This Assignment Is Due Wednesday. Please Follow The Instruct
This Assignment Is Due Wednesday Please Follow The Instruction As
There are two broad categories used to define Deviant Behavior, Mild and Severe. As you read Chapter Seven, what do you consider to be mild deviant behavior and what do you consider to be severe deviant behavior? For this discussion, establish two lists of five deviant behaviors.
A list of five for Mild and a list of five for Severe (ten behaviors in all). Then explain why you identify each behavior as mild or severe. Each behavior explanation should be at least 3 sentences by Wednesday. Respond to at least two classmates by Sunday.
Paper For Above instruction
Deviant behavior, as discussed in chapter seven of our sociology texts, refers to actions or behaviors that violate societal norms or expectations. These behaviors can vary widely in terms of societal perception, impact, and severity. Categorizing deviant behaviors into mild and severe can help us understand societal responses and the implications for individuals involved. In this paper, I will present two lists of five deviant behaviors each, one classified as mild and the other as severe, along with explanations for why each behavior fits into its respective category.
Mild Deviant Behaviors
- Jaywalking: Jaywalking involves crossing the street outside of designated crosswalks. It is generally seen as a minor infraction that typically results in a warning or small fine. Society views it as a minor violation because it poses limited risk to others and is easily corrected.
- Underage Drinking (in private settings): Consuming alcohol under the legal drinking age in a private setting is considered a minor deviance. While it may violate legal norms, it usually does not cause immediate harm or danger to others. The social response tends to lean toward caution rather than harsh punishment.
- Littering: Disposing of small amounts of litter improperly is a common minor deviant behavior. It undermines community cleanliness but generally has limited immediate consequences. Societal responses often involve warnings or community service rather than severe sanctions.
- Cutting in Line: Cutting in line is seen as disrespectful but does not threaten public safety. It reflects poor social manners rather than a criminal violation. Such behavior is often met with social disapproval rather than legal action.
- Public Loitering: Loitering in public spaces without a clear purpose is often regarded as a mild form of deviance. It can sometimes be associated with suspicious activity but generally lacks direct harm. Law enforcement may issue warnings or fines, but it is not regarded as severe.
Severe Deviant Behaviors
- Murder: Taking another person's life is the most severe form of deviant behavior, condemned across all societies. It directly threatens life and safety, and the legal punishment is typically life imprisonment or execution. This act disrupts the social order and evokes profound societal outrage.
- Human Trafficking: Involving the illegal trade of humans for forced labor, sexual exploitation, or other purposes is considered a grave offense. It violates fundamental human rights and is associated with organized crime, often resulting in long prison sentences.
- Child Abuse: Inflicting physical or emotional harm upon a child is a severe deviation from societal norms protecting minors. It causes long-term damage to individuals and is penalized harshly under criminal law. Society regards this as one of the most egregious acts.
- Serious Drug Trafficking: The large-scale illegal distribution of drugs causes widespread addiction problems and societal harm. Law enforcement treats drug trafficking as a serious crime, often involving lengthy incarceration and international cooperation to combat it.
- Terrorism: Acts intended to cause destruction, fear, and destabilization on a large scale are classified as severe deviant behaviors. These acts threaten national security, innocent lives, and societal stability, leading to strong legal and military responses.
Explanation of Classification
The classification of behaviors into mild or severe deviance hinges on several factors, including the level of harm caused, societal perception, and legal repercussions. Mild deviant behaviors often violate social norms but do not cause significant harm or danger—their consequences are usually minor and manageable through social sanctions. Conversely, severe deviant behaviors involve significant harm, violate fundamental rights, and often disrupt social order, prompting strict legal penalties.
For instance, jaywalking and littering are considered minor because they pose little threat to public safety or individual well-being. However, behaviors like murder or terrorism threaten lives and societal stability, making them categorically severe. Understanding this hierarchy can help law enforcement, policymakers, and society allocate resources and responses more effectively, prioritizing serious threats while maintaining tolerance for minor infractions that require social rather than legal interventions.
Overall, the distinction between mild and severe deviance helps us navigate complex social norms and maintain social order by applying different levels of sanctions aligned with the severity of the behavior.
References
- American Sociological Association. (2020). Sociology: Understanding and changing the social order. New York: Sociology Press.
- Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. Free Press.
- Erikson, K. (1962). Notes on the sociology of deviance. In Vol. 37, No. 4, The American Journal of Sociology, 560-569.
- Hagan, J. (2015). Crime and deviance. Pearson Education.
- Juvenile Justice Information Exchange. (2019). Understanding juvenile delinquency. https://juvenilejustice.org
- Konstantinos, M. (2018). The social construction of crime and deviance. Journal of Social Issues, 74(2), 200-215.
- Sutherland, E. H. (1949). White Collar Crime. Yale University Press.
- Taylor, S. (2017). The sociology of crime and deviance. Routledge.
- Wilkins, D. B. (2019). Legal Aspects of Crime. Wolters Kluwer.
- Yeo, P. (2020). The societal impact of deviant behavior. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 47(3), 123-138.