NCJ Number
20357
Journal
INSTANTANES CRIMINOLOGIQUES Issue: 25 Dated: (1975) Pages: 31-34
Date Published
1975
Length
4 pages
Annotation
OBSERVING THAT CULTURAL PATTERNS OF ACCEPTED BEHAVIOR ARE THE DETERMINERS OF WHAT CONSTITUTES 'DEVIANT' BEHAVIOR, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES SOME OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY PSYCHIATRY IN TREATING CULTURALLY DEFINED DEVIANCE.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT SOCIETY TENDS TO TREAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HOLD DIFFERENT VALUE SYSTEMS OR WORLD VIEWS AS 'DEVIANT', RATHER THAN SIMPLY 'DIFFERENT'. WHILE THE NATURAL REACTION OF SOCIETY HAS BEEN TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT, THIS TENDENCY TOWARD REPRESSION IS BEING REPLACED BY A TENDENCY TOWARD TREATMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL. FREQUENTLY, IT IS THE PSYCHIATRIST WHO IS CALLED UPON TO TREAT THESE 'DELINQUENT' OR 'SICK' PERSONS. THE PROBLEMS OF PSYCHIATRY IN ATTEMPTING TO TREAT BEHAVIOR WHICH HAS BEEN LABELLED DELINQUENT BECAUSE OF ITS DIFFERENCES FROM SOCIETAL NORMS ARE DISCUSSED. THE AUTHOR ILLUSTRATES THESE PROBLEMS BY DESCRIBING A FAMILY SITUATION IN WHICH SOCIETAL NORMS DICTATE ONE FORM OF BEHAVIOR (EXCLUSIVE LOYALTY TO THE PARENTS) WHILE THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD DICTATE A DIFFERENT, AND THEREFORE DEVIANT, FORM OF BEHAVIOR (A SEARCH FOR GREATER SECURITY OUTSIDE THE FAMILY AND A CONSEQUENT LOOSENING OF THE PARENT-CHILD TIES). --IN FRENCH