Deviance and My Short Hypothesis On the Elimination of Crime

It feels to me crime is running rampant more than ever in today’s world. It’s my belief that all crime exists because of the lack of civility and the imbalance or abuse of the five institutions; family, economy, government, education, and religion. Before proceeding further, I would like to state the theories coined by well-known structural functionalists, conflict, and symbolic interactionalist theorists on behalf of recognizing the behaviors of deviance.

Robert Merton’s, a structural functionalist famous for his anomie theory of deviance, he believed the reason for deviance is because of the gap between the goals of society and the means for achieving those goals. He refers to goal being seen as status symbols of society. He describes five types of deviants: conformist, innovator, ritualist, retreatist, and rebel. A conformist accepts both goals of society and the approve means of achieving those goals. An innovator accepts the goals of society but rejects the approve means for achieving those goals. A ritualist rejects the goals of society but accepts the means for achieving those goals. A retreatist rejects both the goals and the approved means for achieving the goals of society. A rebel rejects the goals of society and the means for achieving those goals.

Albert Cohen, a conflict theorist with his theory of delinquent subcultures, states a person of deviance or not depends on the sociocultural environment and social interaction. Because it’s possible for a young individuals to not cope with a middle class environment, a delinquent subculture may develop.

According to Howard S. Becker, a symbolic interactionalist with his labeling theory of deviance, he attempts to explain the process of a person receiving a deviant identity. He states three deviant acts: an individual exhibits a behavior; a guideline established for deviance and conformity says “that is deviant behavior”. A person or group of people decide that because deviant behavior has been exhibited, that the person is a deviant; thus establishing a label. He also established three important principles of the labeling perspective: behavior by itself is not always criminal or normal; all people commit deviant acts at some point; once the label of deviant is applied, there are consequences for the deviant.

Criminologist William J. Chambliss corresponds labeling with social class in his theory of labeling perspectives. He states the lower the social class, the more likely one is to be labeled a deviant. He also states the higher the social class the less likely one is to be labeled a deviant.

Edwin Sutherland, another symbolic interactionalist, explains how his theory of differential association of deviance believes that individuals learn to be deviant. He proposes four principles for deviance: Criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others; criminal behavior is learned within primary groups; we become criminal when definitions favorable to the violation of law outweigh the unfavorable ones; we are most apt to become criminal when our interactions are frequent, long-lasting, intense and happen early in life.

By understanding the behavior of deviance, we can further understand the conditions that could lead to possible criminal behavior.

My beliefs, although similar to those that are symbolic interactionalists, utilizes ideas from all schools of sociology. The views from all schools of thought are very knowledgeable; however, I want to personally analyze more on every possibility that could lead to crime, because crime has the possibility to be the result of the actions of many factors. This is a list of my views on why individuals turn to crime:

1. The belief of not obtaining one’s goals.
2. One’s belief to be a victim of poverty.
3. Public or private perception or oppositions to the five institutions.
4. Association through environment.
5. Result of family complexes (possibly early in child development).
6. Action on behalf of the actuality of being poor.
7. Enactment due to an emotional response or arousal (desire of thrills or longing for attention).
8. Obtaining of status.
9. Belief of inferiority. 
10. The resolution of conflict, discomfort or unwillingness to comply with discomfort.
11. The use or result of personal characteristics (seven deadly sins; emphasize the utilization of jealousy).
12. Problematic mental conditions, sanity, or lustful intent. Paranoia or unwillingness to deal with emotions or anger, for example. Additional mental disorder such as the harming of others for idealogic harm of oneself or for personal pleasure.
13. Discrimination.
14. Revenge.
15. Action on behalf of religious ideology.
16. The desire for secrecy or to hide something of relative importance.
17. The disregard for the safety of others.
18. Anomic understanding of society.
19. Drug and substance affiliation.
20. To gain publicity or cause social disturbance or fear.
21. Discontempt for authority.
22. Personal desire or change from ideology, culture, or deviant subculture. An example can be the ideology of following anarchistic views, “I do it because I can” or “I want to watch burn” motive. This can also include the desire for a sustainable entitlement.
23. Relating to the wanting of status or materialism of others for personal or possible gain.
24. The conflict or desire for wealth.
25. Unwillingness or discontempt to participate in a current system.
26. Unwillingness to cooperate or accept social changes.

These are a few ideas I came up with on my own. I decided to state these without coordinated organization because I believe there is a need to perhaps look at some of these ideas with more emphasis in understanding how it could lead to crime or possible deviance.

Regarding the idea to what could lead others to criminal or deviant behavior, I have come up with my own solutions to what I think could be the solution to stopping crime.  

1. Making use of possible correction or reformation of the five institutions.
2. The reformation of unnecessary laws (referring to the removal of unnecessary red tape and promotion of personal freedom).
3. Further development and use of criminal psychology.
4. The reformation of a more fair, common sense, equal treatment to crime justice system (I would personally add resolution based to the time spent in incarceration to also factor civility to one’s judgment, thus possibly reinforcing civility to society and possible deviants).
5. Possible resolution of utilizing technology for technological affiliations (white hacking).
6. The civil use of ethics and possible reinforcement of civility, rationality, logic and etiquette.
7. The reintroduction, promotion and teaching of morals (a good idea is to reintroduce biblical texts because of the moral lessons it provides; for example, the teaching of peace and benevolence or Mose's ten commandments).
8. The reformation or reduction of daily financial cost or the costs of living.
9. Promotion and derestriction of small business operational standards.
10. Asserting personal fire arm protection
11. Persuasion for more family socialization.
12. Promotion of innocents and a more child friendly environment. 
13. Promotion of a more civilized authority system. 
14. The reformation or justly assertion of government agencies and policies.
15. The promotion of national patriotism (so society has something that bring them together).
16. Abundance and innovation of resources; especially food production.
17. The use, reinforcement, reformation and promotion of education (education is the most important institution to a functional, free thinking, civil, and prosperous society).

I believe by using these ideas, crime can be stopped dramatically if not completely.

In conclusion, although not a very detailed and precisely explained, I believe it is possible to stop crime by understanding the reasons, effects, and motives that is associated with deviant and criminal behavior.