Sociologists attempt to understand why members of a society engage in deviant an

Question

Sociologists attempt to understand why members of a society engage in deviant and criminal behavior. From a macro perspective, deviance occurs when the means to achieve culturally defined goals are blocked. This may be due in part to structural inequalities and power imbalances. On the micro level, there are three theories that provide explanations for deviance and crime. Consider how socialization influences individuals to choose deviant and criminal behavior. Becker, Sutherland and Hirschi have three different theories about how socialization contributes to such behavior. Becker’s theory is called labeling theory, Sutherland’s is called differential association theory, and Hirschi’s is known as control theory. Each provides a unique explanation to help us understand deviance and crime in our everyday lives. Write an essay that highlights your understanding of deviance and crime. In your response be sure to define deviance and crime and explain the three micro level theories of Becker, Sutherland and Hirschi.

Explanation / Answer

Deviance is defined as an action or behaviour that does not comply to the norms or rules prevailing in the society. This can also be categorised as a step above non conformity and this behaviour is significantly different from social expectations. It has been emphasised by sociologists that deviance cannot be marked by a single act performed by the individual, rather certain acts as a group. These group processes include judgements and definitions preceded before an act, and not only the act.

Deviance is different from crime in being actions which defy law and not only social norms. These actions are termed as illegal and not departing from social norms. For such actions, a person may be prosecuted, charged or arrested. The social codes or deviant behaviours are subjective to the type of society and its culture. Such criminal attitudes and crimes can arise due to a person's nature and can be fuelled by nurture. If, due to some genetic reasons a person is born as a psychopath, if he is given correct and warm environment, his actions towards committing a crime can be avoided. Such can be the effect of nature on a person.

To characterise deviance and crime, there have been three theories developed, known as Becker’s theory of labeling theory, Sutherland’s theory of differential association theory, and Hirschi’s theory of control. Three of them are unique in their own sense as they define deviance and crime in their own way.

Becker’s theory of labeling: he states that all individuals labeled as deviant may not require to be deviant, but once a person has been labelled deviant, they may purposely take deviant paths. The theory states that "Behaviours are defiant only when the society labels them as deviant". They perform actions that do not comply with those created by the more influential and the dominant peopleand hence, the stigma gets people labeled. Some of this labelling includes prostitutes, psychiatric etc. The base of the labelling theory came from the societal theory by Erwin lemert. These have two steps, the primary deviance stage and the secondary deviance stage.

Sutherland’s theory of differential association theory: this theory states that a person learn criminal behaviours due to interaction by people. If an individual comes in the influence of people who harbour criminal actions , early on in his life, he will be more inclined towards such activities and will be more encouraged to follow their footsteps. For example, if a person is unr the influence of some other criminal minded people, and is suffering from lack of food, he might not only be inclined to steal but he might also steal, as the morals established since the childhood permit him to do so. But on the other hand a person in a good influence, suffering rom the same situation, may be inclined but not actually steal. He would take that as a moral offence.

Hirschi’s theory of control: this theory states that if an individual has values that prevent him from performing an action, an unlawful action, he will not perform it. These values come from beliefs and relationships, but if the values of a person are not well established, he will have no control and perform those unlawful acts.

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