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Defining Deviance Behavior that is recognized as violating expected rules and norms. Behavior that departs significantly from social expectations. Sociological Emphasis on Deviance 1. social context (not individual behavior) 2. recognized that not all behavior are judged similarly by all groups 3. recognized that established rules and norms are socially created Functional Theory of Deviance Deviance creates social cohesion Merton: Structural Strain Theory Gap between cultural goals and means people have to achieve goals Hirschi: Social Control Theory Attachment to social bonds is weakened Durkheim: Three Types of Suicide 1. Anomic - disintegrating forces in society make an individual feel lost and alone. 2. Altruistic - for the sake of a higher cause. (Komikaze pilots) 3. Egoistic - occurs when people feel totally detached from society. Conflict Theories of Deviance Some groups have access to fewer resources Elite Crime (Conflict Theory of Deviance) Laws created to protect the elite Social Control Agents (conflict theory) Police, mental health workers, etc... Symbolic Interaction Theories of Deviance: Differential Association Differential Association: 1. Deviant behavior is learned through interaction with others. 2. People pass on deviant expectations through their social groups and networks. Symbolic Interaction Theories of Deviance: Labeling Theory 1. Responses of others is most significant in deviance. 2. A person may become deviant because of a label, even if he/she did not engage in deviant behavior. Functionalist Theory of Deviance: Mental Illness By recognizing mental illness, society upholds values about conforming behavior. Symbolic Interactionist Theory of Deviance: Mental Illness Mentally ill are victims of societal reactions to their behavior. Conflict an Labeling Theory of Deviance: Mental Illness People with few resources are most likely to be labeled mentally ill. Social Stigma 1. A stigma is an attribute that is socially devalued and discredited. 2. People with stigmas are defined in terms of their presumed deviance. 3. In hiding their stigma, they isolate themselves from communities where they can find support. Functionalist Theory of Crime 1. Societies need a certain level of crime to clarify norms. 2. Crime results from social structural strains within society. 3. Crime may be functional to society, thus difficult to eradicate. Symbolic Interaction Theory of Crime 1. Crime is learned through social interaction. 2. Labeling criminals tends to reinforce rather than deter crime. 3. Crime may be functional to society, thus difficult to eradicate. Conflict Theory of Crime 1. The lower the social class, the more the individual is forced into criminality. 2. Inequalities in society tends to produce criminal activity. 3. Reducing social inequalities will reduce crime. Measuring Crime 1. Data on crime show that violent crime peaked in 1990, but decreased through the 1990s. 2. Since 2002, assault and robbery have continued to decrease, although murder and rape have increased. 3. Crime is greatly affected by how well the economy is doing—particularly the level of unemployment. Classification of Crimes 1. Personal crimes - murder, aggravated assault, rape, robbery 2. Property crimes - burglary, larceny, auto theft, arson 3. Victimless crimes - gambling, illegal drug use, prostitution 4. Hate crimes - assaults and other malicious acts motivated by bias 5. Organizational (Catholic priests, insider trading like Enron) White-Collar or Elite Crime Examples: embezzlement, insider trading, tax evasion In terms of dollars, white-collar crime is much more consequential for society than street crimes. Race, Class and Crime 1. Arrest data shows a clear pattern of differential arrest along the lines of race, gender and class. 2. Poor are more likely to be arrested for crime. 3. African Americans are twice as likely to be arrested for a crime than Whites. Terrorism 1. Motivated by political, ethnic and religious conflicts 2. Linked to other forms of deviance: drug trade 3. Technology allows new risks: computer viruses and bio terrorism