The conflict theory of deviance focuses on the behaviors and actions that violate social norms and institutions. The theory further emphasizes that social, political, and material inequalities are the major cause of deviant behaviors in society. As such, deviant action is aimed at changing one’s circumstances. In this theory, the police represent the enforcer of the law by enduring that the enraged persons do not resort to deviance as a way to seek justice. Policing is conducted in strong adherence to the law and policies. The police aim to target the deviant persons and channel them through the right paths of acquiring justice. The video, "SEPTA Changing Policy on Masks after Viral Video of Man Being Dragged from Bus," illustrates the extent taken by the police to enforce the new mask policies. The police drag a person out of the public transport system for failing to wear a mask as stipulated by SEPTA.
The need to protect the interest of the wealthy and prevent deviant behavior could lead to police brutality. The video "How Police in Spain vs. Police in the U.S. Respond to COVID-19" illustrates the differences in how the police respond to crises. Whereas the police in Spain are level-headed and reasonable in their actions, the enforcers in the U.S. resort to violence and brutality. As such, this demonstrates the extent to which the police can go in a bid to prevent deviant behaviors by the public. The police are insensitive to the needs of the poor in society. They are hell-bent on maintaining the status quo by preventing deviance and any other behavior that goes against the institutionalized norms. As such, the institution of police in America is perceived to favor the wealthy and influential in society. Many ordinary citizens believe that law enforcement does little to enhance equality by thwarting deviant voices.
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In the United States system, prisons primarily focus on four fundamental aspects, including retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation. In serving the retribution purpose, individuals are punished for the crimes they commit against the members of society. They are deprived of their prison as a way of paying debts for the injustices caused by their actions. Incapacitation means that criminals are removed from society in a bid to protect the citizens from their actions (De Avila, Fonseca, Gonzalez, & Lutrick, 2019). In conducting deterrence, the justice system aims at ensuring that the person does not engage in any other criminal activity in the future. Lastly, through rehabilitation, the U.S. criminal justice system aims to change the offender to a law-abiding citizen. Essentially, the U.S. prison system is aimed at protecting the interests of the people.
Norway, on the other hand, focuses on the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners back to society (A Liberal Prison System). Prisoners are given the humane conditions, unlike in the many prisons in the U.S. Most fundamentally, inmates are exposed to various skills and technical abilities that make them a productive group of individuals (Bad Boys' Island). Whereas the U.S. focuses on protecting society and punishing the offender, the Norwegian system thrives on ending recidivism by making these people valuable and worthy to society. One of the main reasons for the difference in approach stems from the rates of crimes in both countries. The crime rates in the U.S. are higher than in Norway. Secondly, the U.S. justice and correctional system have been accused of racial prejudice (How America's justice system is rigged against the poor). As such, this prompts it to focus more on retribution than rehabilitation.
As regards the consequences, the Norwegian prison model has managed to reduce crime rates and recidivism. Prisoners have a positive image once they go back to society (CNN on Norway prison system). However, the opposite has been observed in the U.S. The rates of reoffending are high among former inmates, and former prisoners continue to experience significant stigmatization by members of society.
References
A Liberal Prison System - Bastoy Island, in the fjord of Oslo, Norway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj3SMiDvjdg
Bad Boys' Island – BASTØY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfWgEP-tgdQ
CNN on Norway prison system https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1mhhtpmXfo
De Avila, C., Fonseca, M., Gonzalez, L., & Lutrick, L. (2019, February). From Fields to Cells: A Discussion on how the U.S. Prison System is today's Slavery. In Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (Vol. 20, No. 1). ISCORE.
How America's justice system is rigged against the poor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry5jTjBhZpA
How Police in Spain vs. Police in U.S. Respond to COVID-19 | Now This https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j27UW3U_gko
SEPTA Changing Policy on Masks after Viral Video of Man Being Dragged from Bus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIabgSfLBFc
