THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEFINITION OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE

• NCJ Number: 62256
• Author(s): M A Y RIFAI
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: Applied Systems Research and Development, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PREPARED FOR PRESENTATION AT CROSS CULTURAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, AUGUST 30-31, 1979

Annotation

FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF THE ECONOMIC THEORY OF DEVIANCE EXPRESSED IN SOME CRIMINOLOGY, A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK IS DEVELOPED AS A BASIS FOR REDEFINING DEVIANCE.

Abstract

THE 'NEW' CRIMINOLOGY DEFINES DEVIANCE AND CRIME FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POWER PLAYS INVOLVED IN ECONOMIC AND CLASS STRUGGLES, WITH THOSE CLASSES WIELDING ECONOMIC POWER DEFINING AS DEVIANT AND CRIMINAL THOSE WHO THREATEN THEIR ECONOMIC HOLDINGS AND PRIVILEGED LIFESTYLE. THIS DEFINITION, HOWEVER, IS TOO NARROW AND SIMPLISTIC IN ITS PERCEPTION OF THE KINDS OF VALUE CONFLICTS THAT DETERMINE PERCEPTIONS OF DEVIANCE IN A SOCIETY. IN THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK PROPOSED HERE, THE INDIVIDUAL IS VIEWED AS AN INCARNATE CONSCIOUSNESS IN CONSTANT INTERACTION WITH A MULTIFACETED ENVIRONMENT THAT PROVIDES NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE EXPERIENCES DEPENDING ON THE KINDS OF EXCHANGES OCCURRING BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM AND PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS, THEIR NEEDS, AND THEIR MEANINGS. WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL RECEIVES AN INTOLERABLE PREDOMINANCE OF NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES, THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIORS MAY RESULT: (1) THE INDIVIDUAL WILL ALTER HIS/HER OWN VALUE ORIENTATIONS TO CONFORM TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS AND IMPROVE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES; (2) THE INDIVIDUAL WILL PURSUE HIS/HER OWN VALUE ORIENTATIONS IN A PERSISTENT DEVIATION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL EXCHANGE DEMANDS; AND (3) THE INDIVIDUAL CAN WITHDRAW FROM ANY EXCHANGE WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM PRODUCING NEGATIVE EXCHANGES. WHEN THE SECOND TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS FOLLOWED, DEVIANCE IS PERCEIVED TO OCCUR. AN OVERALL SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OR SYSTEM INCLUDES SUBSYSTEMS THAT CAN BE LABELED SOCIOPOLITICAL, SOCIORELIGIOUS, SOCIOFAMILIAL, AND SOCIOCOMMUNAL. OFFICIAL DEVIANCE (CRIME) RESULTS FROM CONFLICT WITH THE SOCIOPOLITICAL SYSTEM AND SOCIAL OR NONOFFICIAL DEVIANCE RESULTS FROM CONFLICT WITH THE OTHER SYSTEMS. THIS THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK THUS ANALYZES DEVIANCE ON THE BASIS OF VALUE ORIENTATIONS WHILE PROVIDING AN OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THE PROCESSES INVOLVED. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)