Deviance, Crimes, Social Control

Lesson 06

Deviance, Crimes, Social Control

The word deviance connotes odd or unacceptable behavior, but in

the sociological sense of the word, deviance is simply any violation
of society’s norms. Deviance can range from something minor,
such as a traffic violation, to something major, such as murder.
This is what we are going to discuss in this lesson, including crimes
and social control.
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Define deviance and explain the nature of deviant behavior

2. Differentiate between methods and social control
3. Describe the functionalist view of deviance in society
through four sociologist’s theories
4. Explain how conflict theory understands deviance and crime
in society
5. Describe the symbolic interactionist approach to deviance,
including labeling and other theories
6. Identify and differentiate between different types of crimes

Meaning of Deviance

Deviance is defined as a violation of the standards of behavior of a

society.
Each society defines what is deviant and what is not, and
definitions of deviance differ widely between societies.
For example, in the Philippines, when a man cries in public in the
1950s, it would have been considered deviant. Today, men who cry
in response to extreme emotional situations are acting within
society’s norms.
Male politicians cry when announcing defeat, male athletes cry
after winning a championship, and male actors cry after winning an
award. By today’s standards, none of these men is committing a
deviant act.
Social Control and Sanctions

Social control
Social control is the regulation and enforcement of norms to
maintain social order - an arrangement of practices and behaviors
on which society’s members base their daily lives
Rules are enforced to those who violate guidelines.
The way to enforce these guidelines is called sanctions which
would either be positive or negative.

Positive sanctions are rewards to those who conform to the norms

like an employee who is promoted in his work for working hard.
Negative sanctions are punishments for violating norms like
arresting a person for shoplifting.

Sanctions are also classified as informal or formal.

Informal sanctions happen in face-to-face interactions. When
people frown at a lady burping loudly in the party; or a pat on the
back when they see you help an old woman carry a large grocery
bag across the street.

Formal sanctions are officially recognizing and enforcing norm

violations.

For example, a student who violates her college’s code of conduct

may be expelled; or an employee who speaks inappropriately to the
boss may be fired. On the other hand, a soldier who saves life may
receive a commendation.

Sociologists’ view on Deviance

Several sociologists have their views on deviance like

A. Functionalist’s View on Deviance
1. Viewing deviance as a key component of a functioning
society
Merton said in his strain theory that “in order to access
goals that are accepted by society, deviance plays a very
Deviance, Crimes, Social Control

important in determining whether a person is conforming or

not”.
• He mentioned 5 types of deviance in terms of the
acceptance or rejection of social goals and the
institutionalized means of achieving them
1. There are the conformists who choose to conform and NOT
deviate.
2. Then, the innovators who accept approved goals but
disregard institutional means to achieve them. This is
practiced by people who are low-wage earners who resort to
graft or corruption to achieve higher standard of living.
3. Third type is the ritualist who gives up cultural goals but
follows the prescribed norms. Example is a religious fanatic
or an employee who goes to work but does not do anything.
4. The fourth type is the retreatist who abandons both the
cultural goals and the prescribed means to achieve them.
Examples: drug addicts, hippies, alcoholics.
5. The fifth is the rebel who rejects both the societal goals and
prescribed means to achieve them, but tries to set up new
norms or goals. Examples: rebel soldiers, New People’s
Army

The second theory is social disorganization which says that deviant

behavior is caused by the breakdown of norms, laws, mores, and
other important values of society.
The third theory to consider is the cultural deviance theory by Shaw
and McKay. They concluded that socioeconomic status correlated
to race and ethnicity resulted in a higher crime rate. The mix of
cultures and values created a smaller society with different ideas of
deviance, and those values and ideas were transferred from
generation to generation
Conflict theories
The next is conflict theory which says that social and economic
factors are the causes of crime. Deviance and inequality exist in
this system.
The unequal system by Karl Marx asserts that deviance and crime
cross with wealth and power.
Power Elite Theory of Mills says that the rules of society are
stacked in favor of a privileged few who manipulate them to stay on
top. It is these people who decide what is criminal and what is not,
and the effects are often felt most by those who have little power
Symbolic Interactionism’s View on Deviance
Labeling Theory states that behaviors are tagged or labelled as
proper or improper, moral or immoral, good or bad.
The Differential Association theory by Sutherland tells us that
individuals learn deviant behavior from those who are close to
them who provide them models of and opportunities for deviance

CRIME

Crime is a behavior that violates official law and is punishable

through formal sanctions

Crime is classified into the following:

1. White collar crime which is committed by people occupying
high position. This crime does not involve violence and the
person who committed the crime ends up in hearings, not
labeled as criminal. He also has a 50/50 chance of going to
jail and would only be asked to pay fines.
2. Victimless Crime is a crime committed by the person
towards himself. Examples of this are prostitution, gambling,
drug addiction, etc.
3. Corporate crime is committed by a company or corporation
or people acting on its behalf. Example of this crime is
violating environmental laws. The focus is on the
corporation not the individual.
4. Street crime is an offense committed by ordinary people
against other people or organizations, usually in public
spaces
5. Status crime is illegal because of age like you who are still
young, when you engage in drinking liquor or wine

Civil disobedience is violating a law because the violator wants to

make a statement. People see this as unjust or immoral.

Republic Act No. 9165 of June 7, 2002 otherwise known as the

“Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002”
 Deviance, Crimes, Social Control

The law is a form of social control to a deviant behavior of those

who use the dangerous drugs.
• The State provides effective mechanisms or measures to re-
integrate into society individuals who have fallen victims to
drug abuse or dangerous drug dependence through
sustainable programs of treatment and rehabilitation.
• Penalty is imposed for those who dispense, deliver,
distribute and transport dangerous drugs which ranges from
life imprisonment to death. Fine could be from
P500,000.00 to P10,000,000.00 regardless of quantity
and purity involved.

References

Acton, Ashton Q. (2014. Issues in international sociology and social

work research and application. USA: Scholarly Editions.Print
Difference Between Anthropology and Sociology.
www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/...anthropology-and-
sociology. Web. 06 June 2015.
Ferrante, J. (2014). Sociology a Global Perspective. 9th edition.
USA: Cengage Learning. Print
Mauss, M. (2005). The Nature of Sociology Berghahn Series.USA:
Durkheim Press. Print
Sociology/Anthropology.
www.stolaf.edu/catalog/9697/socanthro.html. Web. 06 June
2015.