Auguste Comte is credited as being the founder of sociology. He emphasized that the study of society must be scientific, and he urged sociologists to employ systematic observation, experimentation, and comparative historical analysis as their methods. He divided the study of society into social statics and social dynamics. In Chapter 7 of Sociology, The Essentials by Margaret L. Andersen, sociological theories of deviance is covered with a more in depth look at corporate crime, arrest rates and effects of races, class, and gender, along with labeling theory.
I found this chapter very interesting because it covers the topics relevant to today of things you often see in the media, such as;
- Why do the rich get richer and the poor get prison?
- How is crime related to race, class, and gender?
- What is the sociological perspective on deviance?
Deviance is simply whatever is defined as deviant by social audiences and helps society to recognize what is considered the “Norm”.
Is deviance always negative? Some deviance can cause disruptions to society by the outcomes being perceived negatively.
One recent form of deviance in the media was Michele Bachmann intro onto Jimmy Fallon's show. Where she unknowingly walked onto stage with the band playing a song called "Lyin' Ass B----." This made headline news, as well as, sparking anger among Bachmann supporters.
Deviance is a violation of norms and since we all violate norms from time to time, to sociologists we're all deviant.
One recent form of deviance in the media was Michele Bachmann intro onto Jimmy Fallon's show. Where she unknowingly walked onto stage with the band playing a song called "Lyin' Ass B----." This made headline news, as well as, sparking anger among Bachmann supporters.
Deviance is a violation of norms and since we all violate norms from time to time, to sociologists we're all deviant.
I have added a YouTube video clip to for you to observer the reactions from people when a person does not follow the “Norm”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_HrzDoSHn4&feature=related Juan Manual Barrios, March 26, 2007
In this video you will learn the “norms” and “etiquette” of how to use a male restroom in the United States. Now, perhaps if you are the opposite sex like me, you would have to figure this out the hard way but this video will clue you in.
According to avideo made by Juan Manual Barrios, " It is not OK to make eye contact or speak while in a public restroom, especially to strangers".
However, it has been my experience that in the ladies room this is very socially acceptable. Many females travel in packs to the restrooms, even if one may not have to use it. Talking while using the restroom or asking for toilet paper from the next stall, is also not out of the “norm” for the female population but would be seen as a clear deviance against the social norms in a male restroom.
How you would feel if a male came out of the women's room as you were walking in it or vice versa? This would be another example of violating the social norm.
However, it has been my experience that in the ladies room this is very socially acceptable. Many females travel in packs to the restrooms, even if one may not have to use it. Talking while using the restroom or asking for toilet paper from the next stall, is also not out of the “norm” for the female population but would be seen as a clear deviance against the social norms in a male restroom.
How you would feel if a male came out of the women's room as you were walking in it or vice versa? This would be another example of violating the social norm.
"Deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an "offender". -Howard S. Becker
CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Crime is a form of deviance. Yet, not all forms of deviance is a crime. When deviance because a crime it is because the behavior and/or action crossed societies laws.
Types of crimes:
- Personal and Property Crimes
- Organized Crimes
- Corporate Crimes
Diversity within these different types of crimes exist and sociologist shows that there is a bias in the treatment of those accused of a crime. When researching this in more detail, I found numerous studies showed that middle class commits the same amount, if not more than those of the lower class. Yet, police choose to arrest those in poverty at a higher rate.
"Poverty is one of the main factors for committing a crime", according to Shipali Sharma. My first thought would be that they would produce a higher turn-over rate of convictions. Many of the poor can not afford to hire the best attorneys and rely on public defenders who are known for not always fighting fair for their court appointed clients.
MYTH: The criminal justice system is not biased against the poor.
FACT: Nearly everyone commits crime -- only the poor are generally punished for it.
FACT: Nearly everyone commits crime -- only the poor are generally punished for it.
FACT: Blacks have the highest rate of imprisonment.
FACT: Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in prisons.
Are we really helping those who commit a crime by incarcerating them, only to release them back out on to the streets without getting to the route of what caused them to do the crime in the first place?
Why do people commit crimes? According to an article from Security World News, "People are not criminals by birth. Their circumstances, needs and their upbringing make them criminals".
SmartJustice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxzdMsRnnTw Graham Clayton Chance, 2008
In London, England they are addressing these very same issues with their youth through SmartJustice. SmartJustice provides comprehensive information on initiatives that are effective in changing offenders' behavior, stopping crime before it starts and tackling the causes of crime for adults and young people.
20/20 NEWS LINK : http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5454083
On 20/20, news commentator Elizabeth Vargas did a story on elephants. The focus of this piece was about how and why these gentle giants can suddenly turn on their trainers and others and become highly dangerous killers. "Elephants are very emotional and suffer severe trauma when separated from their primary groups or witness the death of loved ones. The same is true of people. Stressors, combined with other biological and environmental factors, can trigger criminal and deviant behavior, which seems to be a natural reaction".
Juan Manual Barrios, March 26, 2007 [Quotation]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_HrzDoSHn4&feature=related YouTube Video," Social Norms...". This link will take you to a YOUTUBE video displaying what the norms are of using a male restroom. I chose this link because, I would have no idea how to act, being that I was not raised in this environment. I also referenced to a quote from this video.
Elizabeth Vargas, 7/26/2008 [Quotation]. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5454083 20/20 Video, "Under an Elephants’ Tough Exterior" This link show how the effects of stressors combined with other biological and environmental factors can trigger criminal and deviant behavior in elephants.
"Why do people commit crime?" Shipali Sharma, 6/1/2010 [Quotation]. Retrieved from http://www.securityworldnews.com/2010/06/01/why-do-people-commit-crime/ This link takes you to a news article on why people commit crime. Sometimes we think we know why a person commits a crime but do we really understand why?
"No Author" Huffington Post on the web 11/22/201. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/22/jimmy-fallon-apologizes-for-roots-michelle-bachmann_n_1108996.html This news post goes more in depth of the Jimmy Fallon and Michele Bachman incident. This shows deviance in the media and politics, which happened recently in 2011.
Howard Becker (No Date) [Quotation]. Retrieved from Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviance_(sociology)
Graham Clayton Chance, 2008 [Video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxzdMsRnnTw RAW-Made for the SmartJustice for Young People campaign by Graham Clayton Chance.This film answers such questions as; Why do young people commit crime and what should we do about it?
www.class.uidaho.edu/gbabcock/ Dr. Babcock has been teaching at the University of Idaho since 1989 (University of Idaho,n.d.). University of Idaho Faculty Website. (2011).Overview. Retrieved from www.class.uidaho.edu/gbabcock/
http://www.smartjustice.org/indexyoung.php This link will take you to a web page that offers solutions to crime, provides facts, and various links regarding race and the justice system within London, England. I think something like this should be available within the United States. Let's get to the root of the problem and come up with a solution to fix it.
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-CJSpoor.htm I really like this link because it shows data to support a bias in the criminal justice system in America. Studies in this report show a bias in arrest rates, convictions, and sentencing. I have seen the first hand growing up and it is nice to see it with some data to back it up.
