sociology in modules

Richard T. Schaefer1st Edition

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Sociology in Modules

Deviance and Social Control


•Module 23: Social Control•Module 24: What Is Deviance?•Module 25: Crime

Deviance and Social Control 7


█ When does conformity verge on deviance?

A Look Ahead

█ How does a society control its members█ What are the consequences of deviance?


Social Control

█ Social control: Techniques and strategies employed for preventing deviant human behavior in any society– Parents– Peer groups– Companies– Government

Module 23


Social Control

█ Sanctions: penalties and rewards for conduct concerning a social norm

– Death penalty ultimate formal sanction–Subject of controversy centered

on effectiveness of this sanction as social control

Module 23


Conformity and Obedience

█ Conformity: Going along with peers who have no special right to direct behavior

█ Obedience: Compliance with higher authorities in an hierarchical structure

Module 23


Two-thirds of participants fell into category of “obedient subjects”

Conformity and Obedience

█ The Milgram Experiment

– Experimenter instructed people to administer increasingly painful electric shocks to a subject

Module 23


Interplay between formal and informal social control can be complicated, especially if informal social control

encourages people to violate social norms

Informal and Formal Social Control

█ Informal social control: Used casually to enforce norms

█ Formal social control: Carried out by authorized agents

Module 23


Sociology on Campus

█ Why do most college students regard binge drinking as a normal rather than a deviant behavior?

█ Do you think informal social control or do you think formal social control would be more effective in stopping binge drinking on your campus?

Module 23


Law and Society

█ Some norms are so important to a society that they are formalized into laws– Law: Governmental social control

• The legal order reflects values of those in a position to exercise authority

– Control Theory: Our connection to members of society leads us to systematically conform to society’s norms

Module 23


Figure 23-1: U.S. Imprisonment Rate, 1980-2008

Module 23


Figure 23-2: Executions by State Since 1976

Module 23


Figure 23-3: The Status of Medical Marijuana

Module 23


What is Deviance?

█ Deviance: Behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society

– Involves violation of group norms, which may or may not be formalized into law

– Social definition within a particular society and at a particular time

Module 24


What is Deviance?

█ Deviance and Social Stigma

– Stigma: Labels society uses to devalue members of certain social groups

█ Deviance and Technology– Technological innovations can

redefine social interactions and standards of behavior related to them

Module 24


Functionalist Perspective

█ Durkheim’s Legacy

– Punishments established within a culture help define acceptable behavior and contribute to stability

– Erikson illustrated boundary-maintenance function of deviance

– Anomie: Loss of direction felt in society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective

Module 24


Functionalist Perspective

█ Merton’s Theory of Deviance

• Conformist• Innovator• Ritualist• Retreatist• Rebel

– Anomie Theory of Deviance: How people adapt in certain ways by conforming to or by deviating from cultural expectations

Module 24


Interactionist Perspective

█ Cultural Transmission Theory

– Cultural transmission: Humans learn how to behave in social situations, whether properly or improperly

– Differential association: Process through which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to the violation of rules (Sutherland)

Module 24


Some claim social disorganization theory seems to “blame the victim”


█ Social Disorganization Theory: Increases in crime and deviance attributed to absence or breakdown of communal relationships and social institutions

Module 24



█ Labeling Theory: Attempts to explain why some people are viewed as deviants while others are not; also known as societal-reaction approach

Societal-reaction approach:Response to an act, not the

behavior, determines deviance

Module 24



█ Social Constructionist Perspective

– Deviance is a product of the culture we live in

– Focus on decision making process that creates the deviant identity

Module 24



█ Labeling and Sexual Deviance

– Definition of deviant sexual behavior varied significantly over time and from culture to culture• Use of terms, even in positive way,

still implies human sexuality can be confined in neat, exclusive categories

• Definition of sexual deviance seems to change with each generation

Module 24


Conflict Theory

█ People with power protect their own interests and define deviance to suit their needs– Differential justice:

Differences in way social control is exercised over different groups

Module 24


Feminist Perspective

█ Adler and Chesney-Lind argue existing approaches to deviance and crime developed with men in mind– Society tends to treat women

in stereotypical fashion

Cultural views and attitudes toward women influence how they are perceived and labeled

Module 24


Research Today

█ Does Crime Pay?

– Do you know anyone who has stolen out of need? If so, did the person feel justified in stealing, or did he or she feel guilty? How long did the theft continue?

– Economically, profit is the difference between revenues and costs. What are the costs of the illegal drug trade, both economic and social?

Module 24


Table 24-1: Modes of Individual Adaptation

Module 24


Table 24-2: Sociological Perspectives on Deviance

Module 24


Crime

█ Crime: Violation of criminal law for which some governmental authority applies formal penalties

█ Index crimes– Murder– Rape– Robbery– Assault

– Burglary– Theft – Motor vehicle theft– Arson

Module 25


Types of Crime

█ Sociologists classify crimes in terms of how they are committed and how society views the offenses– Victimless crimes– Professional crime– Organized crime– White-collar and technology-based crime– Transnational crime

Module 25


Types of Crime

█ Victimless crimes: Willing exchange among adults of widely desired, but illegal, goods and services

█ Professional crime: Many people make a career of illegal activities– Professional criminal: Person who

pursues crime as a day-to-day occupation

Module 25


Types of Crime

█ Organized crime: Group that regulates relations between various criminal enterprises involved in illegal activities– Dominates world of illegal

business just as large corporations dominate conventional businesses

– Serves as means of upward mobility for groups of people struggling to escape poverty

Module 25


Types of Crime

█ White Collar and Technology-Based Crime

– White Collar crime: Illegal acts committed in the course of business activities

– Computer crime: Use of high technology to carry out embezzlement or electronic fraud

– Corporate crime: Any act by a corporation that is punishable by the government

Module 25


Types of Crime

█ Transnational Crime

– Crime that occurs across multiplenational borders

International crime spans the globe

Module 25


Sociology on Campus

█ Campus Crime

– Is crime a problem on your campus? If so, what kinds of crime? What have college officials done to discourage it?

– Choose two theories of crime discussed in this chapter and apply them to crimes that have occurred on your campus. Which theory seems to fit better?

Module 25


Table 25-1: Types of Transnational Crime

Module 25


Crime Statistics

█ Reported crime is very high in the U.S., so public regards crime as major social problem– Only track crimes that are

reported to law enforcement agencies– Victimization Surveys: Surveys of ordinary

people, not police officers, to determine whether they have been victims of crime

Module 25


Understanding Crime Statistics

█ International Crime Rates

– Violent crimes much more common in U.S. than Western Europe in 1980s and 1990s

Disturbing increases in violent crime are evident in other Western societies

Module 25


Table 25-2: National Crime Rates and Percentage Change

Module 25


Figure 25-1: Victimization Rates, 1973-2007

Module 25


Gun Control

█ Understanding the Issue– Role of firearms in crime

remains fairly consistent despite reported crime decrease

– Brady act not enough for gun control supporters

– In 2008, Supreme Court struck down a near-total ban on handguns in Washington, D.C.

Module 25


Gun Control

█ Applying Sociology– About 42% of U.S. households have

some type of firearm on premises– About half of all adults in U.S. favor

stricter laws covering sale of firearms– National Rifle Association uses impressive

power to block or dilute gun control

Module 25


Gun Control

█ Sociological Insights– Conflict theorists:

powerful groups like NRA dominate legislative process

– Interactionists: gun control opponents and proponents use symbols to their advantage

Module 25


Gun Control

█ Initiating Policy– Advocates for stricter gun control

want more tools for law enforcement, extended checks on gun sales, and an end to large-volume gun sales

– Meets strong opposition from NRA and fire arms manufacturers

– Public health advocates engaging the issue

Module 25


Figure 25-2: Restrictiveness of State Gun Laws

Module 25

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