The Interactionist Approach to Deviance

Understanding deviance from the perspectives of youth labelled as children in conflict with law in Mumbai, India

“…On the other hand, crime is an act of deviance codified as illegal, breaking both norms and the law (Little, 2013). Therefore, the scope of what constitutes deviance is broader than crime (formal violation), as deviance includes informal violations as well (Conyers & Calhoun, 2015). Defining deviance, however, is a complex task, primarily because it depends on the approach taken to study deviance.…”

“…In this article, we use labelling theory to analyse the varied meanings and experiences of deviance as voiced by the youth, who have been labelled as CCL, taking into account their marginalisation of class, status and power. Theoretical concepts of labelling like formal and informal labelling and identity management strategies are used in our analysis to explain the narratives of the youth (Becker, 1973; Bernburg, 2009; Conyers & Calhoun, 2015). We also discuss the effects of formal labelling by the police and the JJS and the associated stigma of living with a labelled, deviant identity.…”

“…Deviance is defined in specific contexts, and these contexts are continuously changing; thereby, the understanding of what constitutes deviance varies, making it a complex phenomenon to study (Goode, 2015; Little, 2013). Deviance can be explained as behaviour and beliefs that violate the social, contextual and cultural norms of a group or a society and attracts weak to strong condemnation (Conyers & Calhoun, 2015; Goode, 2015; Little, 2013). On the other hand, crime is an act of deviance codified as illegal, breaking both norms and the law (Little, 2013).…”

“…In contrast, the constructionist and interactionist approaches focus on how certain acts, behaviours and persons get condemned, attract judgments and punishment in the society (Goode 2015). This approach explains deviance as a social construction, borne out of social interactions between actors and their audiences (Conyers and Calhoun 2015; Goode 2015). The definitions of deviance are ‘relative, dynamic, and ever‐changing – they embody how deviance is socially constructed and sustained’ (Curra, 2015, p.133).…”

Whom to Help: Prosocial Behaviors and the Restoration of a Tarnished Identity

“…Unethical behaviors, defined as “either illegal or morally unacceptable to the larger community” (Jones, 1991) can bring a host of negative consequences, upsetting the lives of wrongdoers in many ways and long after the misdeed occurred. Those who deviate from legal and moral norms often provoke condemnation, fear, and stereotypes about their dangerousness and general character (Conyers & Calhoun, 2015; Goode, 2015). Moral deviants face discrimination in the form of avoidance, lack of assistance, and support for punitive public policy that prevents access to resources (Cullen et al, 1985).…”