CRJS 302 Deviancy and Social Control
A large part of law enforcement is attempting to control deviant behavior. It may be surprising to learn that the rules of society often have a historical context and a bit of politics behind them. Therefore, what was legal in the past may not be legal today, and what is illegal today may be legal in the future. Christians have traditionally emphasized specific values (e.g., the Ten Commandments) as a benefit to society at large. Therefore, those who are responsible for restraining deviant behavior should be armed with knowledge of how deviance is defined, how some seem to find benefit from a deviant identity, and what potential systems dysfunctions prevent effective changes. This course helps students understand how deviant behavior is determined by society, theories that describe why deviant behavior happens, and the social control systems that attempt to restrain it.