SOCIAL CONTROL
Societal attempts to regulate people’s thoughts & behavior: Three types
1. Personal Control2. Informal Social Control3. Formal Social Control
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMFormal response by police, courts, and
prison officials to alleged violations of law
Early interest in deviance (criminality) focused on biological causes
Criminals stand out physically
Cesare Lombroso, Facial (1835-1909)
Sheldon, Body structure
To the trained eye people organized into categories.
Those in group "A" are shoplifters
"B" are swindlers
"H" are purse snatchers,
"E" are murderers, etc.
You can see a man's real character at a glance.
Body structure and criminality
Sheldon
CRITIQUE: BIOLOGICAL CRITIQUE: BIOLOGICAL THEORIESTHEORIES
1. Limited to explanation of crime
2. Most actions defined as deviant are carried out by people who are physically normal
Deviance
• Behavior, belief, or condition that violates social norms
• Skipping
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YsJ186p17U
• Examples:1. Drinking too much2. Robbing a bank3. Laughing during a funeral
Deviance vs Conformity
Range of unacceptable behavior outside ideal norm
Outside the boundary = deviance
Body Mass Index Calculator
BMI Weight StatusBMI Weight Status
Below 18.5 Underweight 18.5 – 24.9 Normal 25.0 – 29.9 Overweight 30.0 and Above Obese
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm
Over conformingOver conforming
Under Under conforming->conforming->
Normative Definition
Deviance--Violation of a Violation of a normnorm, a socially-shared standard of conduct
Norms=What persons should/should not do Behaviors that are “normal” in certain situations
Most popular sociological definition of deviance
Legalist Definition
Deviance is an act that breaches a law.
Problem 1: Not all deviant acts are illegal.
Problem 2: Not all illegal acts are deviant.
Structural-Functionalist
Functions of Deviance:Functions of Deviance: Affirms cultural values Generates & sustains morality Clarifies moral boundaries Promotes social unity Encourages social change
Absolutist View of Deviance
2 fundamental types of human 2 fundamental types of human behaviorbehavior1. Inherently good2. Inherently bad
Deviance is potentially destructive Deviance is potentially destructive Society needs to control or
eliminate
Relativism and Deviance
Location: Speaking loudly during church service Speaking loudly at a party would not.
Taking the life of another person During war, deviant
4/2 Relativism and Deviance
Time Period: Alcoholic beverages legal to produce, transport, and sell Not legal—Prohibition:January 16, 1919 Legal:Repealed in 1933
Age: 5-year-old can cry in a supermarket Older child or adult cannot
Relativism and Deviance
Social status: Famous people, rich people
Culture: United States: Customers do not barter or
negotiate for goods
Other countries: People haggle over the price Not to do so is deviant
Other Influences on Definitions of Deviance
Situational Circumstances
Societal Reaction TheoriesSocietal Reaction Theories
Processes by which:
• Certain types of behavior become viewed as unacceptable, deviant, or criminal
Deviance is not a quality of an act
Deviance is based on reaction
Societal ReactionSocietal Reaction
•Symbolic interaction theory
•Labeling theory
Societal Reaction TheoriesSocietal Reaction Theories
Symbolic Interactionism
Stresses the importance of the real or imagined reactions of others upon how we act and how we view of ourselves.
Labeling Theory
•Society causes deviance
•How and why society labels certain behaviors deviant
• Response to behavior
•Rather than behavior
Mental Disorders
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv49RFo1ckQ&feature=player_embedded
20 Million Kids & Adolescents are labeled with "mental disorders" based on a checklist of behaviors.
No brain scans, x-rays, genetic or blood tests can prove they are "mentally ill
Edwin Lemert: Primary and Secondary Deviation
• Process of labeling• Deviant behavior results from a stigmatized
sense of self
• Primary deviance: General deviance before labeling
• Example: Person gets drunk several times—sees self as enjoying party
•
Secondary Deviance
• Result of labeling
• Example: Person notices that friends hide liquor during visits
• Sees self as a ‘drunk’ Continues to get drunk
Merton’s Strain Theory
• Some deviance may be necessary for society to function
• Extent and kind of deviance • Depends on whether society provides the
means to achieve cultural goals
• Conformity=Pursuing cultural goals through approved means
CONFORMITY
SOCIALLLY APPROVED GOAL:
Making $$$
• SOCIALLY APPROVED MEANS:
• Get a college education
• Work Hard
DEVIANCE: Innovation
SOCIALLLY APPROVED GOAL:
Making $$$
NOT SOCIALLY APPROVED MEANS:
Sell illegal drugs
White collar crime
Join the mafia
Deviance: Ritualism
SOCIALLLY APPROVED GOAL:
Making $$$
FAIL TO ACHIEVE SOCIALLY APPROVED GOAL:
Keep working hard anyway
Deviance: Retreatism
SOCIALLLY APPROVED GOAL:
Making $$$
REJECT GOAL AND THE MEANS:
Work in supermarket & live with parents
Deviance: Rebellion
SEEK NEW GOAL:
Adventure Promoting
equality
NEW MEANS
Work for political change
Start a revolution
Join a cult
Medicalization of Deviance
Transformation of moral and legal deviance into a medical condition
Moral terms“Bad” or “Good”
Legal terms“Crime” or “Legal”
Medical terms “Sick” or “Well”
THE DIFFERENCE LABELS MAKE
Three consequences:
1. Who responds to deviance
2. How people respond
3. Personal competence of the person
TRAVIS HIRSCHI: CONTROL THEORY
Conformity linked to four types of social control
1. Attachment1. Attachment–> Significant others
2. Commitment2. Commitment—Course of action
3. Involvement3. Involvement—Legitimate use of time & energy
4. Belief4. Belief—Common values
Deviance is not simply the violation of some agreed upon rule
What is considered deviant is largely a function of the ability of groups with political powerpolitical power to impose their concept (or meaning) of right and wrong on the behavior of other groups.
Social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance
Social-Conflict ApproachSocial-Conflict Approach
1. Norms & laws of society reflect interests of rich & powerful
2. The Powerful have resources to resist deviant labels
3. Widespread belief that norms & laws are natural masks political character