Discussion board Common Crimes and Consequences - Book Report/Review Example

1. What are some differences and similarities between deviance and crime? Deviance is the violation of the norms. All crimes are created by deviant behavior, but not all deviant behavior is criminal. The difference between deviance and crime is the legality of the act. For example, tattoos, obesity, piercings, and other deviant behavior are not illegal. Pedophilia, murder, and other deviant behaviors are criminal. The similarity between deviance and crime are both type of behaviors are violations of the norm.

These behaviors are looked down upon in terms of normal society.2. How does one typically enter deviant careers? And is it difficult to exit deviant careers? Individuals typically enter deviant careers for money, appearances, the high of the deviant behavior, and a normal career/work is not an option. Not all deviant careers are illegal, but many are illegal. Burglary was mentioned in the book. Reasons to commit burglaries are money, the act of burglary itself, and being a temporary solution.

The money is normally the main motivator. Money is needed to keep partying, appearances, or to hold a lifestyle together. A legal deviant career is tattooing. It is extremely difficult to exit a deviant career. In the case of illegal activities like burglary money is the main motivating factor. For legal deviant careers like tattooing, the main motivating factor is looks. A tattooed artist will not be hired anywhere, even McDonalds, due to the tattoos on their body. 3. Pick one of the 5 chapters from the book.

Something that stood out to me in Richard T. Wright and Scott H. Decker, "Deciding to Commit a Burglary” was the reason for burglaries. I had not really thought about why residential burglaries occur. Money is the obvious answer. However, residential burglaries only bring a short term solution to the money problem. Major burglars steal from museums, department stores, and so forth. Residential burglars do not make careers at the occupation. They are either caught, harmed in a break in, or find another way to make money.

I had never thought about how futile it is to rob a residence. It is only a means to failure, not a solution to a money problem. 4. Discuss the Social Construction of Drug Scares and Moral Panic. The social construction of drug scares and moral panic help special interest groups control minority groups. Every drug scare has been against a minority group. Whether African Americans, Chinese, Latinos, or poor white Americans, the drug scare has been against a poorer class. Maybe a lack of money makes a poorer class more violent and prone to criminal behavior.

The drugs might contribute to the situation, but it is not the sole cause of crime. The difference between a rich man drinking alcohol and poor man smoking marijuana is economics, not violence or crime. Moral panic is used by politicians and special interest groups to control poorer individuals.ReferenceAdler, Patricia A. and Peter Adler. (2012). Constructions of Deviance Social Power, Context and Interaction. 7th Ed. Colorado: University of Denver Press.