NCJ Number
45193
Editor(s)
E RUBINGTON,
M S WEINBERG
Date Published
1978
Length
519 pages
Annotation
AN INTERACTIONIST APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF DEVIANCE IS PRESENTED; ISSUES SUCH AS SOCIAL TYPING, THE WAY PEOPLE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER ON THE BASIS OF SUCH TYPING, AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH SOCIAL PROCESSES ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
READINGS EXPLORE HOW PEOPLE DEFINE SOME PERSONS AS DEVIANT AND ACT ON THE BASIS OF THESE DEFINITIONS. SPECIFICALLY, DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON HOW DEVIANCE IS DEALT WITH IN PRIMARY GROUPS AND INFORMAL RELATIONS AND HOW A PERSON IS SINGLED OUT AND ASSIGNED A DEVIANT STATUS BY INTIMATES SUCH AS FAMILY MEMBERS. THESE PROCESSES ARE FURTHER DISCUSSED IN THE FORMAL REGULATION OF DEVIANCE. TOPICS SUCH AS HOW AGENTS OF SOCIAL CONTROL (E.G., THE POLICE) DEFINE PERSONS AS DEVIANTS, HOW THEY ACT ON THESE DEFINITIONS, AND SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF FORMAL SANCTIONS ARE INCLUDED. THE TEXT ADDRESSES DEVIANTS THEMSELVES; HOW THEY RESPOND TO BEING TYPED BY OTHERS, HOW THEY TYPE THEMSELVES, AND HOW THEY FORM DEVIANT GROUPS, SELECTIONS ALSO EXAMINE HOW DEVIANTS DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN THEIR OWN SUBCULTURES AND HOW PEOPLE BECOME INVOLVED IN THEM. THE TEXT FURTHER DEMONSTRATES HOW PERSONS MAY TAKE ON DEVIANT IDENTITIES THROUGH SELF-TYPING, HOW THEY MANAGE DEVIANT IDENTITIES, AND HOW THEY MAY EVENTUALLY REGAIN 'RESPECTABILITY.'