Interactionist and Sub-Cultural Perspectives On Crime and Deviance-1

Interactionist and Sub-cultural
Perspectives on Crime and

Deviance
Group 3: Priscilla Mattison and Hannah Clayton

Objectives
1. Define crime and deviance

2. State what is the interactionist approach
3. Identify Interactionist perspectives on crime and deviance and
example
4. State what is the sub-cultural approach
5. Identify sub-cultural perspectives on crime and deviance and
example
What is Crime and Deviance
Definition of crime and deviance is:

• The word deviance connotes odd or unacceptable behavior, but in the
sociological sense of the word, Deviance, the behaviour which goes against all
the norms, values and expectations of society. Each society defines what is
deviant and what is not. For example, in certain countries (India) it is a norm
practice skin bleaching and in other countries (Jamaica) it is frown upon.
• Crime, is a particular kind of deviant behaviour that entails breaking laws. Some
deviant behaviours are considered so harmful by a society that they are considered
a crime. A crime is a behaviour that breaks a law, (a norm defined by a
government that people are obligated to follow). Societies tend to criminalize
behaviours that threaten the public and social order.
Interactionist Approach
"The interactionist theory is based on the idea that human beings, as

they interact with one another, give meanings to themselves, others, and
the world around them, and use those meanings as a basis for making
decisions and taking action in their everyday lives"
Deviance
According to Interactionist Howard Becker, he argues that there is no

such thing as a deviant act - “no act is intrinsically criminal or
deviant in itself, in all situations and at all times. Instead, it only
defined as such when others label it as 'wrong'”. In other words, it is
not the nature of the act that makes it deviant, but society's reaction to
it.
Deviance
• The Interactionists are interested in looking at how criminality
develops in the social interactions between a potential deviant and
agents of social control. They are interested in how people interpret
and therefore socially construct the world around them.
• Interactionists believe that 'normality' and 'deviance' are relative
concepts because there is no universal or fixed agreement on how to
define them. What is 'normal' behaviour for one social group might
be 'deviant' behaviour for another.
Interactionists approach to Crime and
Deviance
• Interactionists theorists reject official statistics on crime as they
believe that they are social constructions – we create society, society
doesn’t create us (social action theories)
• It is argued that the self is a social construct, and we construct
ourselves by the way others see and react to us. Deviance only
becomes deviant or criminal when certain acts are labelled as such.
Interactionists approach to Crime and
Deviance Cont
• Interactionists points out that definitions of 'right' or 'wrong' behavior
often differ according to social context.
For example
• nudity is fine in some circumstances (in the privacy of one’s bathroom
or bedroom and in public places such as nudist camps or particular
beaches), tolerated and regarded as humorous at sporting events
(streaking) but as a symptom of mental illness or criminality if
persistently carried out in public (i.e. indecent exposure).
Qestions for the class :
1.What is the Interactionist perspectives on crime and deviance?
2.Give a brief senorio of the Interactionist perspective on crime and
deviance.
3. What did Howard Becker argued about deviance?
Deviance
• Cohen’s basic assumption is that most juvenile criminals are
members of delinquent subcultures. Subcultures are defined as
subsystems or antisystem of society with their own attitudes and
norms that often contradict the moral concepts of majority society.
• According to Cohen, the union of young people into subcultures is
the result of adjustment and status problems of their members caused
by the inequality of the existing class society.
• For example, a boy from the lower classes always strives to adapt to
higher social strata, but is confronted with expectations and goals
that he cannot fulfil due to his social background or cannot achieve
due to rigid social structures. In direct comparison with middle-class
boys, he has to recognise his own low status, poor prestige and little
chance of success in business and society. The resulting problems of
self-respect ultimately lead to the merging of several such boys into
Deviance
Cohen’s subcultural theory assumes that crime is a consequence of the
union of young people into so-called subcultures in which deviant
values and moral concepts dominate. Subcultural theory became the
dominant theory of its time.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Main proponent
Theory
Implication for criminal policy
Critical appreciation & relevance
Literature
Primary Literature
Secondary Literature
Further Information
Sub-Cultural Theory
According to Cohen, these delinquent subcultures are characterized above
all by their deviant values and morals, which enable their members to gain
prestige and recognition. The behaviour that is displayed within the
subculture is fundamentally different from that outside the subculture
because of these new norms. For society as a whole, they seem deviant,
often criminal. As an alternative status system, however, subculture
justifies hostility and aggression towards non-members, thereby
eliminating possible feelings of guilt.
Sub-Cultural Theory
• Nontutilitarian (the deviant actions are not committed on the basis of
economic rationality)
• Malicious (the purpose of delinquent acts is to annoy or even injure
others)
• Negativistic (criminal acts are committed precisely because of their
prohibition in order to consciously reject conventional values)
• Versatile (in the sense of various delinquent behaviours that occur)
• Hedonistic (the focus is on the momentary pleasure)
• resistant (to external pressure of conformity and loyal towards their
own group members, values and norms)
Six takeaways from the presentation
1. Interactionist are interested in how people interpret and therefore
socially construct the world around them.
2. Interactionists believe that 'normality' and 'deviance' are relative
concepts
3.Interactionists believe deviance only becomes deviant or criminal
when certain acts are labelled as such.
4.Cohen’s basic assumption is that most juvenile criminals are members
of delinquent subcultures.
5.Cohen’s subcultural theory assumes that crime is a consequence of the
union of young people into so-called subcultures
6.According to Cohen, the union of young people into subcultures is the
result of adjustment and status problems
• The term ______ refers to things like religion, aesthetics, ideology,
and social conventions, while ______ refers to people who interact
in a defined territory and share a culture.
A.Culture; society
B. Society; culture
C.Subculture; culture
D.Culture; subculture
• The term ______ means values and norms distinct from those of the
majority and are held by a group within a wider society.
A. Subcultures
B. Cultures
C. Societies
D. Deviant acts
Qestions for the class :
• A ______ is a subculture which has values and norms that differ
substantially from the majority of people in a society.
A. deviant subculture
B. criminal subculture
C. retreatist subculture
D. conflict subculture
Videos (Interactionist and sub-cultural
perspectives on crime and deviance)
• Interactionist: https://youtu.be/rYFnUKT_YKI
• Subculture: https://youtu.be/pFZ2pClBQuY
End of presentation

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Interactionist and Sub-cultural

Perspectives on Crime and

Group 3: Priscilla Mattison and Hannah Clayton

1. Define crime and deviance

Definition of crime and deviance is:

"The interactionist theory is based on the idea that human beings, as

According to Interactionist Howard Becker, he argues that there is no

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