NCJ Number
66946
Journal
TASMANIA POLICE JOURNAL Volume: 54 Issue: 8 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1979) Pages: 34-39
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
PAST AND PRESENT DEFINITIONS OF CRIMINOLOGY AND DEVIANCE AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NORMS ARE IDENTIFIED IN A DISCUSSION OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF DEFINING DEVIANT BEHAVIOR.
Abstract
AUTHORS OF CRIMINOLOGY LITERATURE SUGGEST THAT CRIMINOLOGICAL STUDY COVERS ONLY PERSONS CONVICTED IN A COURT FOR VIOLATION OF THE LAW; OTHERS WOULD EXTEND THE FIELD OF STUDY TO INCLUDE PERSONS ARRESTED AND NOT CONVICTED; AND STILL OTHERS WOULD EXTEND THE FIELD FURTHER BY INCLUDING ALL THOSE NOT APPREHENDED AND/OR ALL VIOLATORS OF SOCIAL NORMS (OF WHICH CRIMINAL LAW VIOLATORS FORM ONLY A PART). SOCIOLOGIST ARGUING FOR THE LATTER VIEW HOLD DEVIANCE TO BE A VIOLATION OF SOCIAL EXPECTION WHICH MAY INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE VIOLATION OF BEHAVIORAL NORMS BUT ALSO THE MERE FAILURE TO CONFORM TO OTHER PEOPLE'S IDEAS. EARLY DEVIANCE THEORIES, CHARACTERIZED BY AN ABSOLUTIST PERSPECTIVE OF BEHAVIOR THAT RESULTED IN DEVIANCE BEING VIEWED AS SOCIAL PATHOLOGY, HAVE GIVEN WAY SUCH THEORIES AS SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION AND THOSE THAT FOCUS ON THE FAILURE OF PEOPLE TO OBEY GROUP RULES. NOT ALL DEVIATIONS FROM SOCIAL NORMS ARE NOW DISAPPROVED, NOR ARE DEVIANTS FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE NECESSARILY CONSIDERED THE SAME. ACTS LIKE ROBBERY AND MURDER ARE CONSIDERED UNIVERSALLY DEVIANT, WHILE OTHER ACTIONS ARE TOLERATED WITH VARYING LEVELS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL. ALTHOUGH PERCEPTIONS OF DEVIANCE VARY ACCORDING TO THE PERSPECTIVE OF VARIOUS SOCIAL GROUPS, A DEFINITION OF DEVIANCE MUST STILL BE SOUGHT BECAUSE OF ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES OF STUDYING DEVIANCE, RESEARCH MUST BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES WHICH ARE ETIOLOGICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH NONCOMFORMITY TO NORMS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)