Response Paper 5

Brandin Reggio

Response Paper 5

            Murders, rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, mobsters, racketeers, what do all these things have in common? These are all examples of people that our society deems to be deviant. Deviant, in the text, is defined as behavior that violates the standards of conduct for a society. If you have lived in America, or any country in the world for that matter, there is no doubt that you have come across some of these types of people. Growing up in Newark, I have been around many different norms then many people. Nevertheless, it is not to say that there is not any deviance in the "suburban picket fence towns" around me.

 

So, how does our society control or protect us from these deviant individuals, and where does this type of behavior actually come from? The way that society prevents these undesirable behaviors from occurring is social control. There are two types of social control; one is informal control and the other is formal. An example of informal control is classmates ridiculing or picking on a kid who eats glue. The child will see that his behavior is unacceptable, thus refraining from doing it next time. I must also point out that deviant behavior is not always extreme and, like murder, it can be any action that goes outside the norms of a society. An example of formal control is laws that are set up by an authorized entity, such as police officers or judges. Both of these techniques levy sanctions which are rewards or punishments.

            I work at a Stop and Shop supermarket. The guide lines for conduct at my work are extremely strict and, if broken, there is a good chance that sanctions can be placed against you. One example of formal social control is that if an employee is caught stealing it is automatic termination. On my interview, one of the managers told me a story about a boy that worked there for five years and that he had opened a candy bar while he was waiting on the line to pay for it. He was fired for doing this. To make sure that employees and customers don’t steal, there are cameras all over the store and securities guards watching everyone all day long. An example of informal control is when a manager complains about the work ethic of the staff and says “there are plenty of people looking for jobs in today’s world”. By this, the manager is trying to scare the workers into working even harder by implying that if they don’t, they will lose their jobs. In both cases, the fear, or sanction, is of the employee losing their job, but I believe that the formal technique is much more effective. My reasoning for this is that when people see authority behind statements or actions they seem to pay closer attention. For example, if an older lady asks you to turn your music down, you may not listen. But, if a SWAT team armed with automatic machine guns tells you to turn your music down, I doubt there will be any hesitation. I believe that the fear of jail, or penalties by the government, controls better than being threatened or even made fun of by your peers. Some people that are deviant thrive off of this ridicule, but when it comes down to going to jail, they will change their behavior quickly.

            Deviance is not an absolute principle; it is a term and standard made up by society. It also varies from society to society. Something in the middle east, such as women wearing shorts, could be looked at as deviant. Yet, in the United States, it is a norm. I also believe that the frequency for the amount of deviant people in a society varies by the environment that one is placed in. For example, there may be more deviant individuals in a rough neighborhood then a wealthy suburban town. An example of this is Merton’s Theory. In his theory, he poses the question: what do a mugger and teacher have in common? He states that both of these people are engaging in their actions to obtain money so they can buy goods for personal gratification. This theory backs up the idea that deviant people are formed due to society’s expectations and norms. Money and wealth were both created by society. If a person is placed in a certain type of environment without opportunities, they will do anything to be successful by societies standards.. even if this means committing deviant acts to obtain wealth.

            Deviance is a problem that plagues every culture and subculture around the globe. Whether it is sticking gum under the class desk or committing heinous acts such as multiple murders, unwanted and dangerous behavior is all around us. Should we lock these villainous creatures away for life or try to reform and rehabilitate them? That is a question with many answers. But, one thing is for certain is that deviance is a product of the world which we have created, and it is very well up for us to stop it.