FRANK TANNENBAUM
THE DRAMATIZATION OF EVIL

Sociological Theories of Deviance

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

UMD

I. CONFLICT BETWEEN DELINQUENT AND COMMUNITY

  • A. WHEN AN ACT IS COMMITTED THERE EXIST DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF THE SITUATION

  • B. VALUES MAY NOT BE THE SAME, DIFFERENT EMPHASIS, ETC.

  • C. COMMUNITY DEFINES THE ACT ONE WAY, THE JUVENILE DEFINES IT ANOTHER

  • D. SHIFT OF LABEL FROM ACT TO ACTOR

    "THE YOUNG DELINQUENT BECOMES BAD BECAUSE HE [SHE] IS DEFINED AS BAD AND BECAUSE HE [SHE] IS NOT BELIEVED IF HE [SHE] IS GOOD."
  • E. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO WORK TO DEFINE THE YOUTH IN NEGATIVE TERMS

  • F. THIS DEFINITION IS BUILT UP OVER TIME AND REINFORCES THROUGH INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS

  • G. WHAT MAY HAVE STARTED AS A SIMPLE PROBLEM HAS TURNED SOUR, BR> TANNENBAUM BELIEVES THAT IT IS OFTEN SOCIETY OR THE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE THE PROBLEM, TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE FIT

  • H. THE YOUTH TURNS TO A GROUP THAT OFFERS ALTERATIVE VALUES, HABITS, INTERESTS, AND ATTITUDES - THE GANG

    • II. GANGS BECOME THE IMPORTANT SOCIETAL REFERENCE POINT FOR THE YOUTH NOW;
    ATTEMPTS TO MESS WITH IT ONLY CREATES MORE PROBLEMS
  • A. ONLY ONE OR A FEW YOUTH ARE CAUGHT WHEN A GANG DOES SOMETHING WRONG
  • B. THIS SINGLES OUT ONE FOR ATTENTION
    THE YOUTH ENTERS A WHOLE NEW WORLD THAT OTHERS DON'T EXPERIENCE, THE C.J. SYSTEM
    "THE BOY, NO DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF HIS GANG, SUDDENLY BECOMES THE CENTER OF A MAJOR DRAMA..."

  • C. WHAT USE TO BE JUST FUN, THINGS EVERYBODY YOU HUNG WITH DID, ARE NOW PRESENTED TO YOU IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT, YOU ARE BAD

    • III. THE DRAMATIZATION OF EVIL

  • A. THIS FIRST LABEL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER EXPERIENCE IN MAKING THE CRIMINAL
    "THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE CRIMINAL, THEREFORE, IS A PROCESS OF TAGGING, DEFINING, IDENTIFYING, SEGREGATING, DESCRIBING, EMPHASIZING, MAKING CONSCIOUS AND SELF-CONSCIOUS; IT BECOMES A WAY OF STIMULATING, SUGGESTING, EMPHASIZING, AND EVOKING THE VERY TRAITS THAT ARE COMPLAINED OF."

  • B. THE YOUTH BECOMES WHAT HE/SHE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING

  • C. IT DOES NOT MATTER THE INTENTION OF THE LABEL, PUNISHMENT OR HELP

    • IV. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

  • "THE WAY OUT IS THROUGH A REFUSAL TO DRAMATIZE THE EVIL. THE LESS SAID ABOUT IT THE BETTER. THE MORE SAID ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, STILL BETTER."
  • FOCUS ON THE GROUP; MUST CHANGE ATTITUDES; PUNISHMENT DOES NOT CHANGE CHARACTER

    • V. IN SUM

    1. THE SOCIAL AUDIENCE CREATES DEVIANCE AND DEVIANTS BY SO DEFINING THE ACTS AND THE ACTORS THAT WAY

    2. A PROCESS OF TRANSFERENCE TAKES PLACE, THE LABEL IS EASILY TRANSFERRED FROM ACT TO ACTOR

    3. THE LABEL RELATES TO THE CONDUCT NORMS AND THE BEHAVIOR BUT THE CONNECTION IS A VERY LOSEONE


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