Sociology 3321F/G Lecture Notes - Social Protection, Juvenile Delinquency, Murder 2
1 Feb 2013
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Deviance refers to behavior or characteristics that violate significant social norms and expectations and are negatively valued by large numbers of people as a result. Deviants are those who violate these shared expectations: conformity refers to behavior that is universally accepted, approved, or expected within society. Norms, which guide action and behavior, help to ensure conformity. Social controls: social controls are mechanisms for maintaining social norms. They may be either: informal (internal) social controls include significant others and relies on successful socialization. These are generally effective and inexpensive: formal (external) social controls include structures or institutions that enforce norms or laws of society (e. g. , police and courts). Four justifications of criminal punishment: retribution imposes a penalty on the offender. Retribution is based on the premise that the punishment should fit the crime: deterrence seeks to reduce criminal activity by instilling a fear of punishment.
