTS BY TYPE OF
OFFENSES, 2003
HOW THE LAW CLASSIFIES CRIME
Crimes are divided into felonies and
misdemeanors.
A felony is a serious crime such as rape,
homicide, or aggravated assault, for which
punishment ranges from more than a year’s
imprisonment to death.
A misdemeanor is a minor crime that is
typically punished by less than one year in jail.
SEXTING
 In Florida, 18-year-old Phillip Albert was sentenced to five years
probation and was obligated to register as a sex of fender after he
distributed nude photos of his ex -girlfriend to more than 70 people.
Including the ex-girlfriend's grandparents. On the other hand, the
girl was never charged. Was she a willing participant or a victim?
 Philip's plight is not a lonely one. In Pennsylvania, a 15 -year-old girl
was charged with child pornography after e -mailing nude
photographs of herself to a 27 -year-old man on MySpace. The
recipient of the e-mail was only charged with "unlawful sexual
activity."
 Last year, a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey was arrested and charged
with possession and distribution of child pornography after posting
sexually explicit photos of herself on Facebook. Is Sexting a Crime?
Does it constitute child pornography?
HOW SOCIOLOGISTS CLASSIFY CRIME

Sociologists categorize crimes based on how they are
committed and how society views the of fenses:
1.
2.
3.
4.
conventional (street) crime
occupational (white-collar) and corporate crime
organized crime
political crime
QUESTION

Have you ever been arrested?
a.
b.
Yes
No
GSS NATIONAL DATA
Lib.
Con.
Catholic Jewish
Protestant Protestant
4.5%
None
Yes
2%
3%
0.4%
7.7%
No
98%
97%
99.6% 95.5% 92.3%
FBI CRIME CLOCK
CONVENTIONAL CRIME
Includes violent crime, property crimes, and
certain morals crimes.
Violent crime - actions involving force or the
threat of force, including murder, rape,
robbery, and aggravated assault.
Property crimes - robbery, burglary, larceny,
motor vehicle theft, and arson.
“Morals” crimes - prostitution, illegal
gambling, use of illegal drugs, and illegal
pornography.
ORGANIZED CRIME
A business operation that supplies illegal
goods and services for profit.
Premeditated, continuous illegal activities of
organized crime include drug trafficking
prostitution, loan-sharking, money laundering,
and large-scale theft such as truck hijackings.
Organized crime thrives because there is great
demand for illegal goods and services.
OCCUPATIONAL AND CORPORATE
CRIME
Occupational (white-collar) crime - illegal
activities committed by people in their
occupation or financial affairs.
Corporate crime - illegal acts committed by
corporate employees on behalf of the
corporation and with its support.
Examples: antitrust violations; tax evasion;
misrepresentations in advertising;
infringements on patents, copyrights, and
trademarks; price fixing; and financial fraud.
POLITICAL CRIME
 Illegal or unethical acts involving usurpation of power by
government of ficials, or illegal/ unethical acts perpetrated
against the government by outsiders seeking to make a
political statement, undermine or overthrow the government.
FOUR T YPES OF POLITICAL DEVIANCE
1. Secrecy and deception designed to
manipulate public opinion.
2. Abuse of power.
3. Prosecution of individuals due to their
political activities.
4. Official violence, such as police brutality
against people of color or the use of citizens
as unwilling guinea pigs in scientific
research. (MKUltra)
QUESTION

Which of the behaviors below is referred to as a morals
crime?
a.
b.
c.
d.
illegal gambling
illegal drugs
prostitution
all of these choices
ANSWER: D
 The following behaviors are referred to as a morals crime:
illegal gambling, illegal drugs and prostitution.
ARREST RATES BY SEX, 2003
ARREST RATES BY RACE, 2002
DISCRETIONARY POWERS IN
LAW ENFORCEMENT
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Refers to more than 55,000 local, state, and
federal agencies that enforce laws, adjudicate
crimes, and treat and rehabilitate criminals.
Includes police, courts, corrections facilities,
and employs more than 2 million people in
17,000 police agencies, nearly 17,000 courts,
more than 8,000 prosecutorial agencies,
about 6,000 correctional institutions, and
more than 3,500 probation and parole
departments.
DISCRETION
Refers to the use of personal judgment by
police officers, prosecutors, judges, and other
criminal justice system officials regarding how
to proceed in a given situation.
Example: The police have the power to
selectively enforce the law and have on many
occasions been accused of being too harsh or
too lenient on alleged offenders.
PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTIONS
 Punishment is any action designed to deprive a person of
things of value because of some of fense the person is thought
to have committed.
FUNCTIONS OF PUNISHMENT
1.
Retribution - the punishment should fit the crime .
1.
Social protection - restrict of fenders so they can’t commit
further crimes.
FUNCTIONS OF PUNISHMENT
3.
Rehabilitation - return of fenders to the community as law abiding citizens.
4.
Deterrence - reduce criminal activity through a fear of
punishment.
QUESTION
 From the following list, what do you feel
should be the most important function of
prison?
a. Punish people for crimes they committed.
b. Rehabilitate people who committed crimes.
c. Protect society by locking away criminals.
d. Serve as a warning.
e. Make people pay back society for the
crimes they have committed.
f. Don't know
THE DEATH PENALT Y
Capital punishment, or the death penalty, has
been used in the United States as an
appropriate and justifiable response to very
serious crimes.
In 2002, 71 inmates were executed and more
than 3,500 people awaited execution.
2/3 of those on death row are in southern
states, including Alabama, Florida, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas.
DEATH ROW CENSUS JANUARY 1,
2005
GLOBAL CRIME
 The 1994 United Nations Conference on Global Organized
Crime estimated that about $500 billion per year is accrued in
the global trade in drugs alone.
 Today, profits from all kinds of global criminal activities are
estimated to range from $750 billion to more than $1 .5
trillion a year.
GLOBAL CRIME
Reducing global crime will require a global
response, including:
Cooperation of law enforcement agencies,
prosecutors, and intelligence services across
geopolitical boundaries.
Regulation by the international community to
control international money laundering and
trafficking in people and controlled
substances such as drugs and weapons.
QUICK QUIZ
1 . ________ is any belief, behavior, or condition that violates
significant social norms in the society or group in which
it occurs.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Deviance
Mores
Taboos
Crime
ANSWER: A
•
Deviance is any belief, behavior, or condition that violates
significant social norms in the society or group in which it
occurs.
2. The "good worker" is often an example of what type of
adaptation in Strain Theory?
a.
b.
c.
d.
innovation
ritualism
retreatist
conformity
ANSWER: B

The "good worker" is often an example of ritualism in
Strain Theory.
3. Punishment is seen as serving four functions. Which item
below is NOT one of those functions ?
a.
b.
c.
d.
innovation
deterrence
retribution
social protection
ANSWER: A
 Punishment is seen as serving four functions. Innovation is
NOT one of those functions.
4. ________ refers to the systematic practices that social
groups develop in order to encourage conformity to
norms, rules, and laws, and to discourage deviance.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Criminal justice
Deviance
Law enforcement
Social control
ANSWER: D
 Social control refers to the systematic practices that social
groups develop in order to encourage conformity to norms,
rules, and laws, and to discourage deviance.
5. A felony is a serious crime such as rape, and homicide for
which punishment means imprisonment from one year to
death.
a.
b.
False
True.
ANSWER: B
 A felony is a serious crime such as rape, and homicide for
which punishment means imprisonment from one year to
death.
6. Control Theorists suggest that deviance is more likely to
occur when social bonds are strongest.
a.
b.
False.
True.
ANSWER: A

Control Theorists suggest that deviance is less likely to
occur when social bonds are strongest.