MORAL PASSAGE, THE SYMBOLIC PROCESS IN PUBLIC DESIGNATIONS OF DEVIANCE (FROM CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, A READER, 1970 BY CARL A BERSANI - SEE NCJ-06248)

• NCJ Number: 10190
• Author(s): J R GUSFIELD
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Macmillan
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM SOCIAL PROBLEMS, V 15, N 2 (FALL 1968), P 175-188

Annotation

FORMS OF DEVIANCE WHICH PROVOKE DIFFERENT PUBLIC RESPONSES ARE DISTINGUISHED AND CHANGES IN THE TREATMENT OF DEVIANTS ARE RELATED TO THIS CLASSIFICATION.

Abstract

THE PUBLIC ATTACHES DIFFERENT SIGNIFICANCE TO VARIOUS DEVIANT BEHAVIORS, PERCEIVING DEVIANTS AS REPENTANT, SICK, ENEMY, OR CYNICAL. THE SYMBOLIC IMPORT OF EACH TYPE IS SEEN AS ACCOUNTING FOR THE HISTORICAL CHANGES OFTEN FOUND IN THE TREATMENT OF SUCH DELINQUENTS AS ALCOHOLICS, DRUG ADDICTS, AND OTHER DEVIANTS, CHANGES WHICH INVOLVE A TRANSITION FROM ONE STATUS TO ANOTHER. THE PROCESS BY WHICH DESIGNATIONS SHIFT IS ILLUSTRATED BY A STUDY OF DRINKING IN THE U.S. THE HEAVY DRINKER WAS PERCEIVED TO BE A REPENTANT DEVIANT DURING THE 1870'S, SOMEONE TO BE BROUGHT BACK INTO THE FOLD BY MORAL PERSUASION. THIS PERCEPTION CHANGED WHEN DRINKING WAS IDENTIFIED WITH DEFINITE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL GROUPS WHO WERE SEEN AS CHALLENGERS TO THE STATUS QUO - THE IRISH AND GERMAN IMMIGRANTS. SINCE THE DRINKER WAS AN ENEMY, HE WAS TREATED WITH COERCION - PROHIBITION LEGISLATIONRATHER THAN WITH MORAL PERSUASION.