Now in Moorpark smoking a cigarette in a public place is against the law. Although it may not seem like it these kids are committing a crime, or a social norm that has been made into a law.
Deviance is the violation of a social norm that causes negative reactions. Deviance depends on the reactions and not actually the quality of the act itself. My friend Michael would be considered a deviant in the picture since he is dressed like a female. A guy who wears a dress in public is bound to receive some negative reactions.
Erving Goffman used the term stigma to describe any physical or social attribute that devalues a person or group's identity. The handicap symbol on a license plate represents a physical impairment that could be seen as a physical stigma.
The police force is one of the major forms of law enforcement in society today. They are part of the set of institutions that make up the criminal justice system.
One approach to punishment is to use the threat of penalties in order to discourage people from committing crimes. This sign in the grocery store is a form of deterrence. They put this up in hopes that someone with the intent to steal would become frightened and lose motivation upon seeing this sign.
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