DEVIANCE AND CRIME

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DEVIANCE AND CRIME
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Deviance

• Behavior which violates social norms.
• Examples???

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Deviance (cont.)

• How is deviance relevant to sociology?
• It varies from culture to culture.
• Examples???
• It varies through the course of time within a
  culture
• Examples??

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Deviance (cont.)

• How does someone become deviant in a society?
• The behavior is seen as deviant and stigmatized
  by society.
• Stigma A mark of social disgrace that sets the
  deviant apart from society.
• What are some examples in our culture?

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Theories on Deviance

• Cultural-Transmission Theory
• Deviance is learned through interacting with
  others (as is non-deviant behavior). Everyone is
  a conformist. It all depends on the differential
  association
• The more deviance within the environment, the
  more deviant interactions will occur.

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Theories on Deviance (cont.)

• Control Theory
• Deviance is a natural occurrence. Conformity is
  key to social control. Those with weak ties to
  the good community become deviant.

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Theories on Deviance (cont.)

• Conflict Theory
• Competition and social inequality creates
  deviance.

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Theories on Deviance (cont.)

• Labeling Theory
• Deviance is a result of being labeled deviance.
• Primary Deviance First acts of deviance that
  goes unnoticed at first which leads to being
  labeled.
• Secondary Deviance Accepting the label as true
  to who the deviant has become

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Theories on Deviance (cont.)

• Structural-Strain Theory (Robert Merton)
• Deviance is a result of not being able to reach
  a value within an environment. This results in
  societal norms becoming unclear. This is known
  as Anomie.

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Crime

• Any act that is labeled as such by those in
  authority, is prohibited by law, and is
  punishable by the government.

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The Existence of Crime Today

• American History-Lawlessness??
• Chain reaction today?
• Crime leads to fear which leads to crime??

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Types of Crime

• Part I Offenses (Index Crimes)
• Four Violent Crimes
• Murder
• Rape
• Battery/Aggravated Assault
• Robbery

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Types of Crime (cont.)

• Part I Offenses (Index Crimes)
• Four Property Crimes
• Burglary
• Larceny
• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Arson

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Types of Crime (cont.)

• Part I Offenses (Index Crimes)
• What are the current stats of the Uniform Crime
  Report?

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Types of Crime (cont.)

• Victimless Crime
• A crime not directed at another person, but
  rather at the individual committing the crime.
• Examples??
• Is this misleading?

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Types of Crime (cont.)

• White-Collar Crime
• Crime committed by an individual or a group of
  high social status in the course of their
  professional lives.
• Examples??
• How can we minimize white-collar crime?

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Types of Crime (cont.)

• Organized Crime
• Crimes committed by a crime syndicate, large
  scale groups which pursue illegal activity as a
  means of business.
• Examples??

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Types of Crime (cont.)

• Characteristics of Crime Syndicates
• Hierarchical
• Family-oriented
• Ran by Omerta
• Fronted by legitimate businesses

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Whos to Blame for Minority Juvenile Crime?

• Each group needs to provide 3 specific points to
  support your view
• Minority Community
• Mainstream Society and the Media
• Individuals committing the crimes
• Parents

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The Justice System Whats the best way to
continue to deter criminal activity within the
justice system?

• Revise the law
• (de-criminalize v. stricter law)
• Reform the police
• Reform the courts
• Reform the prisons
• (punish v. rehabilitate)

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• Each group needs to provide 3 specific points to
  support your view and 1 con for the other 3
• A.Whos to Blame for Minority Juvenile Crime?
• The Minority Community/ Environment
• Mainstream Society and the Media
• Individuals committing the crimes
• Parents of the criminals
• B.The Justice System Whats the best way to
  continue to deter criminal activity within the
  justice system?
• 1) Revise the law
• (de-criminalize v. stricter law)
• 2) Reform the police
• 3) Reform the courts
• 4) Reform the prisons(punish v. rehabilitate)