How does the concept of deviance helps us understand this social problem?
462311
I don't think that the concept of deviance will ever truly help to understand whether a person's rights have been violated. That is left up to the creation of laws. As to violating social/cultural norms, that is only something that can be judged by the person in question. Societal and cultural norms evolve from many things, but none are truly set in stone as laws are, so there may be difficulty in determining "violation". What one culture considers "normal", might be considered "deviant" by another. In order to ensure respect and avoid "violation", it is merely a question of asking and understanding others' rights based upon their beliefs.
444118
There are 4 sometimes competing theories:\n1. Retribution -- if you mess up you deserve to be punished. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. This theory is supported by the metaphysical idea that when a crime is not punished for -- it somehow continues to exist.\n2. Deterrence -- We will punish a criminal so that others will see that their actions have consequences -- and will hopefully stop behaving in a bad way.\n3. Rehabilitation -- if a person commits a crime -- he is probably a messed up individual -- so we should punish him in such a way as to make him a better person\n4. Isolation -- by putting a person who has committed a crime in jail -- we physically prevent him from committing any further crime.\n\nIt is worth noticing that The Deterrence and Rehabilitation theories -- look forward to improving society, Retribution is looking to the past only, and Isolation is really just a stop-gap measure.
1142534
Fascinating - yes people really tend to see what they want to see in everything, as you can see from the respones to this question. A careful reading of the question clearly shows that it was about issues, not race. Yet many saw the question as a racial question. Blacks as well as whites. A very good social experiment. To complete the circle, I hope you will send a note to every respondent and ask them to read all the answers in this new context.
889233
Society uses many things to justify their problems. But Big City problems\nare problems of circumstance. Humans gather in cities for protection,\nbut after a while the get glutted. There are just too many people competing\nfor the same needs.\nI know it's easy to say. Many have lived there all their lives. But people need to\nstop going to the Big City for "excitement". And more people need to Move from the Big City, to smaller cities where life will be easier for them. Less\nexpensive. Easier to get around.
325318
Everyone has their own interpretation of normal, and there are also standards - unwritten but more developed over a period of time, based on religion, morals, ethics, and more commonly, judgemental people who decide that their way(s) is/are normal, and others who don't conform to their way of living are not normal.  There are also social and psychological "norms" that define "different" or abnormal behavior.
805778
how, as a society, people interact with each other \n\n9 words
334454
Whether as individuals or as nations, people tend to think that "we" are the good guys, so "they" must be the bad guys.\n\nWe fear what we do not understand.  If we wish not to understand then we can always create an imagined "understanding" to justify our actions.  This mask or straw image is usually in the "face of the enemy."\n\nI totally agree with the old Pogo cartoon: "I have met the enemy, and he is us."
622738
Each society has their own value system. And to each of us it looks strange of the other society. That is where a very important word and belief comes in. It is called tolerence!
471578
well lets see supply and demand of fossil fuels\nethnic differences\nreligious differences\nsocial differences of societies clashing\nneed for self preservation\ni still say why do we all dress up to go out, if we all rode horses and went naked everywhere it would end concelled weapons,bombs strapped to people and alot of murders.\nbut then that goes back to social differences doesnt it\n\n   see the point
237402
its about being imprisoned by society.
611942
It is a social problem that has in most part come about as a result of the 1960 civil rights legislation and integration of the same era.We have an element of our society that does not believe prudent thought is a necessary part of getting along,or even considering the outcome of their actions in the long run.The family unit has been destroyed by bad legislation and the most valuable element of society"white males"have been degraded to the point of impedance.As long as we allow our school system to degrade,our children to value mindless rap that promotes violence and degradation,and continue to strip white males of any respect this pattern will continue to its ugly conclusion.Good Luck to you!
1034264
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "deviant", but I would probably say that in at least some parts of my society gambling and crossdressing are labelled criminal whereas they would (especially in the cases of gambling against bad odds) be better classified as deviant.
1059354
Better in what way? You learn more but there's more social problems as well.
754943
um....sometimes it has to do with insecurity...but society also tells us to be shy......so we do what is expected of us.....
846626
I think you may be on to something there!!!  I read a post this morning in which the author speculates that we won't come together until we realize we aren't alone in the universe.  I buy that. \n\nHowever, I look at prejudice as an evolutionary tool.  Prejudice helps us avoid potential harm or identify things (people, places, food, etc.) that are safe and helpful.  Now when and why we developed prejudices against other humans (in terms of race, color, religion and the like) I couldn't begin to imagine, but I like to think most of us can agree that it was a pretty bad move.  \n\nYou're a breath of fresh air.  Thanks.
83064
Unfortunately, the above answer is incorrect. It is the social context of the group and the socioeconomics of each group. Not the violence or the crime.
484376
Absolutist: pure essentialism. Certain behaviors, identities, and modes of thought are "naturally" deviant; everywhere, and across time. Deviance is conceptualized as an objectively real characteristic found in "things," and can be located and studied through a positivist approach. \nStatistical--relevant, but not sufficient. The idea here is that those behaviors, identities, and modes of thought which rarely occur are deviant (based on the statistical conception of the "normal curve"). \nHarm--relevant, but not sufficient. Are all harmful behaviors and thoughts deviant? Are there forms of deviance that aren't harmful? \nCriminal--relevant, but not sufficient. Are there criminal acts that wouldn't be defined as deviant? Are there forms of deviance that are criminal? \nPositive Deviance? This is an extrapolation of the statistical definition, and shares elements of the "harm" criteria. If we use the idea that deviance entails a negative reaction, and consequences for the deviant, then is positive deviance a useful concept?