Chapter 6 Deviance

Question 1

Deviance

Answer 1

Any behavior that does not conform to social expectations.

Question 2

Culture of poverty

Answer 2

The view that the poor are qualitatively different in values and lifestyles from the rest of society and that these cultural differences explain their poverty.

Question 3

Recidivism

Answer 3

Reinvolvement in crime after incarceration.

Question 4

Social Darwinism

Answer 4

A person’s placement in the stratification system is a function of ability and effort.

Question 5

Labeling theory

Answer 5

The view of deviant behavior that stresses the imporance of society in defining what is illegal and assiging deviant status to particular individuals, which in turn dominates their identities and behaviors.

Question 6

Racial profiling

Answer 6

The police practice of disprportionately stopping Blacks and other minority drivers for routine traffic violations and then searching them for evidence of criminal activity.

Question 7

Primary deviance

Answer 7

Rule breaking that occurs before being labeled a deviant.

Question 8

Secondary deviance

Answer 8

Deviant behavior that results from the labeling process.

Question 9

Radical nonintervention

Answer 9

The strategy of leaving juvenile deliquents alone as much as possible rather than giving them a negative label.

Question 10

Civil disobedeince

Answer 10

Public, nonviolent breach of the law with the purpose of calling attention to unfair laws or practices.

Question 11

Corporate crime

Answer 11

The illegal and/or socially harmful behaviors that result from deliberate decision-making by corporate executives for the benefit of their organization.

Question 12

Political crime

Answer 12

Order theorist: Politcal crimes are unlawful activities against the government.

Conflict theorist: Political crimes are unlawful activities by the government.

Question 13

Characteristics of deviance

Answer 13

Deviance is

1. Socially constructed
2. relative, not absolute
3. determined by majority
4. an integral part of all societies
5. results in stigma for the deviant

Question 14

individual as the cause of deviancy

Answer 14

Biological theories: Based on physiology, most have been discredited

Psychological theories: Assumes problem is within mind, source of deviance resides in individual, goal is to change individuals

Sociological theories: Cause of deviance is through cultural transmission, Edwin Southerland’s differential association explains/examines deviance topology, subcultural difference by social class: Edard Banfield argues lower class propensity for criminal behavior because they do not have a strong sense of morality and thus is not constrained by legal rules, Culture of poverty theory

Blaming the victim: Blame the victim and society is free from blame, established order is thus protected from scritism social change is thwarted, authorities can control the individuals and eliminate the “problem” (individuals), people do not ordinarily question the norms, provides justification for social darwinism.