NCJ Number
28912
Date Published
1975
Length
373 pages
Annotation
THIS TEXTBOOK INVESTIGATES THE WAYS IN WHICH SOCIETY, IN ITS ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL DEVIANCE, MAY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AND FORCE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS INTO DEVIANT CAREERS.
Abstract
IN THE INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER, THE TRADITIONAL SOCIOLOGIST'S APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR (NORMATIVE PARADIGM) IS PRESENTED AND CONTRASTED TO THE APPROACH IMPLIED BY 'CHALLENGERS' SUCH AS ETHNOMETHODOLOGY (INTERPRETIVE PARADIGM). NEXT, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE MODIFIED INTERPRETIVE APPROACH FOR THE DEFINITION AND STUDY OF NORMS AND NORM VIOLATIONS ARE DELINEATED. THE THIRD CHAPTER IN THE TEXT OUTLINES EXTANT SOCIETAL REACTIONS AND LABELING THEORY FORMULATIONS, PROVIDES AN ANALYSIS OF THE CRITICISM WHICH HAS BEEN DIRECTED AT THIS FRAMEWORK, AND EXAMINES THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WHICH LABELING THEORY EITHER GLOSSES OR DOES NOT POSE. THE THEORY IS THEN RECONSTITUTED IN TERMS OF THE INTERPRETIVE PARADIGM. OTHER TOPICS COVERED IN THE TEXT INCLUDE THE LABELING PROCESS AT THE INFORMAL REACTIONS LEVEL, THE FORMAL REACTIONS TO DEVIANCE BY LARGE SOCIAL-CONTROL AGENCIES, THE FACTORS INVOLVED IN DECISIONS TO BRING RULE VIOLATIONS TO THE ATTENTION OF FORMAL SOCIAL-CONTROL PROCEDURES, AND THE TYPES OF PROCESSING STEREOTYPES WHICH EVOLVE FOR BOTH ACTOR AND ACT IN LARGE BUREAUCRACIES. THE DEVIANT'S REACTION TO THE FORMAL PROCESSING PROCEDURES AND HIS ROLE IN ACCEPTING THE LABEL OFFERED BY THE AGENCY ARE ALSO ANALYZED. THE FINAL CHAPTER SUMMARIZES THE DIVERSE WAYS IN WHICH SOCIETAL INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CREATION OF DEVIANCE.