Deviance, Crime, and Control Beyond the Straight and Narrow

In contrast with most deviance books, Deviance, Crime, and Control: Beyond the Straight and Narrow assumes that deviance is, in fact, normal, and that conformity is socially constructed. Social order, by this standard, is an ongoing accomplishment. The mere existence of the idea of deviance, and the "discovery" of deviance, tells us about a society's degree of cohesion, tolerance, and control over individuals. The benchmarks for what constitutes as "deviance" are constantly changing, as are the limits of tolerable difference. This book asks whether earlier expectations are still appropriate and, if they are not, what we can reasonably expect societies to offer their members as they pass through the life cycle.

Lorne Tepperman is at Department of Sociology, University of Toronto.