NCJ Number
62746
Date Published
1980
Length
223 pages
Annotation
THIS TEXTBOOK APPROACHES DEVIANCE AS A LARGELY SOCIAL CREATION THAT, IN MODERN PLURALISTIC SOCIETIES, FREQUENTLY BECOMES THE OBJECT OF MORAL AND POLITICAL STRUGGLES BETWEEN DOMINANT AND MINORITY GROUPS.
Abstract
DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS STUDIED AROUND THESE PARAMETERS: THE MEANINGS PEOPLE IMPUTE TO SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SHARED AND CONFLICTING VALUES, THE DISTRIBUTION OF POWER, AND THE STRUCTURE OF ECONOMIC, LEGAL, AND POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS IN THE SOCIETY. THROUGHOUT THE TEXT, THE VALUES OF INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY AND SELF-DETERMINATION AND THE CREATION OF A MORE HUMANE AND JUST SOCIETY ARE STRONGLY SUPPORTED. THE FIRST CHAPTERS DEVELOP THIS HUMANISTIC SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, FOCUSING PARTICULARLY ON THE WAYS IN WHICH ESTABLISHED GROUPS ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL THE RELATIVISTIC, CHANGING, AND AMBIGUOUS NATURE OF DEVIANT SOCIAL PHENOMENA. THE MOST DISTURBING FEATURES OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE ARE SHOWN TO BE NOT NECESSARILY THE RESULT OF ANY PATHOLOGICAL CONDITION LODGED IN THE INDIVIDUAL BUT A HUMAN ADAPTATION TO PARTICULAR SOCIAL VALUES AND BELIEFS, DIVERGENT INTERESTS AND LIFESTYLES, AND SITUATIONAL STRAINS CREATED BY SOMETIMES OPPRESSIVE SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS. FURTHER CHAPTERS EXPLORE IN GREATER DEPTH THE CLOSE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEVIANCE AND CONVENTIONALITY IN SUCH DIVERSE PROBLEM AREAS AS RAPE, ORGANIZED CRIME, PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS, DRUNKEN BEHAVIOR, AND HOMOSEXUALITY. IMPLICIT IN THE ANALYSIS IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT DEVIANT SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND THE REACTIONS TO IT GROW OUT OF THE BASIC CULTURE, SOCIAL STRUCTURE, AND DEEP SOCIAL CHANGES TRANSFORMING MODERN AMERICAN LIFE. EXTENSIVE FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. SUBJECT AND NAME INDEXES ARE PROVIDED. (AOP)