that others in society devalue and discredit. So what exactly is deviance? In this essay we are concerned with social deviance, not physiological deviations from the expected norm. In general, any behavior that does not conform to social norms is deviance; that is behavior that violates significant social norms and is disapproved of by a large number of people as a result.

For societies to run with some semblance of order the problem of deviance is

essential and intrinsic to any conception of social order. It is problematic because it causes a disruption, but it is essential because it defines our boundaries as a society. It is intrinsic to a conception of order in that defining what is real and expected, defining what is acceptable, and defining who we are - always done in opposition to what is unreal, unexpected, unacceptable and who we are not. If we can accept the reality of change, then designations of deviance are crucial in locating the shifting boundaries of our socially structured reality. (Erikson, 1964)

What is perceived as deviant behavior is subject to change depending on our

position, place and time. Different cultures have

In contrast to this informal construction there is the formal consensual reality, one that is constructed by "crime experts" - people who make a living by reacting to crime (such as law enforcement agents), or studying crime (criminologists) disseminate information in the form of crime statistics, books, articles, editorials, and government publications.

influential theory of deviance. Durkheim first introduced the notion of anomie, and

Sociologists have said that deviance is a social reality, that it is shared and learned like any aspect of culture. Emile Durkheim and other functionalists posed the notion that deviance is functional. He asserted that:

It seems that it can be concluded that deviant behavior cannot be seen to be based entirely on the individuals involved. It is a social problem, brought about by the

Some common words found in the essay are:
, Theorists Chicago, Robert Merton, Krieken Smith, Edwin Sutherland, Emile Durkheim, Amazonian Indians, deviant behavior, Haralambos Holborn, social reality, giddens 1997, krieken smith 1996, chicago school, social deviance, smith 1996, krieken smith, social norms, definition deviance, concept anomie,
Approximate Word count = 1194
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)