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Chapter 7 Deviance and Social Control . What is Deviance? Dimensions of Deviance Theoretical Perspectives on Social Deviance Crime and Social Control. What Is Deviance?. Behavior that violates the norms of a society. Every society creates its own forms of deviance.
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Chapter 7Deviance and Social Control • What is Deviance? • Dimensions of Deviance • Theoretical Perspectives on Social Deviance • Crime and Social Control
What Is Deviance? • Behavior that violates the norms of a society. • Every society creates its own forms of deviance. • Punishment of deviant acts reaffirms the commitment of a society’s members to its norms and values and reinforces social solidarity.
Deviant Subcultures • Includes a system of values, attitudes, behaviors and lifestyles that are opposed to the dominant culture of the society. • Members are also members of the larger society. • Within the subculture, members pursue values that are opposed to those of the larger culture.
Biological Explanations of Deviance • Relate criminality to physical features or body type. • Early sociological theories of deviance viewed crime and other forms of social deviance as attributed to the evils of city life.
Functionalist Theories of Deviance • Merton’s typology of deviance is based on how people adapt to the demands of their society. • Through socialization, people learn what goals are approved of in their society and the approved means of achieving those goals. • Individuals who do not accept the approved goals are likely to engage in deviant behaviors.
Cultural Conflict Theories of Deviance • Cultural conflict: concentrates on the ways in which conflicting sets of norms result in situations that encourage criminal activity. • Marxian: emphasizes class conflict, explaining various types of crime in terms of the social-class position of those who commit them.
Interactionist Theory of Deviance Society’s reactions to certain behaviors is to brand or label the offender as deviant. Focus on: • Why some people become deviant whereas others do not. • The creation of new categories of deviance in a society.
Functions of Prisons • Deterrence • Rehabilitation • Punishment
Prisons • Do not seem to deter crime. • Numerous studies show that prisons are not successful at rehabilitation and often serve as “schools for crime”. • Rehabilitation programs that are effective give inmates job training and work experience.