Social Deviance

Paper Summary:

This paper defines social deviance as social behavior that is a recognized violation of societal norms. The category of formal deviation includes petite crime, assault, burglary, sexual crimes and other crimes, such as mass murder and terrorism. The paper describes the neutralization theory, Merton's strain theory and Rotter's social learning theory as they apply to various types of crimes. The paper concludes that, although different types of behavior are motivated by dissimilar sociological or psychological behaviors, different types of crimes can be explained by a combination of three to four deviant behavior theories.

From the Paper:

"Although there have been several associations of crime with neutralization, but research results have leaned towards occasional crimes. Thus, petty crimes such as shoplifting, traffic offenses, and assault can be more readily explained through the neutralization theory. Neutralization seems especially appropriate for explaining accounts associated with minor law breaking. Shoplifting behaviors and traffic violations can also be linked to Neutralization. This is more appropriate because of the use of justifications typically present in minor law breaking, which are made by otherwise normal citizens."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Buzzel, Timothy, 2005, Holiday Revelry and Legal Control of Fireworks: A Study of Neutralization in Two Normative Context, Baker University Online Citationhttp://wcr.sonoma.edu/v6n1/buzzell.htm
• Cameron, Mary Owen, 1964. The Booster and the Snitch: Department Store Shoplifting. New York: Free Press.
• Cothran, Helen, 2003, Sexual Violence: Opposing Viewpoints, Thompson Gale
• Ellis, Lee, 1989, Theories of Rape: Inquiries Into the Causes of Rape, Hemisphere
• Merton, Robert K, 1938, "Social Structure and Anomie". American Sociological Review 3: 672-82.

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