Different cultures determine what is and is not acceptable within a society. Therefore, those that engage in activities or behave in a manner that violates established standards are generally labeled deviant. There is a wide range of acts considered deviant as well as proposed theories for how and why deviance and crime occur in society.
Article:
A topic that was consistently brought up in our sociology discussions was that certain actions that were once deemed “deviant” have become less so over time. This paper examines the “less deviant” behaviors and their relationship to other forms of deviance. Also, I felt this article was especially relevant to college-aged individuals.
Photographs:
I decided to include a few different representations of deviance and crime. One of the things I found interesting about this subject was the fact that there are so many different forms of deviance. Some are heavily punished, while others seemingly go unnoticed.
Video Clip:
A subject I have yet to discuss is elite and white-collar crime. It seems that white-collar crimes often occur under the radar and the scandal surrounding Bernard Madoff is a perfect example of this. The clip I’ve included demonstrates just how devastating white-collar crime can be.
Two Internet Sites:
Some important aspects of crime and deviance are the various sociological theories that attempt to explain the occurrence of deviance in society. The first link I’ve provided examines the theory that I found to be the most interesting (Functionalist).
The medicalization of deviance was a topic that I had never encountered prior to my introductory sociology class. I found it particularly interesting because it has basically taken away all accountability of the “victim.” Since the chapter only slightly touches on this concept, I decided to include the link below, which examines it a little further.
Quote:
Since I’ve touched on the Functionalist Theory of deviance, my quote will reflect a central theme of this theory.
“Crime brings together honest men and concentrates them.” —Emile Durkheim, The Division of Labor in Society (1893)
Two Paragraphs:
I wanted to talk about deviance and crime because it is something everyone can relate to. It seems that everyone has participated in some type of deviant act or at the very least witnessed one. I think it is beneficial to examine the different forms of deviance and crime, the people affected and involved in these types of deviance, as well as various theories as to why crime exists.
Throughout this page I tried to include some of the major topics concerning deviance in society. I attempted to illustrate not only the definition of deviance, but how it is such a broad topic. Prior to learning about the subject, I associated deviance exclusively with criminal acts. However, I quickly discovered that isn’t always the case. Finally, I wanted to include aspects that I had little to no knowledge about such as Bernard Madoff and the medicalization of deviance.
Crossword:
ACROSS 3. The wrongdoing of powerful individuals and organizations. 5. Assaults and other malicious acts motivated by various forms of bias (race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic/national origin, or disability) 6. The study of crime from a scientific perspective. 7. One form of deviance; specifically, behavior that violates criminal laws. 9. Some characteristic of a person that overrides all other features of the person's identity. 10. Violations of law not listed in the FBI's serious crime index, such as gambling or prostitution. 11. Crime committed by organized groups, typically involving the illegal provision of goods and services to others. 12. Continuing to be labeled as deviant even after the initial (primary) deviance may have ceased. 13. Explanation of deviant behavior that interpret deviance as the result of individual pathology or sickness. | DOWN 1. Behavior that is recognized as violating expected rules and norms. 2. A form of terrorism involving the dispersion of chemical or biological substances intended to cause widespread death and disease. 4. The process by which groups and individuals within those groups are brought into conformity with dominant social expectations. 8. The FBI's tallying of violent crimes of murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. |
Answer Key:
Across:
3. Elite deviance
5. Hate crime
6. Criminology
7. Crime
9. Master status
10. Victimless crime
11. Organized crime
12. Deviant identity
13. (Medicalization of) deviance
Down:
1. Deviance
2. Bioterrorism
4. Social Control
8. Index crimes
Photographs acquired from:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrykmTjOHcDSxNJvfxDoGkgYH6BuLZY6mwKF13XgbUqJsvlH8Vuu8T8zI_eIk_Qt9M4E8mrysBHUwCV_fnoqVOSBsd7V7VQgxdSfbwadpNBks39jaXYbuP2-_rw_3hHAE9G6BISFxwCs/s1600/%25CF%2586%25CF%2585%25CE%25BB%25CE%25B1%25CE%25BA1.jpg
Video clip acquired from:
Quote acquired from:
Crossword created using:
General information and crossword definitions acquired from:
Anderson, Margaret L., and Howard F. Taylor. Sociology: The Essentials. Sixth ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2011. Print.
