Term paper on Defining Deviancy Down by Daniel Patrick Moynihan

According to Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who does not believe that crime is beneficial, society’s response to increasing violence has been changed. There are some circumstances when the society chooses not to pay attention to some criminal acts or deviant behavior. The author of the essay argues that this fact can be proved by the present situation in the United States. He states that deviant behavior in American society is on the highest level. That is why we have to redefine deviancy. Now some acts of deviant behavior are considered to be normal ones. This fact was not supported by the defenders of the old standards. However, it is our true life.

As part of his view of redefining deviancy, Daniel Patrick Moynihan distinguishes three categories of redefinition which include the altruistic, the opportunistic and the normalizing categories. Moreover, the author of the essay is sure that single-parent families in our society create a dramatic increase in crime. If our society allows a great number of young people to grow up in single-parent families, violence and crime are inevitable. So, deviancy is redefined in the present day system of justice.

Moynihan suggests that the latest efforts to explain and respond to crime involve rather inappropriate actions. Although in many cases our society is not willing to put up with deviant behavior, the author of the essay represents a great deal of examples which show that deviancy is ignored not only by the authorities but also by the citizens. According to the statistical data, in 1990, the Department of Justice found that Americans report only 38% of all crimes committed in the country and 48% of all violent crimes. This, argues Moynihan, is a means of normalizing crime in our society.

Special attention should be paid to the opinion of doctors who declare crime as “public health emergency”. They consider that violence in the USA is associated with fire arms. The author of the article argues that it is necessary to control the supply of bullets and guns. According to the statistical data, in 1990, deaths from firearms surpassed deaths from the motor vehicles, by 3,443 to 3,309. It means that more and more people violate law and do not think of the consequences. Moreover, the society takes insufficient steps to reduce the crime rate.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is necessary to say that today the terms crime and deviancy are redefined in our society. Some types of deviant behavior are normalized. Moreover, both the authorities and the citizens of the United States ignore some criminal acts. Daniel Patrick Moynihan is sure that redefining deviancy is the main cause of increasing rate of crime.

I completely agree with the author’s opinion concerning crime in our society because redefining deviancy can lead to serious consequences which include moral degradation and increasing crime rate. I disagree with Emile Durkheim who argues that crime is beneficial to society. I am sure that any society should have its laws and that the members of the society have no right to violate these laws. Society cannot exist without laws. That is why crime cannot be normal and it cannot be beneficial to society.