Poverty Simulation Discussion
What was the most frustrating part of this
process? What upset you, if anything?
EXPLAIN.
 Do you think the poverty line is accurate
($23,850 for family of four)? Should the
government be doing more or less to help
people? EXPLAIN.
 Did this exercise change your mind about your
own life? Are there things that you appreciate
more?

DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL
CONTROL
Deviance

Deviance: behavior that departs from societal or
group norms (subjective) Examples?
 Negative
deviance: behavior that underconforms to
accepted norms
 People
reject, misinterpret, or are unaware of norms
 Positive
deviance: behavior that overconforms to social
expectations
 People
 Deviant:
 Others
idealize group norms; leads to perfectionism
person who breaks significant social norms
react negatively and want to control their behavior
Social Control

Social Control: ways to encourage conformity to
society’s norms
 Internal:
 What
do you think this is?
 Within the person; do/don’t do it because it’s right/wrong; not
stealing
 External:
 What
do you think this is?
 Based on social sanctions; can be formal or informal


Negative = fines, prisons, criticism
Positive = awards, money, smiles
Functionalism and Deviance

Costs of Deviance (???)
 Erodes
trust, encourages nonconformity of others,
expensive

Benefits of Deviance (???)
 Clarifies
norms, serves as a safety valve, increases unity,
promotes needed social change


Strain Theory: deviance is more likely to occur when
a gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to
achieve these goals by legitimate means
Control Theory: compliance with social norms requires
strong bonds between individuals and society
 Conform
to keep in favor with family, friends, etc.
Symbolic Interactionism and Deviance

Differential Association Theory: we learn deviance in
proportion to the number of deviant acts we’re
exposed to
 The
more you’re exposed to people that break the law,
the more likely you are to do the same.
 Depends on # people exposed to, if significant others are
deviant, and age person is exposed

Labeling Theory: society creates deviance by
identifying particular members of society as deviant
 Primary
Deviance: engage in isolated acts of deviance
 Secondary Deviance: lifestyle and part of identity
Conflict Theory and Deviance


Rich and powerful use positions to determine what is
deviant and how it should be punished
Race, Ethnicity, Crime
 Minorities
receive unequal treatment in the justice system
 African Americans/Latinos more likely to be convicted
 African Americans are 13% of population, but 42% of
death row inmates are African American
 Minorities don’t have the same resources for defense
 White Collar Crime: job-related crimes by people of
high status
 Punishment:
less, shorter sentences, nicer facilities
The Prison System

Incarceration: protecting society from criminals by
keeping them in prison
 1.6
million (1995) to 2.4 million (2014) in the U.S.
 US = 5% of the world’s population; 25% of prisoners


Rehabilitation: changing or reforming a criminal
through socialization (social skills, classes, work)
Recidivism: repetition or return to criminal behavior
 50%+
back in prison between 3-5 years
 Nature
of the defenders
 Influences of more hardened criminals
 Stigma of being an ex-convict
Alternatives to Prison

Combination of prison and probation
 Recognize
realities of prison life for reduced sentence,
then time on probation

Community-based programs
 Become
part of society under supervision for part of the
day

Diversion strategy
 Program
outside of the system in order to help stop the
stigma of labeling