In The Nineties The World Has Been Faced With Many Different Crimes And Social Deviences Essay, Research Paper

In the nineties the world and society has been faced with many different crimes and

social deviancies, most of which have been as a result of rebellion and a form of

expression. Whether it is to force a change or to create something new deviance is at a

strong high. At the dawn of a new millenium some of society feel the need to express

themselves in proscriptive norms and “leave our mark” on the world.

The words “deviance” and “crime” are two words often mistaken for each other.

Crime is a unlawful activity while deviance is a behavior that is different from that of the

accepted social or moral standards. Deviance most of the time is the “gateway” to crime.

A strong example of this would be the recent exploits at the Woodstock 99 music festival.

In the September 2nd issue of Rolling Stone magazine the author Kurt Loder writes about

the transgression that takes place when the music festival turns sour. He writes about how

amid the music and peaceful motto of the festival some individuals feel the need to be

malicious and irregular. He goes on to tell that when the band Limp Bizkit performed the

song “Break Stuff” the violence took place. There was an “unending blizzard of empty

plastic water bottles sailing through the air and bouncing off skulls further down front,

across the field people were ripping up the plywood barriers…and launching big, splintery

crowd-surfing boards atop a sea of upsteached hands…The bonfires roaring out of control,

the looting, the explosions, the whole stupid riot. Festival security, such as it was,

collapsed in the face of this sudden war-zone situation.” There was also accounts of

different and unusual sexual activities. Kurt’s interpretation was like most others. This day

that was supposed to be a social gathering in a peaceful atmosphere turned into a battle

field of abnormal demeanor and a place abundant in deviant behavior.

The events that took place are a perfect example of crime and deviance. The

actions that were performed were both unlawful and abnormal. The conflict perspective of

sociology states that groups in society are engaged in a continuous power struggle for

control or resources. The Woodstock events can share a similarity with this perspective.

The riots and turmoil were due in part to unsanitary conditions and high prices on

necessary items. The bathrooms at the festival were left uncleaned, the sleeping conditions

were horrible and the prices for water were inhumanely high. This is the conclusion that

was made to the reason for the riots and destruction. Though not a reason for violence the

actions were done as a message and as a retaliation for the obscure conditions. This was a

“struggle for control.”

The functionalist perspective was assumed by the organizers and security of

Woodstock. This was an assumption that the society was a stable, orderly system. The

people in charge of the event took for granted that the people attending were stable and

tame. As was evident the “society” at Woodstock did not share a common set of values

and beliefs.

The sociologist Walter Reckless (1967) said that certain factors draw people to

deviance. He said that an individual may be persuaded by deviant subcultures, media

depictions and their own feelings of frustration, hostility and inferiority. This is clear in the

riots that took place. In the case many individuals were in an inhumane atmosphere and

became frustrated by what was going on and about not being able to change what was

happening. Many people felt trapped and inferior. Some people succumbed to deviant acts

by themselves and many followed the others in their hostility. Either way Walter Reckless’

theory of deviance was correct in this case.

Edwin Sutherland (1939) had a similar case in his differential association theory, he

says that “individuals have a greater tendency to deviate from societal norms when they

frequently associate with persons who are more favorable toward deviance than

conformity.” This is another theory that can be said as a reason for the Woodstock riots.

People who were normally not deviant were persuaded to a more deviant personality when

they were surrounded by the deviant individuals who were causing havoc around the

festival fields. They learned the “necessary techniques the motive, drives, rationalizations,

and attitudes of deviant people.”

There are many views on crime and deviance and many theories to why they occur.

The events that happened at Woodstock are among millions of acts of deviance that

happen each year. The reason for deviance and crime is still a thought out and

philosophized subject. Nevertheless deviance is a social component and may be both good

or bad. Crime on the other hand is a social problem and can only hurt society. While both

may be held liable for social deterioration both will be the reason for change.

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