Deviance
Theories Of Devaince Presented In There Are No Children Here
The four theories of deviance are The Learning Theory, The Strain Theory, The Social-Bond Theory and the Labeling Theory. These theories alone can explain the reasoning behind someone’s deviant behavior. But, in There Are No Children Here we see all of these theories being demonstrated. This lets us have an understanding of exactly why we are seeing the deviant behavior that we are.
This learning theory is basically the idea that as you can be taught good behavior you could also be taught deviant behavior as well. Terence is taught to be deviant with drug sales. He is exposed to this early in life. This falls into the priority of the learning theory. Charles took Terence under his wing when he was only ten years old. At this stage in Terence’s life he is still young enough to learn deviant behavior. If he was taken when he was older than he would have had a better chance of knowing what he was learning was wrong and not conform to it. But, since he wasn’t he was able to learn the deviant behavior. When Paul went to confront Charles about how he was taking advantage of his son, Charles said that this was something that Terence wanted to do. Paul states that “what do you mean this is what he wants to do? You’re taking advantage of him. The boy can’t think for himself” (Kotlowitz pg. 86) What Paul said is good evidence that Terence was being taught to be deviant because he was so young and vulnerable that he was suitable to learning deviant behavior.
The Strain theory is explained as in the lecture that everyone wants the common goal of wealth and success but people are often blocked out of this. So, they try different means to get this, leading to deviant behavior. But, it is also described as losing hope in the lecture. This is in the form of becoming a ritualist. “This includes people who find the means to success blocked. But, keep going through the motions. They may not break the law, use
The four theories of deviance are The Learning Theory, The Strain Theory, The Social-Bond Theory and the Labeling Theory. These theories alone can explain the reasoning behind someone’s deviant behavior. But, in There Are No Children Here we see all of these theories being demonstrated. This lets us have an understanding of exactly why we are seeing the deviant behavior that we are.
This learning theory is basically the idea that as you can be taught good behavior you could also be taught deviant behavior as well. Terence is taught to be deviant with drug sales. He is exposed to this early in life. This falls into the priority of the learning theory. Charles took Terence under his wing when he was only ten years old. At this stage in Terence’s life he is still young enough to learn deviant behavior. If he was taken when he was older than he would have had a better chance of knowing what he was learning was wrong and not conform to it. But, since he wasn’t he was able to learn the deviant behavior. When Paul went to confront Charles about how he was taking advantage of his son, Charles said that this was something that Terence wanted to do. Paul states that “what do you mean this is what he wants to do? You’re taking advantage of him. The boy can’t think for himself” (Kotlowitz pg. 86) What Paul said is good evidence that Terence was being taught to be deviant because he was so young and vulnerable that he was suitable to learning deviant behavior.
The Strain theory is explained as in the lecture that everyone wants the common goal of wealth and success but people are often blocked out of this. So, they try different means to get this, leading to deviant behavior. But, it is also described as losing hope in the lecture. This is in the form of becoming a ritualist. “This includes people who find the means to success blocked. But, keep going through the motions. They may not break the law, use