LO 5.1: Explain how deviance is socially constructed.
Deviance is defined as behaviors or beliefs that do not conform to social norms. It varies across cultures and time. The legal system plays a role in determining what is considered criminal, but not all deviant behaviors are crimes.
The changing legality of marijuana in the U.S. reflects societal shifts in attitudes, with support for legalization rising from 12% in 1969 to 70% in 2023. This illustrates how public opinion can reshape laws over time.
Despite increased support for legalization, actual marijuana use remains relatively low, with 50.3% of U.S. adults having ever used it. Negative perceptions persist, as 54% still believe it harms society, showcasing the complex relationship between deviance, crime, and societal norms.
LO 5.2: Describe the different categories of crime.
Violent Crime includes acts of violence against individuals, such as murder, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Statistics indicate that a significant number of women and men experience intimate partner violence, and firearm-related incidents are prevalent in the U.S., with a notable correlation between mass shootings and gender-based crimes.
More common than violent crimes, property crimes involve theft or damage to someone else’s property, including robbery and fraud. White-collar crimes, such as insider trading and cyber-enabled crimes, are also highlighted, with significant financial losses reported in recent years.
LO 5.3: Compare the perception of crime with actual incidence.
Crime rates in the United States have generally declined since the 1990s, despite a slight increase in certain categories, such as cyber-enabled crime, from 2019 to 2022. Both the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) indicate this overall decline, presenting a more comprehensive view of crime statistics.
Public perception, however, contrasts sharply with this reality, as a significant majority of U.S. adults believe that crime is worse now than in previous years. This misconception is influenced by media coverage that tends to focus on negative news, perpetuating the belief that crime rates are increasing despite the actual decline.
LO 5.4: Contrast theoretical explanations of deviance and crime.
Émile Durkheim posited that deviance is inevitable and serves essential functions, such as clarifying social norms and reinforcing social solidarity, which is the cohesiveness among individuals. Deviance can also drive social change and is influenced by the absence of norms, termed anomie.
Durkheim analyzed suicide rates and identified how social integration and regulation influence different types of suicide, categorizing them as egoistic, altruistic, anomic, and fatalistic based on levels of social integration and regulation.
Proposed by Merton, structural strain theory explains deviance as a result of a mismatch between cultural goals and institutionalized means. Individuals may resort to deviant behavior when they lack access to socially approved methods to achieve their goals.
Merton identified five modes of adaptation to the strain: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion, each reflecting different responses to cultural expectations and available means.
Hirschi’s social control theory suggests that weak social bonds lead to deviance, highlighting the roles of inner and outer controls in deterring deviant behavior. Strong attachments and commitments can prevent individuals from engaging in deviance.
Labeling theory posits that deviance is socially constructed through labels assigned by society. The Thomas Theorem explains that if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.
Marxist theory highlights how social class inequality is integral to capitalist systems. Marxist theory examines how laws and deviant behavior are used to maintain power and economic advantage for capitalists, often criminalizing the actions of those with less power.
Critical race theory focuses on how race, ideas about race, and racism are embedded in the social structure. It examines how the criminal justice system disproportionately labels the behaviors of racial minorities as deviant, highlighting systemic inequalities.
LO 5.5: Describe different forms of social control.
Social control is enforced through informal sanctions, such as disapproval, for minor transgressions, and formal sanctions, like arrests, for more serious violations.
Sociologists refer to individuals or groups with the authority to impose formal sanctions as agents of social control, including teachers, police, and social workers.
A criminal record can create a stigma that adversely affects job prospects, particularly for Black men, demonstrating racial discrimination in employment opportunities.
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate globally, significantly affecting Black and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, with a notable increase during the “war on drugs.”
Surveillance, as described by Michel Foucault, influences conformity by making individuals feel observed, leading to self-discipline in behavior.
Medicalization of Deviance: Medicalization refers to the classification of deviant behavior as a medical issue.
LO 5.6: Discuss how the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs are both legal and health problems.
Substance use, including tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs, is both a legal and health concern, influenced by various factors such as age and context. The legal system addresses substance use, while healthcare intervenes for those with substance use disorders, which can lead to physical addiction.