NCJ Number
15294
Date Published
1974
Length
198 pages
Annotation
A COLLECTION OF READINGS CONCERNED WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF DEVIANCE IN PUBLIC PLACES, THE PRIVATE MANAGEMENT OF DEVIANCE, THE SOCIO-LEGAL MANAGEMENT OF DEVIANCE, AND THE MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF DEVIANCE.
Abstract
THE READINGS IN PART ONE ARE CONCERNED (APART FROM THEIR DIFFERENT SUBSTANTIVE AREAS) WITH THE QUESTION OF STAGING --THE WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE TRY TO NEUTRALIZE DEVIANT PUBLIC ACTIVITIES BY OFFERING 'FRONT STAGE' A RESPECTABLE PRESENTATION OF SELF. THIS ATTEMPT AT IMAGE MANAGEMENT IS INTENDED TO CONVINCE OTHERS THAT 'NOTHING UNUSUAL IS HAPPENING', IN ORDER TO AVOID PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT AND INJURY TO THE SELF. THE WAY IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS FREQUENTING A FLY-IN WHORE HOUSE, AN ADULT BOOKSTORE, OR A HOMOSEXUAL DRIVE-IN AREA ARE ABLE TO SUCCEED IN THE ABOVE UNDERTAKING WILL BE DEALT WITH IN THE READINGS. PART TWO PRESENTS EXAMPLES OF THE WAY IN WHICH DRUG USERS ATTEMPT TO NEUTRALIZE THEIR DEVIANT ACTIVITIES TO THEMSELVES, AND ELIMINATE THE NEED TO DO SO FOR OTHERS, BY DEFINING OTHERS AS INCAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING THE DRUG USER'S EXPERIENCE. THE STUDENT-USER AND FORMER USERDEALER BOTH UNDERTOOK TO LEGITIMIZE THEIR PRESENT AND PAST ACTIVITIES BY OFFERING VARIOUS MORAL JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THEIR DRUG HABIT. THE READER IS CAUTIONED NOT TO JUDGE THESE 'ACCOUNTS' IN TERMS OF THEIR VALIDITY OR MORAL WORTH, BUT RATHER TO SEEK AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY IN WHICH THEY SERVED TO INITIATE AND PERPETUATE, FOR THE AUTHORS, THE USE AND ABUSE OF DRUGS. THE ACCOUNTS PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS WHEREBY THE NOVICE IS INTRODUCED TO AND BECOMES A PART OF THE DRUG CULTURE. THE OTHER ESSAY IN THIS SECTION, LOSING, IS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OUTLINING THE EFFECTS OF OBESITY ON ONE'S LIFESTYLE AND DESCRIBES THE WAY IN WHICH OBESE PERSONS UNDERTAKE TO NEUTRALIZE THE STIGMA CURRENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONDITION. PART THREE DEALS WITH THE WAY IN WHICH PUBLIC SERVANTS, MOST OF WHOM ARE DEDICATED TO THE REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, MAY INADVERTENTLY CONTRIBUTE TO ITS GROWTH AND EXPANSION. THE NEED TO CLEAR COURT CALENDARS THAT ARE BACKLOGGED MANY MONTHS (SOMETIMES YEARS) REQUIRES THAT JUDGES AND 'ADVOCATES' FAVOR NEGOTIATED PLEAS. AS A RESULT, JUSTICE RESTS NOT SO MUCH UPON AN ACCURATE APPRAISAL OF THE FACTS (TEMPERED WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW) AS UPON THE KEY REQUIREMENT OF BUREAUCRATIC JUSTICE, EXPEDITING CASES. WHAT IS INDICATED IN THESE READINGS IS THAT JUSTICE IS NEITHER ALWAYS BLIND NOR EQUITABLE. THE SECOND ESSAY, WHICH DEALS WITH THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT AND THE WAY IN WHICH LICENSERS EXHIBIT CONSIDERABLE LICENSE IN LICENSING, SHOWS HOW THE 'AD HOCING' PROCEDURES USED BY AGENCY PERSONNEL SYSTEMATICALLY CREATE AND PERPETUATE DEVIANT IDENTITIES AND OTHER UNTOWARD CONSEQUENCES FOR MANY WHO SEEK A DRIVER'S LICENSE. FINALLY, A STUDY OF A SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCY CONSIDERS HOW WORKER PRACTICES SELDOM CONFORM TO AGENCY IDEALS AND HOW THIS DISCREPANCY PUTS BOTH BUREAUCRACY AND CLIENT IN JEOPARDY. PART FOUR IS CONCERNED WITH TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THE CONSUMERS AND DISPENSERS OF MEDICAL AND ALLIED SERVICES. WHILE SEEMINGLY RESPECTABLE, THE MEDICAL CONTEXTS IN WHICH THESE INTERACTIONS OCCUR SOMETIMES LEAD TO THE INITIATION OR PERPETUATION OF DEVIANT IDENTITIES AND CAREERS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AUTHOR'S ESSAYS, THE CONTRIBUTORS (TWO OF WHOM PREFER TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS) ARE SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN GRADUATE OR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES IN DEVIANT BEHAVIOR FROM THE AUTHOR. APART FROM BEING STUDENTS, THEY HAVE WORKED AS COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS, LAWYERS, PAROLE OFFICERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND ARE IN GOOD STANDING IN A WIDE VARIETY OF EMPLOYMENTS. THE CONTRIBUTORS HAVE EITHER STUDIED THESE FORMS OF DEVIANCE CLOSE-UP AND OVER TIME, OR HAVE THEMSELVES BEEN THE DEVIANTS. ALL OF THE ESSAYS ARE WRITTEN FROM AN INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)