Title

Author(s)

Development of deviant subculture and behaviour: case studies

in a secondary school in Hong Kong

Lui, Lai-hing.; .

Citation

Issued Date

URL

Rights

1992

http://hdl.handle.net/10722/26870

The author retains all proprietary rights, (such as patent rights)

and the right to use in future works.

Development of Deviant Subculture and Behaviour:

Case Studies in a Secondary Sohool in Bong Kong

Lui Lai-hing

A Thesis
Submitted to the Graduate School

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree

Master of SoOial Sciences

The University of Hong Kong

I have the pleasure of expressing my gratitude

Dr.

who supervised me,

Harold Traver,

to my supervisor,

supported me and gave me

advice. J have also to thank a lot to Dr. Jon Vagg and Dr.

Carol

Jones who spared their precious time on my thesis.

willing to

Gratitude is also extended to 'ny respondents who were

express ali their views and secrets to me although I promised the

confidentiality of

ali data.

be given appreciation for

addition,

The teachers concerned should also

providing views

much appreciation

and

information. In

is given to my friends who supplied

ideas and comments on my thesis.

Finally, I would like

Ho

Keung-sing

who

to give my deepest thank to my husband Hr.

whole-heartedly

encouraged

me,

provided

comments and suggestions for revision, and most inortantly, went

with me all the time and helped ne with great patience.

Lui Lai-hing
June, 1992

-.

cJ icc
...

I] I
'rhesis

c11ctirn

Jepcitcd by th Aiithcr

XbT

Acknowledgenierfts

ii

Contents

List of Tables

iii

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Literature Review on Theories of Deviance

Chapter 3 Methodology Employed

21.

Chapter 4 Background arid Characteristics of Respondents

41

Chapter 5 Interpretation of Deviant Behaviour by Respondents

52

Chapter

Pna1ysis on Deviant Subculture and Deviant Behaviour

Chapter 7 Conclusion and Suggestions

Bibliography

96

138

Table i

A Typology of Devinoe by Feroeption of Deviant

105

Identity and Continuity of One's Own Deviant

Behaviours

Table 2

A Typology of Deviant with Stuiclets' Name applied

107

Chanter i
Intixduetiaii

Juvenile

delinquency

is one of the

country of the work!.

escape

from such a problem.

problem

have

been

place, cannot

as a developed

1-long Kong,

in every

problems

social

The content and the nature of

as

changing

our

society

the

The

changes.

infiltration of triad society into secondary school seems to

most

the

be

recent and urgent problem waiting to be solved or

at

least paying special attention to it.

The

police

oombat

the

reveals

set up a school anti-triad

have

influence of them.

that

the

age

Juveniles

declining.

of

are

On the one

juvenile

team

society
hand,

delinquents

also increasing

to

crime

data

have

been

likely

become

to

involved om violent crime. In the second half of 191, there was

case

that

trafficking.

fourteen

year-old

boy

involved

a girl

On the 27th of November of the same year,

was searched for possessing a gun in

drug

in

On the other

her handbag.

hand, according to the information given by Police Department in

June,

1392,

increased

period

the number of students involved in

two and a half times oonar1 with

nearly

last year

triad

Such astonishing data lead

us

to

crimes

the

saine

consider

seriously about the delinquent problem in Hong Kong.

Schools are supposed to train youths to become a capable citizen

i

in

future.

place

for children.

for

society

the

FIowever

they are alsc a

fonnation of gangs and

potential

infiltration

of

triad

since schooling occupies lots of time of our youth.

1f

such situation exists in sohool, especially secondary school, it

may

constitute a serious problei for Hong Rongs future. While

this is a pessimistic view,

It

has been said

there is also reason for optiriism.

that those who o1aimi to be

society may not be a real menber.

triad

a member of

School boys soiietiinea

want to gain a kind of status or protection from being disturbed

by others by claiming to a inenber of a particular triad sooiety.

Even though they may be

big brother,

protected by so called

few have taken the formal procedure of joining the tried society
and seldon deal with orimthal activities.
the

problem,

No matter how we view

will say that it is a problem worthwhile to be

investigated.

Aetually

there

delinquency whioh

are
are

lot of past

researches

generally based on the

on

juvenile

assumpticuis

of

various niajor theoretical perspectives. The researchers aimed at

the testing of these perspectives or for an understanding of the

phenomenon

delinqueney
Most of
fainily

They

to find out the possible

tried

school,

ii)

social class,

perception of the future,

associations and d) personal values.

2

tor

and then worked out a causal inixiel for delincjuenoy.

them centers around the roles of a)

o)

causes

d)

b)

peer

inong the numerous researches that had been carried out or being
carried out
roles

of

we fisid that there are many pros and cons for

the

contrIictory

above mentioned
results

ua1itative ones
that
the

are

variables.

both

present,

other

statistical data

to

support

Factor analysis,

their

words,

guarititative

However, after taking a look on them,

nost of the research are guantitative,

variables.

In

the

and

I find

most likely using

rguinents

for

the

path analysis and modelling method

are all common for them. It seems that few of them look into the
proeess of interaotion among the youth such as the fonnation and
patterns of youth subculture end deviant behaviour.

Researches on youth attitudes

include

and gang

Th oad to Ee1inquency'

subculture in Hong Kong

(Chan rook Kan, 17),

Report Summary on "Fish-ball Stall' Study' (Yang Memorial Social

Service Centre, 1982), 'Juvenile Gang Subculture and Outreaohirig

Social Work on a Hong Kong Fstate'

Dynamics:

Report of a Study of

(Lo Tit Wing,

Bang

Ho,

Troblein Behaviour

in Hong Kong: a Socio-cultural Perspective

1965),

Youths in Kcun Tong

'A

Gang

the Juvenile Gang Structure and

Subculture in Tung Taue (Lo Tit Wing, 1984),

of Adolescents

1964),

(Mok

Study on the Behaviour and Attitudes of

(Law Chi Kwong, 198e),

'Conference on the

Darker Sides of Youth' (Tsuen Wan District Fight Crime Committee

and

:3

Social Services and Coniunity Information Committee, 167)

'Social

Structure and De1inuent Fatterns:

an

Exploration

(Kwok Hai

Boys Gangs in the Public Housing Estate of 1-long Kong'

eun,

'Youth Subculture in song Kong :

Case Studies of

Devianta' (Wong Ying Ching, 19a) and lastly is

Study

of

Young

Pn exploratory

of the F'articipation in Juvenile Gang Activities

in 1-long

Kong' (Cheung Hoi Tin, 1990).

Since

I am interested in formation process of a deli,nuent

being

a teacher,

school

formed.

decided

This

have niany chances to contact the youth

to examine

intend

how deviant subcu Itures are

among

the students in secondary school,

pattern

formation process of a delinquent and also the

deviant

at

study originated with iriy interest in the

process of interaction
the

on

and

behaviour among the lower form students.

Through

of
the

study, I intend to have a deeper and conprehensive understanding

of

and

the deviant behaviour of our youth by ieans of

in-depth

background

interviews

of

situations their

the

to

know

students,

how

hope

deviant

deviant subculture

are

niore

and

formed,

observation
about

the

under what
develop

and

spread among the aembers, how they perceive their behaviour, and

lastly the perceivi perceptions

their deviant behaviour.

of their teachers and peers on

Sociology i the study of social relations. Sociologist study how

social order is prtxluced and substained. While soeiologists are

very much interested in confonnity exhibited in group life,

they

are also concerned with behaviour that deviates from cultural

standards. This

general study is called

social deviance.

Social deviance refers to any behaviour that breaks the rules of

a group or society. Thus any act that fails to conform to the

expectations of society or a given group within society. Deviant

behaviours constitutes an infraction of the normative order.
Cohen

(1966)

defines deviant behaviour as

behaviour which

violates institutionalized expectations, that is,

sthich are

shared and recognized as legitimate within

expectation

a social

system. Similarity, Merton (1965) wrote that deviant behaviours

refers to conduct that departs ignificnt1y from the norms set

for people in their social statuses. . . it cannot be described in

the abstract but nust be related to the norm that are socially
defined as appropriate and morally binding for people occupying

various statuses. A final example is suggestI by Clinard (l963)

who wrote that deviant behaviours is behaviours in a disapproved
5

direction fron the florins and sufficient in degree to exceed the

tolerance limit of the community

Although there are numerous

definitions on deviance, it is olear that some deviant acts may

ie regarded a

minor

infringements while others may evoke strong

reactions. Most sociologists have focused upon behaviours such as

crime,

delthquenoy,

alcoholism,

and

suicide because these

behaviours have been defined as social problems by a large

proportion of te population of modern societies.

Sociologists recognize that deviance is a relative matter. First;

what

is considere1 normal

th

one society or group may be defin1

as deviant in others. For exemple, having more than one wife is

punishable by law in some societies, but reflects admirable

behaviour and high position in other societies.

Second,

what

is considered deviant ohanges

over

time.

Homosexuality is declarad as illegal in the past but not regarded

as illegal in some countries such Denmark recently

The sale and

possession of alcohol was declared illegal for over a decade in

the United States. Special law enforcement agencies attempted to

oontrol the illegal behaviour,

while other interest groups

attempted provide alcohol through illegal activities.

Third;

whether or not soae behaviours are defined as deviant may

depend

upon

the circumstances under which it occurs.

For a

citizen to kill another person is usually defined as a serious

crime;

however,

killing a person who breaks into ones home and

hamns ones family may be defined as sii act of defence. Fourth,

whether an act is considered deviant depends on who is involved.

If a person shoots someone on the street he is usually considered

deviant act requiring some response frcmi

to have ccnmnitted

legal representatives of a society.

But

if that

person

is

performing the appropriate roles associated with a particular

social position such as a police officer or soldier, the shootirg

may not be judged deviant at alL

The

study of deviance on youth is one of the main areas of study

of deviance. The etiology of juvenile delinquency has long been a

controversial issue. Each school of thought has their
concerns. Perhaps,

a review of criminological literature on the

subject shows that a

universally applicable theory of delinquency

causation continues to be as elusive as ever.

diverse among them,

own

No

matter

how

the causality must be conceived in terms of

the dynamic interaction of a complex combination of variables

on

nany levels. According to Miller, the major sets of etiological

factors

currently addicted to explain deliquenoy are,

sinplified terms: the physiological (delinquency results

7

in
from

organic patho1ogy)

the

behavioural disorder

(delinquency

psycho-dynamic

resulting primarily frou

disturbance and personality problems),

and

is

emotional

the envirorunental

forces
is the produr of disruptive
cIisorganization,' in the aotors physical or social environment).
(de1inuenoy

Fiere we would not explore the early biological and psychological

theories

f crime. We would explore more current sociological

theories of crime which has its beginning in 192s. There seens

to be a consensus among sociologists that the

nore

immediate

causes of juvenile delinquency are generally traceable

to

distortions in norxnative and value structures, conflicts in the

cu1tiral milieu, social and economic pressures, and fanily and

peer group thfluences.

It is,

accepted that juvenile

however,

delinquency is too coircplex and intricate a problem to be fully

explained by a single theoretical franiework.

often interwoven together to result

Various factors

in the creation of a

delthguent, just as Hira Singh (1990) saicL

Crime is a jnanifestation of the interaction between the

individual and his/her social environment, both of which have
a dynanic nature.

Human personality is constantly influenced

by the social surroundings

and

experiences to which it is

directly exposed. On the other hand,

is

highly

fluid

by its very

nature

the social environment

with a continuous

interplay of various socio-cultural and economic factors as

conditioned by the political system in which they operate.
8

In

are many

there

short,

controversies on the

factors for a youth to becone

their points of emphasis;

a de1inguent

sorne

Each

deviance

to

and

of

them has

on the environmental influences,

others on societal

some ori the process of becoming a delinquent,

reaction

precipitating

also much more

on

combinations

of

various factors. Let. us have a review of theni.

There

are several different ways to summarize the body of theory

of crime arid delinquency.

historical
specific

sequence,

theories

latest approach,

diverse

on

specific

terna of

For

of

the

the ways to categorize or classify is even more

Here,

will try to suirunarize

of orine and delinquency into two

their level of emphases--1)

which enphasize macro-structure

on delinquency.

contributions

in ternis of school of thought.

or

and complicated.

theories

based

in

We could present the field in terms of

2)

micro-structures and

the

the

main

streams

Structural

the effect of

these

which

theories

social structure

Social Erocess theories which eiuphasize

process to see how delinquency is patterned

the way it is.

We can say that

ori social

rai

early sociological theories of delinquency focus

structure. It

began

in 19's when sociologist noted

criminal and delinquent behaviour patterns were fQund under

that

certain

conditions and in certain areas ncre frequently than

others.

They started to

in

could it be that

raise questions:

the

problem lies not with the individual but in the social conditions
or

situations

and

in which the persons lives?

psychologically sound

person

placed

Would a biologically
in

the

social

same

structure engage in delinquency?

E!!;;r1 irrri
2!UIJ I:!1J I ri;

Henry

The ecological epproach was initiated by Clifford Shaw and

ho began their pioneering work on delinquency in

McKay

during the early 1220s.

NcEay

sought

to

urban

changing

Based in Chicago information

explain

within

delinquency

ecology.

They

had

of delinquency rates in the Chicago area.

context

a period of alinost 30

proportionately

housing,

industry
10

and

of

the

statistics

collected

They computed official

years.

They found that the rates declined

with distance from the city

center,

highest rates were mostly found in the 'interstitial

area

Shaw

rates by census traot for the whole of the city over

delinquency

surrounded

Chicago

the city center.

was

characterized
and

and

overcrowding

This zone,

the

city's

and

zone which
"twilight

by high population mobility,

and was

increasingly

the

poor

oorrxted

by

its social-class conposition was almost completely

wrkthg class. In Une with Earks thesis, these high delinquency

areas

pere

view:1

characteristics

as

natural

provided

The delinquency of
to

largely a normal response

as

local

the

comniunity

a natural setting in which delinquent

values emerged and persisted.

seen

areas

boys were

the

social and

the

natural

They viewed the ecological

characteristics of these communities.

conditions of the city itself as the real cultrit in the creation

of delinquent behaviours.

explain the difference

They sought to

on the delinquency rates of slum and suhurben communities through

an analysis of the social values and social organization

present

in local communities.

The lasting oontribution of Shaw and

McKays ecological

in the thirties was their basic premises that crime is

studies

due

more

social disorganization in pthologoal environments than it is to

individuals

abnormal

1919:4).

coinmnittirig

deviant

behaviours

The emnergenos of high delinquency rates in a community

is one indicator of the social disorganization

However

(Gibbon,

there

geophysical

are

criticism

environment tends t'

that
make

of the community.

concentration
the

social

upon

the

structure,

institutions end individual factors seoondary.

Strain
Il

Theory

is the second branch within the social

structure

perspective. According to this view,

result

crime nd delinquency are a

of the frustration and anger people experience over their

thability

to

achieve legitimate social and

success.

financial

Deviance is the result of an existing strain between the

culture

and the social structure of a society.

Eobert
leads
He

Merton

pointed out how the structure

values

social

of

to a high rate of property crimes among the working class.

borrowed

anomie

as

the notion of 'anc'inie

a state cf formlessness that arises

discrepancy between
achieve

from Durltheiin

1.he goals.

goals of acquiring

culturally
To him,

to

describe

when there

prescribed goals

is a

and means

to

Pinerican has the culturally defined

eaith, success, and power; while the socially

permissible means to those goals include hard work, education and

thrift.

However,

status,

the resulting strain produces anomie

bhe legitinate means is bound by

class

conditions

and

among

those who are locked out of the legitimate opportunity structure.

The

pressure to deviate is therefore at its strongest among

most

economically

Consequently,

and

socially

disvantaged

the

groups.

they develop cral or delinquent solutions to

the problem of attaining goal ( Siege I and Senna: 134)

Fie calls this the response

anonie.

There are

innovation

to the situation of

other adaptations to these pressures,

calls these variously

12

of

conforuity', 'retreatisin

and he

rtualism

and

rebellion'

However,

context is

that

official rates

groups as

the

most

of innovation.

disjunction between

he accounts for the high

ThUS,

for property offenses

aptation

response in the present

comnon

lower working-olass

among

to the structural strain induced by the

the goal of material success and the lack of

legitimate means for its achievement.

His

theory

has been criticized for

criminality,

dwelling upon

lower olass

thus failing to consider the law-breaking among the

e1ite Taylor et al.(173l7) express this point:

Pnomie theory

stands accused of predicting too little bourgeois criminality and

too much proletarian criminality."

The

theory

is

primarily

oriented toward explaining monetary or materialistically oriented

crime and does not

lt

is

unnecessary

idress violent criminal activity.

here to provide

extensive

an

critique

Mertons theory for this has been done by many authors.

in

terms of the interaction perspective,

following points:
deviance

as

is

actually

it is worth noting the

theory accepts the

reflecting

the

However,

official

real

rates

of

to

be

phenortenon

the assumption that everybody shares the sne basic

explained,

goal

the

of

simplification and distortion

of

the

complexities

involved in analy2ing people's life goals; no account is taken of

the

problenatic process of social control;

and

suggests

13

no

hypotheses into and

out

the model is
of

deviant

static
career;

iina11y,

by focusing on the structura3. level,

it p1ys down the

imporbance

of

individuals

interpretations of their situations.

Many

typical

social

as

meanings

enter

they

into

developed

of the ideas in 1erton's work were subsequently

by sociologists trying to explain working-class gang delinquency.

C1oard and Ohlin's theory (196e) puts

main emphasis on the

its

structural conditions that lead to lower-class gang delinquency.

They

explains

also

the development

They pointed

subcultures.

opportunity

structure

delinquent

subculture
delinquent

legitimizing

out

that

addition

in
is

there

to

a group

is

delinquent

a.

legitimate

that

activities. The

delinquent

other

of

one.

fosters

gangs are

beliefs

forced

to

take illegal measures to realize the cultural goals because their

opportunities
nonexistence.

to

use

legitimate

They explain

subcultures---criminal,

means

limited

are

how different types

of

or

delinquent

conflict and retreatist develop in lower

class areas.

another

delinquent

theory

that

subcultures

attempts
was

t: 1955 ) emphasizes the strain

by working-class
14

boys

to

explain

the

put forth by Albert

emergence
Cohen.

of

Cohen

and status frustratia.n experienced

when they were aware

of

their

liirtited

chances of obtaining the goals with middle class value.

of

taking

illegitimate means to achieve

success

Instead

they

goals.

create a unique set of cultural values and standards of their own

by emphasizing in

their

class values. Whereas

actions

Cloward

these middle-

the opposite of

utilitarian

and Ohlin emphasized

goal-seeking through illegitimate means,

Cohen's

main focus was

on nonutilitarian behaviour by lower-class juveniles.

Unlike Cohen, who viewed delinquency as a lower class reaction to

nidd1e class values Miller view such activity as a reflection of

the focal concerns of doinsnt themes within lower class culture.
portrays delinquent behaviour as a

Miller
the

normal"

reaction

to

norms and values of a unique 1ower-olass culture pa.sed down

one

from

generation

to

the next

and

largely unaffected

by

conventional culture and values (Miller, 1958:5-19).

It seems that social structural theorists view poverty and social

disorganization as the primary cause of delinquency.
fails

explain why most youth living in poverty

to

However, it
or

in

aluni

areas do not become delinquent nor adult criminals. If culture of

poverty

alone

does not cause delinquency,

what does?

Social

process theorists believe that onset of de1inuency can be traced

to

youth's

significant

socialization

social

including faini1y
15

and

institutions

peer groups,

his or

her

encountered
school,

relationships
in

daily

with
life

and the justice systeni.

Each of these institutions has a poerfu1 in1uence on a chiids

self-image,

identify

youth

The

the

to

stable

beliefs,

values and behaviours.

attempt to

within any social settings that

factors

become

They

involved in crininal behaviour

or

cause
to

remain

and law-abiding.

theories

of

several branches.

deviance that

emphasize

process

social

The first, social learning Theory;

has

holds that

delinquency is learned through close relationships with deviants.

The second, social control theory, views delinquency as result of

loss

of

youth.

control that conventional society normally places on

The

third,

labelling Theory,

interests in the

process by which particular behaviours come to be

deviant

and

in

the

consequences of these for

social

understood
those

who

as
are

labelled deviant.

Social
skil1s

learning

theories

stress that the

attitudes,

morals,

and behaviours needed to sustain a delinjuent career are

learned. Sociologists like &lwin Sutherland, Daniel Glaser, David

Matza and Ronald Akers focus ori the learning of delinquent values

within the social contexb of family and peer groups.

l3

As a group,

their theoretical position is that poverty or social class

differences alone are not enough to explain delinquency. Youthful
law violators must. learn how to become delinquent and how to cope

with the consequences of their behaviours.

turn to a

We now

discussion of the most nnporthnt learning theories.

Essentially, Sutherland's differential association is the idea

that devient behaviour is learned through social interaction with

deviant in small intimate groups situations. The

'earning of

crinina1 bahaviour involves learning the techniques nd attitudes

that

favour

breaking

the law. The extent of interaction with

devient group in terms of fr&juency

priority,

duration and

thtenEdty of contact determine the likelihood that an individual

will behave in the saine manner.

Skyes

and

4atza (1964) also view the process of becoming a

delinquent as a learning experience.

However,

their approach

differs from social learning on scnne critical issues. While the

social learning theorists holds that youths learn the techniques,
values, and attitudes necessary for delinquent behaviour
and Matza maintain

Skyes

that delinquents hold attitudes sind values

similar to those of law-abiding eiti3ens.

techniques that enable

them

However,

they learn

to neutralize those values and

attitudes temporarily and drift back and forth between legitimate

and delinquent behaviour.
17

Neutralization theory assumes that

delinquency ocour whefl youths learn to disregard the controlling

influences of social rules and values.

Ett!

Social control theory suggests that the extent of strength and

direction

the youths ties with

of

conventional

groups1

individuals, and institutions determine whether a youth grow

up

to be law-abiding adults or not. tn contrast to kyes and Matza,

who believe that delinquents share the saine values and attitudes
as nonclelinquents,
someone

who

Hirschi views the youthful law violator as

rejects social nonns and beliefs.

Trevis Hirschi

links delinquent behaviour to the bond an individual

with society
attaohnent,
weakens
member

These bonds to
commitment,

or breaks,

are

lifted,

nairitains

society consist of four ooaponents:

involvement and belief.

When that bond

the constraints that society puts

a youth is free to

commit

on

its

criminal act

(Hirsohi, 1S9:28). While !-lirschi's social control appears to be

quite

useful

in

explaining

coinmitEent/noncoininitment to

general

the
delinquency1

of

it is criticized for not

concern with societal origins of crime

deviation froxn given societal norms.

process

but with

individual

I!:1,! ;;

The

latest

construction of devinee i
earlier

were

1abe11irg

theory became

interactionisin,

point

;their

base
school

of

thought

of

major

Urit

approach prinary in the sixties

theorists

view

that

the

in

Although there

the labelling theory.

precedents.,

r'i3nin31ogica1

Labelling

process

theory which enphasizes the social

States.

symbolic

on

emphasizes

the

ubject.ive and interactional nature of human experiences.

Labelling theory says that individuals are devit ain1y becante

they have been labelled as devirit by social control agencies and
others.

The notion

itself,

but
that

actor;

Tannenhaun

in

rather in the reaction and label attached

is

(1938)

crime is a label
called

not

and

an

act.

the process of attaching a

the

act

to

the

Frank

label

to

the dramatization of evils' . Leinert (1967) invented the

deviants
tarins

not iiTherents

of deviance i

"primary deviance"

deviance

to

the

deviance

is

refers

secondary

secondary deviance.

an

initial

concerned

deviant

with

act
the

itself,

Primary
while

psychological

reorganization of the individual experiences as a result of being

caught

and

labelled as being

a deviant.

discrediting mark or status is attached,

it

very difficult to escape

with this new deviant role.

19

Once this stigma

or

the individual may find

the label and may come to

identify

Howard Becker (1963) has coined the

moral

term

entrepreneurs

ofioia1s who

are

with which to refer

ooncerned

categories of deviance in order

with oreting and

to

expend

the

to

agents

labelling

social

or

new

control

function of their organizations.

With a review of the theories,

it is olear that each of them has

its own merits and demerits. Flow to apply them and how useful are
they

or

explaining deviance becomes the central conoern of

researchers
except

and scholars.

those

interactionism

based

Usua11y

their

are used

to

various

points
test

of

social

views

these

the

variab1es

on

symbolic

theories

through

statistical analysis in order to explain the correlations between

variables and deviance occurrence. However, such approach may not

reveal the true picture of the deidance since there is an absence
of deeper understending on deviants. Therefore, it is due to this
reason that

I want to oarry out a research which will

enable me

to have a comprehensive understanding of deviants. In such a way,

the

hoped

inner-feelings among the deviants will be revealed.

that

It

deviant behaviour and deviants can be analyzed in

more thorough way through this research study.

is

thi1e there are various theories on deviance,

broadly

speaking,

approaches

the

on

traditional

two

mainly

there are perhaps,

study of crime and

methodological

Positivistic

deviance:

Positivism

approach and Interpretive Approach respectively. Yet,

entai is the dominant tradition.

positivism holds that

In its extreme form,

intention,
to

subjective meaning",

motive" or other similar "internal experience, due

unobservability,

excluded

be

should

from

sociological

The legitimate phenomena to be studied are observable

research.

behaviours.

When

delinquency,

various
are

behaviours

it is applied to the

often

probleiris

social correlates of
examinez

through

of

juvenile

adolescent deviant
model

statistical

of

analysis.

Yeti

despite the considerable

influence of the

soientifio

approaches to sociological methodology descHbed above, there are

alternative

series

of

approaches

which

claim

either

that

scientific approaches are inadeguate on their own for collecting,

analysing
21

and

explaining

data

or

that

they

are

totally

inappropriate
Sociologists

suh.ect that

in

th

clea!s

human

behaviour.

interpretive pproaoh argue

who take an

whole basis of sociology is the interpretation of

that

the

social action.

Social action can only be understood by interpreting the meanings

and motives on which it is based. Interpretive sooiologists argue
that there is littLe chance

of

motives fron quantitative data.

the

discovering these tnenins

Only

from qua1itative date can

sociologist interpret the meanings which lies behind

being engaged in the debate of

Before

action.

anti-positivism,

characteristics

have

of positivism,

to

nd

understand

the merits uic

social

positivism

end

clearly

the

the

defects

of

positivism, which is later followed by the discussion of why it is

better to use interpretive approach in this thesis concerning the
problem of juvenile delinquency.

Positivistic sociology
detached1

contends that theorists should iraintain a

disinterested

attitude so that

the integrity of the

subject to be studied will not be affected (wang, 1985:

ajor characteristics of

methodology,

e)

positivisn

definition

The

lie on its: a) ontology, b)

of reality,

validation and e) the fora of explanation.

22

21

d)

the process

of

From th positivisbi point cf vi

social reality exists in th

forn of objective eaus1 relationship betweec phenomena.

senses

reality is

linked

to

uncovering
The

one

phenonena which are catsa11y

constitutrd cif

The work

another.

science

of

of cause-and-effect relationship

exp1natioei

of phenomena must

observable-evidence.

established.

Applying

In this

Ultimately,

he

involves

between

based

on

scientific

it in juvenile delinquency,

the

phnoznena.

empirical-

are

laws

it

the

result of some factors which hou1d be found through empiHoal

study.

The nethodo1ogy it uses includes three stages: the stage at which

reality is defined, the stege at which validation is maile and the

stage at which explanation is m1e.

Positivism
way

that

views that all reality has to be arranged in such a

it

can be talked

abot1

comprehended

or analyzed.

therefore, reality needs to be classified and categorized.

When

reality is classified and categoriz, symbols must be assigned

to the classified arid categorized realitywith
23

these symbols.

Daily

life

Language is made up

language

is regarded as

thaccurate

enough.

constructed.

quantified

As

seientifie 1ngiiage is

result,

In order to predict objective social phenomena.

accurate data is preferred.

arid

terminology

or

concepts

with

accurate

use

The

nening

of
makes

operationalization of concepts and objective study or measurement

possible.
terms

The

clearly

positivistic sociologists try to define

and

unambiguously,

so that they oen be empirically investigated.

relationships between variables,

use

reality

categorize

to

meaningfully and to allow concepts to be easily

possible

end

operationalized
the

Hypotheses

are also to be

construoted.

'rhe

positivists try to reduce all the concepts to observations.

The

method

usually

questionnaires

in

of is

to be made use
closed-ended or

survey through

structured

ex'eriments, and quantified statistical techniques.

interviews,
Among

the

iistruments used, standardized questionaire is the most prevalent

and

typical instrument

in social

Standardized

survey.

little

questionnaire

preciroles the questioning area with

reflexib.Lity

Its advantage is efficient, time saving and

cost.

lt

enables the researcher

to

test

the

low

complicated

behaviour with multi-dimensions and variables to be quantified

(Yang & Chiu. 187 114). Those independent variables are usually
24

demographic characteristics such as

sex7

age, educational level,

income and family background.

The ontology of positivism is based on the assumption that social

phenomena exist in the form of causal relationship.

As a result,

the form of explanation

also lies ori

causal relationship.

on

social

the

phenomena

The objective of positivist sociologists is

to find the causal relationship

context of our study,

it

put into the

between variables,

is the causal relation between deviant

behaviour and its determinants.

As a

positivistIc

whole,

approach

statistics

uses

hypothesis set by empirical studies or to

test

to

test the applicability

With

of particular theory based on the phenomenon being studied.

causes of deviance and

this approach,

with

associated
such as sex,

personal characteristics and

age,

social c1a,

causal explanation,
approach,

crime

however,

are

thought to be

social

variables

and family background etc.

lawful relationships are to be found.

25

questions

By

Such

arouse much criticisms since it assumes that

soial phenomena are not different from natural phenomena.

positivist

whether

such procedure helps

to

Mtiproduce

valid measurements of hutnui behaviour. Those wh a&pt symbolic

interactionism and pheriomenological perspectives often reject the

entire procedure of operational definitions, indicator selection,

questionnaires construction and results quantification.

They

that rather than providing a valid picture of the social

argue

operations merely serve to distort it.

world,

such

because

the motive,

This

is

feelings &id nental states which represents

the internal feelings is considered as having no relationship

In this
way the individuals' inenings to action are either distorted or
neglected aItoether. These criticisms, typically against the
with the behaviour which is caused by external forces.

positivist approach to the study of human action are claimed

by

interpretive approach which gained its appreciation at the

1Y6 's.

Anti'-positivism

is

an

alternative for

&it-

positivisit.

positivism here mainly refers to interpretive sociology.

originated

fron Geistwissenschaft arid was affected

by

It

symbolic

interactionism, phenomenology, &icl linguistics analysis.

Th Onto1ogy of

From
26

the

t-ositiyin

anti-positivistic point of view,

social

reality

or

social

phenomena do riot ex!t in the form cf object external

an individual.

interaction

The

between

exists

reality

developed

and

commonly

is

involving in the interaction process

behaviour will be regarded as the behaviour

constructed

meaningful

the

in

reality

The

individuals.

the actors

constructed by
Deviant

social

to

inter-personal

through

and

belief

interaction

process.

LQIL.QLE.L1..tY

Anti-positivist discovers or dic1oses'

receptive

and

to

interpretations
through

accepting

and

interaction

the

aetor's

interpretations

with

other

social reality by being

actors.

generates perception and interpretative

language,

language

is obviously

behaviours are the result

and

the

of

of

perception

ovin

fashioned

world
Since

and

interaction

communication depends on

central interest. Deviant

of interaction process between deviant

their significant and generalized others and various

agents

of social control.

The

process

measurement

of validation

does not

lie

in

the

accurate

and examine causal relationship of social phenomena.

The process of validation is to understand the ways through which

27

are

reality

construetec]

researcher

tries

individuals

in

resear0her

is

to

the proeess

in

apprehend

the process

how

The

f interaction.

reality

of interaction.

by

created

The objeot.ive of

to unctersthnd the process of interaction

through

which deviant behaviours are defined and examined.

To understand how actor perceives the external world,

not

explain

human

action

explaining

natural

huiian action and that of

natural

in the form

The explanation

events.

of

event are logically different taska

in the form of

we should

causal relationship

of

Natural
while

events take place

human

event involves

One of the indicator revealing

the elements of self-reflection.

the self-reflection is language arid thereby the sLudy of language

can reflect actors perception on others.

7eber may probably

ernphRsis

on

behaviour.

be

conceives

science of social action..

been

to

capture

of

sociology

meaningful
as a

social

comprehensive

Action includes any behaviour that has

subjective

assigned

Verstehen"
28

interpreting

understanding and
Weber

of putting

the most influential person

meaning.
the

We

should

make

subjective meaning

of

use

of

actor.

it is hard to categorize 4eber thto interpretive

Nevertheless,

sociology, because

serted the differ'nce and nature between

he

socio:ogy (or eultural scieneex and natural science on the one

hand

hi1e insisted the objeebvity

sociology on the other

King1

scientific nature of

196h: 4e).

In facft, interpretive or humanistic approach is a very bro

ro'p

loosely-linked

perspectives

such as that

the

of

phenoneno1ogy , et1nonethcdo1ogy .
Creative

Sociologies

theoretteal

theortica!

includes different

which

and methodological

symho1ie-thterationism,

ca1 Is this the

Morris . 177)

Though

they

very

are

ground,

different

on

they share two key

assrntions.

Firt]y

'human beings re not merely aeted upon by social facts

or social forces'

but are constantly shaping arid

their own social worlds ir interaction with others

that

'special

methods

are required for

understanding of these uniquely

human

the

processes

'creating
Second1y

study

and

(Morris,

177:8). These approaches belong, in other words, to what has

tradition of social
been referred to as the subjectivist'
inquiry in contrast to the

'objectivist'

tradition (Benson & Hughes, 1963:37).

29

or

poitivist

In the present study

an

interpretive approach, drawing mainly

from the syinbolic-interactionist tradition is adopted. A brief

description of interaotiorijst perspectives with special reference
to its understanding of sociaL life will be present

below. Its

application to the present research topic, deviant subculture and

devilnt behaviour development will then be presented. The context

and data collection method of this study will be presented at the

end of this chapter.

interactionism is not a unified perpeotive since

Symbolic

it

represent a common set of assunptions and concepts

does not

accepted by all those who practise the approach (Cuff & Faune,
1979).

its

'self'

(194) and Cooley's theory of the Looking-glass Self"

(1984)

A summarized account cf the perspective is atte]npted

betow

efore atteiptirig to understand Meadian formuLation of

development draws heavily upon Nead's concept of

symbolic interaotionism, e must first understand the idea of the

looking-glass self developed by Charles Horton Cooley. Coley

defined this concept as:

A soxnewhat definite inagthation of ho one's self--that is, any

idea he appropriates--- appears in a particular mind, and the kind

of self-feeling crie has is determined by the attitude toward this

attributed to that other mind. . So in ivagination we

anothers

xnind sone thought of our appearance,

perceive in

manners,

alms,

deeds,

by it

By

character, friends, and so on, and are variously affected

CooLey, 1964:169).

the

other

looking-glass self Cooley meant the cepacity to see

social

down

broken

objeot.

The idea of a looking-glass self

into three conponents.

appear to others.

First

we imagine

can

any
be

how we

Second, we imagine that their judgment of that

appearance must be. Third, we develop some se1f-fee1ings

such as

pride

others'

or

iuortificition

as a result of

imagining

our

judgements.

The

concept

self

of

is

further

interactiorlism caine into existence. Of

developed
the

when

various philosophers

who contributed to the growth of symbolic interaotionisiu

Herbert

is usually regarded as the major figure.

Mead

famous book,

symbolic

George
In

substantive part is devoted to the discssion of

the relationship between mind,

self and society. In Med's view,

human thought, experience nd cduct are essentially social.

did not conceive of the human nind as thing,
he viewed it as a social process.
of

syiabols

arid

his

Rather,

Human beings interact in terms

language allow us

Symbols provide the

sn entity.

He

to express

those

means whereby man can interact

symbols.

meaningfully

with his natural and social environment. Symbols are man-made and
refer not at the intrinsic nature

of

the ways in which men perceive them.

31

objects

and events but to

Humn beings must

meariin.

and live in

eonstruct

Without symbols there

their

of

world

own

ou1d be no human interaction and

no huinn society. Symbolic interaction is necessary since man has

rio

instincts

to direot

when

proceed

members of

behaviour.

his

the meanings

symbols are

of

largely

the means

only

accomplished.

actually

accomplished

role-taking

individual

thich

thaL

develops

iinagthatively
is

lie

be

each person
others.

but
terms

through

the

process

a concept of 'self' .

on

of

the

role-taking

The process

of role-

the role of another by

placing himself in the position of the person dth

The

interacting.

his

interpretation
other.

can

by neans of a process which Mead

nd

intention
he

will

self can

develop

only

if

an

in that person's position in order to

individual can put himself

Interpret

interaotion

existence of common symbols,

by the

taking involves the individual taking

whom

human

argued

Mead

by

interpret the meanings and intentions of

is made possible

This

by

common symbols

order for interaction to proceed,

In

must

involved

shared

society. Meaningful communication would be impossible

if there is no such sharing of maanings. I4owever.

provide

only

Social life can

meaningS

On the basis

of

make his response to the action of

this
the

He will be also aware of the views of himself that others

hold. The individual will become apare of what is expected of him

and
32

will

tend

to modify

his

actions accordingly.

He will be

conscious of

the generai attitudes of the ooninunity and ev1uate

hi.%uS1 f in terms of this gerllzcr other

the process of

thinldiig

is

exercises

coinitiunity

members

It

individuals

tead point

out that

going

conversation

inner

an

between this gener!ized other that the

the behavior of the

on

oeia1 process influenees

involved

in it

that the

individual

contro1 over the conduct of tts

(165)

is better for me to use Haalaos'

brief summary to

describe IleatFs ideas:

'MecFs view of human interaction sees nan as both

creating

the

social

environnient and being shaped by

actively
it,.

The

individual initiates snd directs his own action while at the saine

time being influenced by the attitudes and expectations ot others

in the fern of the generalized other.

insearab1e for the individual csn only become a

are regarded as
hunan

The individual and society

In this

beirg in a social context.

context he develops s
Fie learns to

sense of self which is a prerequisite for thought.

take

the

roles

deveiopuent
communication

of
in

of others

thioh

self

for

terms

and

is

cooperative

both

action.

of symbols whose ueanings

these processes would not be possible.

world of synbo1s which give meaning and

provide the basis for human interaotion

33

essential

are

for

the

Without
shared.

Men therefore lives

in a

significance bo life end

The ideas of Herbert I1ed was later developed by Herbert

Bluier.

Bliuner also opposed to sooiologica! theories that view thdividual

behavior

as

Blumer

determined by large-scale external forces.

(1958)

was critical of the

social

life to scientific variables.

tendency to reduce the complexity of

The simplistic oorreJ.ation

of variables tends to ignore the interpretive process that

central to social life.

concepts,

which

Elumer si.pposed the use

of

sensitizing

simply suggest what to look for and where

look.

He urged the use of sympathetic introspection

study

social life.

interactionists

is so

in other words,

iii their

to

in order to

research syinboUc

must put themselves in the places of the

actors

they are studying in order to understand the situation from their

point of view. Although he is critical of those who see action as
a predictable and standardized response to external
Bluiner accepts

that

action is

to

constraints,

some degree structured

routinized which means that action is

guided

and

by systems of pre-

established manings.

Within

the sphere of study on deviance,

devoted much

social scientists

have

timrte and energy to explain the actions of those who

deviate fromn the norms. Others try hard to apply various theories
of

deviance

in

statistical data,
34

explaining

the

deviant

behaviours

by using

thus neglect the consequence of interactional

process

between

th

actors and the audince.

positivist sociologists,
rather

interaotiorijst

than absolute definitions

to

pork with the relative

devinee.

cf

contrast

In

Interactionist

explanations of deviance emphasize the role that neenings play in

the creation of deviant behaviour.

According t

acive1y build up understhndings of

themselves

others

reuleotions
us.

md

them

see

looIdn-g1ass

is

peo1e

Cooley,

by imagining how
up

built

fron

the

of ourselves that we see in others behaviour towards

Wi11i

'fhoas

stressed

perceived judgeinents

the powerful role played

by

the

of others in confirming self-identities and

the behaviour that cari

follow from these whereas George Herbert

Mead emphasizes communication through symbols and that a sense of

se1f-undersanding as

a result of interaction with

significant

others is developed.

Such ideas of early

developed
rving

interactionists have been

the work cf resesrchers such as

in

Goffinan and Howard Becker.

interpretation

disagrees

subsequently been

by

with

those

Herbert

BLumer,

Blumer highlights the

who witness them.

For

active

Goffnian,

earlier interaetionist's suggestion

that

he

hunan

change the way they act to fit the circumstances they are im -Iis
work

introduces the concept of acciai

identity

to describe the

personal cualities that remain constant across situations. Social

process

of

stigmatization by the reactions of others towards us. Later,

35

the

identities

can

be

consolidated

after

the

concept of devthnt career and Labelling were inverted by Wwad

Becker.

Re is concerned about the process by which certain acts

get labelled as deviant and that people pass through a series of

sthges in becoming deviant.

Lemert further develops the concept

of primary and secondary deviation that confirms further deviance

is the resu Lt of LabeLling aM ocitai reaction.

With so much complexity and variety in the theories of deviance,

it is

hard to use one theory to

existence of deviant behaviours.

explain the eiegence and

It is better for is to

borrow

the nethodclogy of synbo1ic-.iiteractionim to study deviant

behaviours rabher than

deviant behaviours.

app1yi

any

theories to explain the

This study aims to provide a

deeper

understanding of the social phomenon of deviance, especiaLly in

school.

The following are the gi.iestions that we are interested jn:

1.

To arrive at a better understanding of ho students perceive

themselves,

family,

their significant others. This includes their

teachers and peer groups. We are interet1 in

studying those students whose behaviour deviates from the

norntal ones.
38

2.

Flow they see the judgemerit of others when there

is reactions

from the people around then.

3.

How the responses

from their significant others affect their

future behaviour.

It-i other words

how the reactions from others

action)

we would like to determine

(subsequent from the

affect the development of deviant subouittire

the so called devisnt students.

deviant
among

Does it deter or accelerate

deviant behaviour?

4.

Would

their

inge cf being deviant. be conso1idat1 because

of the stigua applied to them by the people surrounding them.

If so,

this

ou1d be consistent with the assumption made

by

Leinert. that primary deviance will lead to secondary deviance.

5.

Would their behaviours and manners be constantly performed in

the interaction with various groups of people they encounter.
Or would they systematically restate their performance within
a parti3ular sociaL settthg, i.e. whether they will change or
adjust

their

behaviours continuou1y whenever

there

is

reactions frcn others.

We

are

gothg to exaiuire the stages of development

subculture
37

through case studies.

of

deviant

The target of studies are the

lower form student

(F.1----F.3) n a secondary schooL Since there

is much interaction betee.n the students and student5

between students and teachers, therefore
from

students

information

and

the source of data come

Bsica11y.

teachers.

own peers,

ocilection

of

is an on-going procyess but we nay broadly thivide

it

the

into two phrases over a period of ten months. ft is said to be an

on-going process
pattern

because

behaviours

of

we

among

constantly
students

review
and

the

changing

the

developmental

process of their subculture. On the other hand, we wish to have a

clear-cut

infomnation

on

sithotilt-ure

of

the early

later

and

phrase, althuugh it may not be the last phre.

Jiuciit
The

first

participant

stage

of screening for suitable cases j

observations

among

ehavic&rs that are distant ro

attention.

the students.

Those

by direct
who

have

normal ones will be paid special

What we nean by deviant

behaviours will he discussed

later. While the case going to be studied is figured out, we will

then approach the students by taking informal conversation with

them.

We ae interested in two areas of deviant behaviours:

school behaviours and out-school behaviiurs.

in-

On the whole, these

behaviours will be observed with varying degrees of participation

depending upon

the

setting and my role or

interviews during recess,

after school period.

understood

classroom interaction,

through

lunch time and

The second stase involves the deeper

group.

Such

understanding of our t3rget

is achieved through in-depth

aim

interviews

with

devient students by using friendly oonservation so as to build up

a sense of trust beLwee the interviewer

In the

ind interviewee.

hope of enhancing the validity of data collected, the peer grcups

oi these students will he consulted
of

by these students.

data. given

verification

include

school such as
these

for the sake of verification

Uf course,

nd

direct. observation in scho1

football playground.

students,

other nethods

we will firstly use

retrospective reviei'.

perceive their involvement with

they

their

teachers, their parents uid even the society;

they

evaluate

order

know

to

Special

the

activities

in

preseri

will

emphasis

the

situations

he put

on

relations to changes

the

past;

peers

their

and lastly the way

Sim1ar questions will be

thense1ves.

outside

In upholding interview with

are told about the kinds of activities they engage in

how

of

asked

about those
changing

in

students.

patterns

in their perceptions1

of
the

classification of subcultures, the relationships between level of

involvement
Similar

in

suboultures and their perceptions

interviews

will

be

occasionally

held

identity.

of
so

that data

collected will possess elements of sequences which contribute

the

systematic

subcultures.

39

presentation

on

development

of

to

devient

Dtr
Teachers

will

of study are nhosen.

Largets

will

students

either

Teaehers

be directly

deviant

perceptions ori

consulted

our

informal

thrcjgh

with

or indirectly observed through their interaction

interview

tucnts . Epcia1 atteition i

these kiflds o

used

after

be askd to provide information r)fljy

by teachers to deal

students. and how do

with deviant

behaviours

actions

t-acher

put O\ th strategy
deviant

and

the subsequent

affect

behaviour of the deviant students-

There

exist onf1its in prc-eptios of dedant behviurs

ay

between students and teachers. Frhaps.

measured with two dimensions

react

ori deviant students,

in

perception and students

While teacher's perception may affect their handling

per.eptiorL.

methods

teaohers

deviant behaviour can be

oertaLn

and

turn

the deviant students will in

use

strategies

shape

hic

the

developittenbal process of deviant behaviour and deviant subculture

as

a whole.

Deviant students

teachers

perception may affect

patterns

of

dealing with these deviant behaviours and deviant subculture.

No

perception

matter

how

and

actions which in turn change their

it operates, the most important thing

on-going

response

to

the

is that human

very

complex

behaviours

are

situations.

We hope to have a more intense understanding

social phenomenon
secondary sohool.
40

an

of

deviant

subculture ationg

the

on the

youth in a

CiT'zpt

acLrti*s

md

QLRespQndts

Q1n&Qt thSQI

Before deeribing [he 1if htoy o' the respondents.

would

1ike to cleseriLe sointFiing about the sehool. Until two years ego,

when

the goverrnnent promiseU to huy th

private

school.

have the

five type

places for it.

it was a

The school normally rer'ruits those studente who

ooret acacb?mic performance.

school which means

Aetua11y

it is a

bend

that must students studying there

have pOE3r academic vesu]ts snd low motivation to learn and study.

..

Sandy

Lain

is

Form One student.

She is a twve year old girl

She was born

living in public housing estate in Wong Taj Sin.

in

When

she

was

two yea

grandfather by her father.

urgent need of
also

childhood

a family with rour members bui. she has ari unhappy

old,

she ws sold

to

her

maternal

The reasons cf sefling Sandy were the

money bcaue her fether indulged in gambling &id

there was the idea in the mind of her father

bringing evil and urifortune into the family.

41

that she was

Her nother stood ou

the side of her husband.

such action end claimed that

sell Sandy,

her grandfather

-Iowever.

objected

if you Luns father) are

you had better sell Sendy to me

going to

Consequently,

to

she

ias sold t0 her grandfather who then brought her up uniI she was
nine years old when her

grsrd?ether

died

Therefor

she didn '

live r,.iiLh her parents until nine years old.

}er

mother

and

They usually

father are now working in

Mahjong restaurant.

return home at eleven or twelve oe.lock. at

night.

Thus the two daughters are not given care by their parents in the

day

time.

They have to cook for their dinner every day.

Their

parents pay little attention to them and the two dtughters seldom

have a ehane to conmuricate with their parents.

her elder
so

sister

is very fierce and often quarrels with her and

they do not get along

eaeefu1ly.

she disliked her parents or not,

disliked

When she was asked whether

she replied

them but did not hate them.

this way of living

Sandy said that

that she sometimes

She also got accustomed to

and has no feeling about it.

Due to the fact

that her parents are not. at home during the day time, she is free
to do whatever she likes after school.

She told trie that she paid attention in class until Primary Five.
She

did

because
would
42

not

lis.en

to her teachers at Primary Five

they were fierce.

argue

or

When the teachers scolded

even quarrel with them.

Her

refusal

and
herr

Six
she

to study

ttentivIy

is

a kind of revenge to the teachers manner,

1aiined. However, after enthring into

studying because most of the teachers

not

be

diligent

enough,

she

eeondary school, she likes

re nice.

she studies

Although she nay

attentivey during

the

.1 essons.

After school,
in

she seldon goes back home early.

She either stays

school to play or accompanies with her classmates

to

wender

outside the school. The places for wandering are shopping centers
or playgrounds in the streebs.
for

'deinerits

In her report,

heating schoolmate

signatures against her father

she was given two

in lier cheek

besides.

she used

and

forging

foul thngue

more often in the past than in recent several two nonths.

ABW

is a Form One student living in a single-parent family with

her

father

and a Philippine maid in her father's police

which is located at Wong Tal Sin.

to

live

hostel

However, recently she was sent

with her aunt (her father's sister)

in

Shaxnshuipo

in

order to reduce the chances of receiving 'bad influences from her

peer group.

Her father explaini such reason to the forn teacher

of Amy. In fact,

Ainys father is a policeman and her mother

away when she was young after being beaten by her father.

ran

According

Isons
fives

Amy.

to

he did not study

the %ays in priinry

attentively

While

ehoo1.

he w

during

in primary

he aLways stayed in the street p1yground with her friends

until eleven o'clock at night. Those friends, most of them,

triad meniber. She dic1osed thrt during their

they just talked
or

the

n&!e SOkeS

viere

oeia1 gatherings

id talkecl, often expressed their inner-feelings

nong themselves.

They did not

behviours when they pere with Amy.

warned Amy riot to be a. devi.int,

have

any deviuit

Interestingly,

they always

not to do bad thing. Amy told 'ne

that she th.d not go along them no'..i snoe nearly

all of them were

senteno1 to Gr1's Home or Boy's Home.

At

ohl, Amy has

record of two seriois 'demerits

and beating another sehoo1inte with

for trusnoy

She reports that she

Srndy.

has been more diligent after May this year and that she
been late for school since mid of April.

has

not

She does not wander in

the street playground any more snd itninediately go back home eiter

shoo1.

lIer relationship with her aunt is

getting better

and

soinetiies her aunt goes shopping if she behaves well.

.ke

Peter

Lee who is fifteen years old is a Form Three. student.

lives

in Shainshuipo with his family.

worker
44

and

His brother is a

his step-uother is a housewife.

He

spinning

His own nother

was

ti11 in China. He visits

her during surmner vcation. Ue told ne

thit his step-iottier Look care of him

nd treated hi.n

bu! he seldom taUed wilh hs parenfc.. He

move

speak

than

quite well

said that he did not

enty sentenes to them a year.

mean that they have poor relationships; yet,

This does not

he doent know why

it is so.

At

school,

his aocieinic performance is not very

had

but

hiis

conduct recorded b1y beeaue lie hs bd temper and octasionally

?uught with classmates. Ile was found to be gambling during reeess

and on a sehoo

picnic. He admitted that he had beeii indulging in

gambling for severa] years.

is always engaged in horse

He favors aU forms of
raein

often wins and geL the rewards a

before.

gambling, he

atter sehool. Fortunately. he

his pocket money. He has smoked

41though he has some bad habits,

he warns

other people

not to be involved in such activities. Besides gambling, he likes

to spend an hour in the T.V. gaine center after school. He claimed

he was not a triad

that
the

bosom brother'

that his intention of

member but he likes to daim himself as

of the lower form students.

He also claimed

recruiting them was good in that he wanted

them to behave well.

Tommy
45

Yip

is

a Form Two student living with his

family

in

private

housing

estate in Hunghoin.

He hs three elder brothers

who are all working. Hs father is a ship eonstruction worker

rd

her mother is working in a Chinese restaurant selling din sum.

Before moving in new house) he lived and studii in Tokwawan.

reported that

secondary

he

school

students.

about

liked

teachers.

primary

school

teachers

teaohers beeause the latter care

In primary school.

However,

thsn

rather
for

He

nothing

he liste-ns carefully to his

he learned to smoke and drink wine after one

month of study in secondary sehool.. He played with two classmates

ho had triad friends with Triad Title 14K.

their follower

and

such

He

c1ained

relationship continued

to

be

for two months

only since he disLiked their suboulture behaviours. He added that

now

classmates

and

friends for he did not identify with the behaviours.

He

is no longer acquaint1 with these

he

their

two

gave up drinking but not smoking because he is addicted to it.

In

Une,

Eorin

After being promoted to Fern Two,

each other.
late

for

he has a record of watching others fight

school,

quarrel with others.

always

talk

pith

he is

against

frequently

found to have cigarettes in schoolbag and to

Academically,

he does not perform well and

classmates diring lessons.

allied with the triad friend outside school.

He is

no

longer

Mable Chan
estate.

is

a Forn Two student living in

a public

1is father is a Japanese Department Store's Manager.

works as an in-house worker sewing clothes.

tnother

housing

brothers with one as

his parents.

tria

She does

She has

Her
two

neinbers hut this fact is not 1noin to

not have very tense relationship with her

parents but she has occasional quarrels with her father.

She

does not have bad habits and deviant behaviours

she

ha

not attended 1esons patiently

primary three. Until she was proinot

a group of
were

friends

theni to

watch them fighting

attentively

and

to Form One,

since

she went with

members. Her friends

some of whom were tri

engaged in fighting activities.

except that

She soinetines

against each other

accoiupanied

She learned to

smoke and used foul language in the second term of Form One.

At school,

a girl
her

In class,

lessons.

even

cannot

she always talks loudly with

She is rude in inenner,

She said it is difficult

she

nistake

for beating

in lower foma due to the fact that she refused to

debt.

during

she has a record of one serious

classiiates

she behaves like a boy.

to escape from the bad behaviours since

escape the cotnpsnionship of her friends.

though you do not accompany with t1iena,

frequently
47

repay

She

said

they will call ycu

ncIiLSi x-.W nnhn

She comes fron a broken family.

with her naterna1 grandmother,

She is a Form One student living

two younger maternal un1es. When

she was very young,

still in kindergarten. her parents divorced.

Her mother narried

second time while she was

1er

nother later gave birth to a younger

father

with

disliked

sister,

her and treated her badly.

what

take

mother

her

but her step-

Winny went to

her grandmother and her mother divorced

did not promise to

in Primary Three.

again.

live

Fier mother

her younger sister. Winny does not know

is working

She

at.

has

normal

and

good

relationship with her grandmother and uncle respectively.

She has

a record of serious mitake on stealing money from her

classnates.

ar1y

grandmother.

She received punishment after the discovery of the

event

in Frinary Three,

by her grandmother.

other bi habits.

Her

she stole money

Jxeept that event,

academic

from her

she did not

have

performance is above average in

this school. She does riot have any behaviours which is disruptive
or

disturbing during the Lessons. She has not been accustomed to

joining deviant group nor snoking.

She plans to study in another

if

she

school

is

not an ideal school for studying;

students
education.
46

who

is

do

that

this

there is too

many

admitted to it because she finds

school

not

study

hard

and

even

hate

to

receive

a Eori TWO student, s sixteen years old.

David7

broken

family living with hs grandmother

and

He comes from a
ha

younger

brother who has a different surname compared with hiii. His mother
away when he was young.

ran

He seldom stays at home when he

is

free.

Throughout hIs primary education, he had changed sehools for four

tunes.

From

studied in

Primary One to second tern of Primary

Mongkok.

he

Threes

Then he changed to another schc'o1 in Shatin

to further his stu.dies for one year. Later, he

tudid in Yaumati

and Tiukeungleng for one month nd one week respectively.

Early in his

childhocd1

Every tixte he chan&t school., he committed

deviance.

kinds of

he became involved in various

a new forni

of deviance. When he was in Primary Four, he becane a follower of

triad society branch leader of the 14K
he changed

Yee

On

to another triad society called the

while he was studying in Shatin.

sthdytng in Kr,un Tong in a.

Iok

similar

while

was

he

geu Tau

His reason for change is just one

he

Each time when he entered the triad society,

took the necessary

no

Next,

Kowloon City Sun

ecxndary school, he ttcved to

Sun Yee On triad society.

word dis1ike.

is
4

in i1ongkok Market. Later,

ritual.

However; prior to his leaving,

ritual for leaving other than

there

paying money

to

them).. He said that sorne branch leaders would know each olher ind

therefore
triad

The

would

it

nct constitute any problems for

change

title if they have discussed it before and dc' not

kinds

robbery,

of

deviance that he has been

fighting,

arid

includes

in

sexual

destroying public facilities

They are the numerous to mention indeed. In

with most devient behaviour

object.

having

carrying drugs,

assault,

intercourse with female

involved

of

etc..

he is the one

fact,

the longest history of deviance

and

among the respondents I have inthrviewed.

At

he

school,

has several seDiQus

sinoicing and on different occasions has

school

for

several

His uncle

members.

days.

for

deinerits

been asked to leave

also

After school,

is his big brother

he goes with triad

He followed his uncle

who claimed that. if you really have to follow brothers,

teachers

is

behaviour
assault

even
He

nd

more

his

deviance

severe

and

outside
are

with

school unknown to

mostly

has a record with the police being

is now on robat ion . He has decided

you ha3

Compared

better foilciw me so thab I can take care of you' .

his deviance at school,

fighting,

law-violating
charted

for

leave

the

to

school next year.

Chasy,
50

a Fcrn One girl

is thirteen years old. She is rather fat

arid not chaiining.

She

mterna1 grandfather

take

(nothers mother

uncle and

and father),

to hr

her nother often lives with different men.

has

he comes from a broken family.

description,
to

with her maternal grandmother,

According

Again

aunt.

is Living

care for her cousins,

helping

their

revise

to

them

1esons but without power to puiisIi thei if they mishhave.

At school,

quite

he did not have recard of severe dmerits

good

academic performance in Form Orte but

wiLl go to TV gaine centers with tier friends,

During

interview with hable (another

the

She has

sometimes

she

both boys and girls

respondent

in

this

study), she disclosed to me that Chasy has had sexual intercourse

with a boy in the sa'ue Foilti but in different class.

Indeed,

it

7RS quite astonishing; so, I asked Chasy for verification and she
admitted the fact.
me the case.

told

She

got a quick pregnancy rheok after having

Luckily,

she did not

et

experierued pressure from her surroundings.

known to

has already
prior

to

her classmates

in-depth interview.

ny

it

seems

regrets.

teachers

extreme peace expressed

that she did not show any signs of

by

being

ashamed

or

She was calm all through the interview. Yet, due to the
I

reported the

consent from Chasy.

the

punishnent frc
5:1

to

was describing the process of sexual behaviour,

severity of the event,

getting

the case

Actua1iy
un1nown

she

Throughout the interviews the

mct surprising thing I felt was the

Chasy. While she

hut

pregnant but

her mother.

case to the school after

Actually,

she was

afraid

of

In

this

chapter

encounters

in

ubeu1ture

the dynamic pross a

the

witth

tudnt

management of his /her

own

behaviours

ana1yed.

bis/hei' peers will be

components that will be reviewed are as follows:

deviant

behaviours

engage in;
ho
ho

(respondent)

The

crucial

what kinds

and activities did and does he/she have

of
and

how does he/she perceive the actions they have taken;

do significant others react to their behaviours;

does he/she

perceive

the

-aaetions

and lastly

from their significant

others.

Drawing from interactionist perspective. attention wiU he put on

definition

of

interpretation
groups.

the
of

situation

by

subjective

respondents,

the respondents on interaction

with various

the incidents 1eIing to chngthg definition

situation and understanding

of

the

of

their

of the respondents

nature

eperjenoe.

To

understand

account
b2

the

experience that one has,

of ones ezperieric.e is employed.

retrospective

En such a

way,

the

respondents

are given the ohanee to reflect their eXperience and

express

the views and opinions.

process

or

mechanis

(4e are able to obtain the

these raspond&it

very

employed to define

and

interpreted their own behaviours. The presentation of their views

will

be

in a style of case by rase

ot

1utIpretatiQn
Among

the

respondents

study.

Pehyiours

interviewed,

interpretation of their own behaviours.

themselves

as

deviants whersa

there

are

tio

ways

of

One group of them accept

the another group

resist

the

deviant label. Within the resistant group, saine try to argue that

they have improved while the other claim that teaoher

groups misunderstand them.

They

peer

also use many neutralization'

techniques to explain the existrg

acceptance

and

behaviours. For

the group of

they use different strategies to equip thenselves tor

further deviance.

Resistance ftJbI ot

flevi,nt

Within the resistance groups

they

were naughty in the

themselves

and

renove

sone respondents either adroits that

past but they have tried

the

bad behaviours or claim that

significant others do not understand them.

53

to

improve
their

I t

is a

Sandy

Fcrin One student who has two serious

denerits'

for

beating

her schoolmate and forgery signature in the naine of

her

father.

She resists the tit1

on others

1a

temper

order

and is

jnstigatjcr

of devient identity by putting the

show her ability arid to

to

i.e

threfre

bad

She acts the way she does

guite protective.

failed to achieve her iiui and

She,

-ie haz strong se1f-ezteen ,

et prestige.

However,

in

she

instead she got a negative result.

behaviour,

iinnediateLy changed her pattern of

reduced the commission of deviant activities-

[mt: What

kinds

of

behaviour will you

as bad

regard

and

deviantfl

Fighting, smoking

[mt: have you triai it? How

about

spealdng foul 1anguge and

associating pith friends with triad background?]

had

tried to beat a girl who refused

to

repay

her

debt. soul Language is sometimes used when I am angry

Lint: Dont you

violence?]

think that it is

wrong to solve

prob1en

by

She deservecj to have such punishment, You were not there

at that tine. How nasty and

So what

yes, I have

money

boastful was she?

She said

but J. dont want to

return

it". She deserved it'.

[mt: How often do you use foul language?]

'In the past, I

speak more but now I agree with X to use

less of then. I think it is a little bit wrong.

[mt: What are

the difference between primary education/sohool

and secondary education/sohool?J

'Secondary

school

is better because

the

teachers

are

better. in Primary Five and Six, i didn't listen to then.

they are all no good arid fierce'.

[Tnt: Did they scold you? What were your responses?]

Yes , they did

When they scolded ne

would argue with

them and quarrel with them sometimes

LInt: I-lave you reviewed your attitudes?]

'Seldom.

They were prong to me first.

unjustly, I must rebeF.

55

They treated

me

1Int

Have you tri:1 to smoke? Did soniebody ask you to snoke?]

Sonebocty tried to persuade me to smoke but I refuse just

beeause of its nasty sme11.

[Int

How do you perceive yourself? Bad, not bad or Good?]

ot bact at least.

Now I

i listen to ihat teaehrs say.

do not

1ay with Y (Y is a girl who assoeiates with triad

friettd

outside)

[mt : Do you mean that you deliberately avoid her?1

Yes, ber friends are riot so good

[mt: in

everybody knows.

whet way do you think your teachers and parents judge

you?]

..

dort t know but my form teacher always aim at

iie i.e.

stands opposite to me. i hate her very much. She has made
an

appointment with my parents.

punish

they

me;

wordngs

be

oniy saicU

However,
'Be snart

(In

art means try to be careful

behaviour, it acts as a kind of warningY.

56

they dd not
Chinese
of

one's

[Irit: Are

you

angry with your parents beeause they h&I sulded

you?]

In the past,

I was.

NwarIays,

am not bectuse it is

meaningless to be angry since I can t change the fact

LInt: flow do your friends perceive you?]

They
bad

told

think that my attitudes to teachers are

Somne of t hein said that I

as fieree .

riot to learn bd habits and

ne

run

sometimes

Some of them
into

deviant

way'.

[mt: How many bad records have you received in this school?]

Two

serious

'demerits,

one for forgery and

one

for

baUrg that gir1.

[mt: Do you think you are a deviant?]

_o1

do not go pith bi people.

only sometimes go

back haine late for I often talk with my classmates in the

playground
home,

after schco]..

don't like to

dont get on w1l with muy sister

talks with me.

57

In fact,

go

thus nobody

According to
people

th

is bad.

perception of the teachers! Lani'

She is weak

attitudes to

n controlling her temper and

as a

result, she often quare]s with teaehers and c1asmates whenever

she feels unhappy.
too

rules

In gerera1,

ch.

lier

she does not deviate from social

insistertoe

maintaining

on

self-esteem

constitutes an advantage to her since she hates to be looked down

upon

by the peopie

she knows. Besides

she has a strong desire

to express herself in such a way as to gain apprcival.

Eeter

is a Form Three student who has cpiite a lot of records

serious

mistakes'

He olained that he had poor re1ationshp with

family for he seldom talks with them

deviant,

good

on

He don't regard himself as

butrather he claimed that he was bi in appearance

and

1-le added that he always felt unhappy.

The

in inner layer

conversations below are his views

{[nt

What kind of deviant behaviotrs do you have?]

When did start that habit?
Under what situation you have Learnt it?]

Fighting

and

gambling.

began to learn gambling

in

E'rimary Two. I did not fight until Form One. Gambling was

taught by 'ny mother. She ran a Majong house in a village

in China. I like all sorts of gambling and i always wir.

[mt: Do your parents and teachers know that you ganb1e?I

They all know that.

scold me.

y parents dont eare.

My teaehers

One of them who were my form teacher last year

against me has ones treated inc unjustly.

always

only

looked someone galthg at the back,

gambling but he insisted that b

e jo in it . He is ny

sa

did nOt Join

in

last years form beacher, he was always against me'.

[tnt: f-low did they punish you then?]

recorded

'They

me a serious 'mistake',

they wrong m,

they treat me as a bad student

[mt : So, cl id you try to give it up?)

No,

.E

dont always gamble,

ly gamble when I feel

unhappy. I tell others nt to gamble'.

lnt: r1hy do ycu feeL unhappy?]

'I

do not have good relationship with them.

feel much presure.'

[mt: What pressure?]

59

Besides

Pressure from mye1f,

teachers,

told

dont 1now .thy. Pressure

the Discipline Master.

from

The DiscipLine Master

me that I cas inpo1ite to the female c1assmtes

only play with then, everybody does so.

play

crazily.

Perhaps I always

When I am playing violently,

scratch me and when he see it,

the

girls

he said that I should not

be ixnpolite to them, ridiculous

[mt; How do you feel &id how do you perceive your teacher?]

'I

dislike all of them except one or two.

They are

not

responsible. But one cf them are my good friend, I always

phone hirn and talk with him. Lnother I like is my present
form

teacher.

She

uses mild

strategy

treat

to

me.

i like mild strategy rather hard one. All teachers in the

staff

room

know my naine.

They all treat

me

as

student

[mt;

Why do they have such perception?

Is th8t you have done

some wrongful things in the past?]

Yes, I fought with other students in E'orm One. They four

style,

they

fought them

off,

fought me first. They said that I had a bad

disliked

and so fought against me.

they did dare to

not

challenge me any more.

They also

thought that I have background (background means there is

60

sorne

peop]e bk somebody

especid1y the

triad

saying of having background?

What

up

society)

[mt:

Did you reject th

punish did you receive?]

1 said I

am not but they dont believe me.

can do

nothing.

The

serious

school recorded me as

making

'mistake .

LInt:

How many
and

dernerits and rerious

nistakes did you have;

for what reaoris had it been recorded?

How do

you

perceive yourself?]

'Serious 'demerits? Too mariy

I have forgotten how insny.

Most of the serious 'mistakes

are recorded for fighting

arid

gambling,

just as i have mentioned previously.

think I am not bad.

Perhaps I am 'bed in appearnce hut

I am 'good in inner layer' .

not to learn bad things

always warn other

people

fight and gamble. My teachers do

not understand rne.

Cint:

You say teachers do noI understand you,

your classmates? How do they perceive you?]

61

then how ebout

l do not

o with th' c1amates in my class. They do not

play with me and S do not p1y with them, either.

Nostly

I play with lower form students

i:

have

a basic understanding on F3eter after

first

the

interview. Since I am interested in him. I try to observe

his behaviour.

Really,

he likes to play with lower form

students epeoia1ly girls. One day. a

was

swelled up complained that he was beaten

During my interview,
at

student whose neck.

all

again

inconsistency between

clearly
wondered

his

engaging
if

in

there

verbal expression

behaviour. As a result, I interviewed him again

to have a deeper

Peter.

E'eter insisted thet he was not b&

but nw he was

behaviour

by

deviant

was
arid

some
real

in order

understanding of him and listen to his

explanation as to why it is so. He explained:

'He owns money but denies it. He lost in the snooker to me

in the snooker restaurant but after that he denies it and
has not repaid the debt. I asked hin to repay, he pointed
at me end scolded me with foul 1anguage

so I hit hii'.

[mt: Have you thought of other methods other than violence?)

1 was

blinded

by anger,

know I

am bad-tempered

sometines it i
tell

others

together,

[tnt:

LIjtfiCUlt to control myself but i

not to f]ght.

When I

see

always
fight

somebody

E w1l separate thexn

You have sa.id you ate unhappy,

ho wild yu deal

ith

it? i

othing, Un.

usually I wander somewhere or walk around

until 1ate

lInt;

When

do

you usually

o home? Also how good

is

the

relationship betwe'n you and your parnts?1

ty present mother is a step-mother. My reaL iriother is in

China,

I have six siblings, thr?e in Hong Kong, three in

China. The present niother treat me cuite all right, but I

seldom talk with them. We only say about twenty sentences

per year; nothing to talk with them, I hi better keep ny
mouth shut'.

[mt: r,o you have other bad habit?]

Unce I used to

inoke but give up now because my heart is

not so good. Doethrs ask me not to snoke.

language,

it

has

been

used for

A1so use foul

a very

Jong

time.

Moreover, I feel nothing special and not bad at all. just

for expressing our feeliiigs'.
RespoixientFour-'- Tomiiy

Tonny

is a Form Two student with parents and four brothers.

deviant

learnt

behaviour after entering secondary

dislikes labelling for,

evi1

once being 1abe11ed

things are done by you '

sohool.

1-Is

IJe

it seems that all

At the time when he claiiied

that

he

was not so bsi as in the eyes of teachers and social worker,

he

was engaging ifl deviant behaviour

with

but

saine

variation in frequency.

LInt:

4hat kind of behaviour you would regard as not situable

for students to do?1

Smoking,

drinking

fighting,
wine,

claiming

to

be

speaking foul language,

triad

member,

talking iii

the

class while teachers axe teaching.

[mt: l-rave you been engaged in any of them?]

Al1 of theiri except claiming member of tril society, but

I

have

school.

claimed

them to be my bosom brothers

outside

f mt:

Whab

is the

difference between e1aimirg to

be

menber

and claim them that you have bosom brothers?]

You will be beaten by people if you o1an to be triad

neiber but actually you arnt. But if you claim you have
a bosom brother who is a traid member,

the other psople

dare not touoh you.

[mt:

hy don't

you join the traid society? Perhaps you look

smart after joining it?!]

'If you join it formally, you have to make draina

which means having the rituals of being a member.

you have entered it

ilint: Cn yoi

tell

Once)

it is hard to leave ita.

sthen

did you

begin

these

deviant

behaviours? How did it happen?]

learnt all these in Forit One.

Some of my

classmates

acquainted with triad friends outside, I followed them to

p'iay anc1 then play with their friends tao. They taught tue

how to smoke, drink wine and watch fightin.

do?]
lInt: Where did they gather for playing? What did they

65

Usually gathered

at

a garden in Tokauwan.

gaines with low IQ and with

idiotie

nature,

They played
for example

throwing bottle to each other arcI to the sea' teasing and

kidding the passer-by, smoking together etc.

[mt: How did you feel for the first smoke?]

I coughed and felt that its smnell is nasty, difficult to

taste.

[mt : Then why do you keep on

is

-It

their

mnoking?]

everybody

common habit,

inpossible for you to escape from it

smoke

it

is

If you don t snoke

it seemed that you are not their friends'.

[mt: Ae you still playing with them now? If not, why?]

'1

do not fQllow them noW.

think that there is

ying (dei fate) in this world, you hurt

others

worthwhile
This

revenge

will

idea

to

arid

bear such

others and
It

is not

label if there is no

reward.

hurt

yuu

too.

is taught by my elder brother

experienced it. too'.

'bao

and

have

[Lit: Then siriee

YOU

do not a000mpeny them,

have YOL stopped

your bad habits and deviant behaviour?]

stopped drinking wine but keep on smoking because

of

the deep-1diotion

[mt: 1-tow do you perceive yourself; bad or not?)

'Not bad. The Discipline Master always inisunderstands me.

Once you have been checked for having deviant

behavioui,

they will see you as deviant. I remembered once there was

a group

of people gathered outside

that

thought

entranee

they

were

called

our

school,

by me to wait

of the school but it was not me.

they
at

the

Actusily,

always warn others not to learn deviant behaviours'.

[mt: 'That deviant behaviour have you been checked by them?]

1-!avng a cigarette in the sehoo1ba,,

fighting and watch

other fight'.

[mt : In your opinion . How do your o1asates judge you?]

'They

think

that I 1iave support from outsiders becse

it is so last year'

Tonmy claims that he is not rw a deviict beoause

with

outsiders

who

deviant activities.

re bari and that he ha

At first,

does not go

reduced some of

be1jevj him. However, as time

passed, I became convinced that he is not telling all

still

Ile

keeps ori fghtin,

reflected

by

his teachers,

the truth.

talking all the tinie in

class

smoking and still wandering in

street after school. Fie conceals the fact for he doesrt

be stigmatiz

been

as

the

want to

whereas he is still continuing his deviant acts.

Among the acceptors of deviant label,

types.

his

they are divided into

One of the types representa a group of deviants who

engaged in deviant activiti.es for a very long

time.

two

have

They

will not possess a sense of inmora1ity or guilt to coiniit deviant

behaviour or criminal activities. These people do not lesitate to

accept the deviant label sthce they dont care.

of acceptors,

short

they are

period of time.

deviant activities.

would be rejected
rules
the

of conduot.
label,.

depends

on

For another type

engaged in deviant behaviour for only a

They have a sense of guilt in

committing

They know that they have done something that

by society becanse they have broken the norimal

Therefore, in their mind they dare not reject

Whether they woud keep on committing deviant

acts

the strength of social citro1 mechanisms that will

help to deter them from further deviance.

ir' !4 1:Lsr7j

my Leurg
a

single

twelve years old, is

living

parent family.

with

supervise

her

her.

devient way

f-1er father is a po1jcenari and

aunt now becamise her father wants her

In her father's point of view

of life when

However,

school.

Forn One student. She catne from

is

aunt to

began

she

her

he discovered that she ran away fromri

the relationship between tiny and her father is

quite good and she is going to move to a new house in

still

private housing estate in Kowloon Bay.

devianoe
she

she

ny accepts the label

a
of

yet she is trying to improve her behaviour, hoping that

can behave better in future.

The views of Amy is

express1

below:

[mt: What kinds of behaviours would you regard as deviance for

students?]

Truaney,

late--after

fighting,

six

talking in the olass)

o'clock,

speaking

foul

aoeopanyhi bad people--people who wander,

going

home

language,

ho are triad

ambers or coit criie.

[mt : Have you ever been involved in any of them?]

A1l of them. When I was in E'rnary Five, I always stayed

the playground with niy playiiiates

after

in

eleven o'clock.
time. I

used foul 1anguag

when I was

difficult to control.
I grew up.

class,

from school
esides

ou1 language.

You know it

dont like studying all the

a1ay paid little attention

always talk in the olass.

orm One, I have want

just could

angry2

oinetines only when I spoke

did I know that I spoke

time

until

I spoke foul language frequently at that

not Oontrol and so spoke out;

out,

school

At the beginning of

to give up my study.

I have two reoord

i: have onoe helped

of

in the

ran away

emerits ' on truancy.

a student to beat a girl tho

didn't pay back her debts. This tine I received a serious

inistake. Now I am trying to improve myself'.

[mt; What did you do in the playground when you were young?
what are the background of youx friends?]

We talked

dont know

together,

expressing ou

thy we had so niuch things to

talk,

really

spent a lot of time.

They

teens

$one of then were triad members but

some

and thenties.
riere not.

wet-e boys and girls th

Nearly all of them have been

Correctional Institutions.

not to tum bai.

fL

inner-feelings.

1-iowever,

sent

their

into

they always told me

[mt: You

mentioned that

you

went home late,

then what

wa

the reaction of your father7j

first,

'At

he

beat

me;

later he talked

me and

to

persuaded itie not to learn bad things. Actually, I know he

loves me very nuch. Nac he always talks with me.

have

been

proioted to form One,

After I

he asked my aunt

(her

fathers younger sister) to look after me and watch me

[mt : How to watch you?)

-I

have to go back heine

mnediate1y after school.

If

have to stay at soho1, I have to ask my teacher to write

a message to him'

[mt: What is your reaction?1

At first I dislike her. She said that I had

influences to her daughters.

would

not

She said that her

argue with her before i caine to

Later our relationships

brought bad

improve,

daughter

her

recently she has gone

shopping with me on condition that I behave well'.

[mt: How do you perceive yourself?]

71

house.

-:

think

myself

able

to

oonsder

I am trying to improve myself; I arrive

at school
recent1y
home

i am very raughty but I am

'

punc,tUally,
t

.1

do riot oft

have trot run away

use foul language,

iinindiateIy after sohool,

marks in the English Dietatjcii.

school

fro3n

get more

go back

than

fifty

Cint: Why da you want to improve yourself?]

1 have grown up

I possess the ability to think and plan

for myself. If I give up studying what can I do? 1 dont

know what to do.

plan to study at least up

to Form

'fhree. Qn the other hand, you will find it troublesome if

you

were

repetitively scolded by others that

you

4ere

bad, so why not behave we1l.

[mt: In your opinion, how do the teachers perceive you?]

They

love

me guite

a lot but they think

that

am

naughty. They often persuade me to behave well'.

(mt: what ars your reactions to their opinion?]

I think I will behave better,

but sometimnes it is

very

difficult to control oneself, you know; amyway I will. try

72

iny

best

th

wash tiny

with reference to Any

her

change

ard

>'---get rith of bad habit&.

1ove

heart

conversation,

it is discovered that

he

her father and relatives. The feedback from her teachers

on
is

'she is a child who loves to play too much,

watchad
would

nore

not

closely for which group she is involved

be too deviant'

However,

she

ir

he

the 11

Her own conception ori

deviant is a kind of acceptance.

behaviours,

if

by observing her

of
ow

she really has a tendency to improve herself and her

actual behaviours is witnessed to have Uniroveinent

Mable Chan is
brothers.

she i

For To studevt. She lives 'with

he behaves like a boy.

She said that she is go

tw
When

ievising her lessons. Otherwise, she always uses excuse to

go out and in such a way she is bad.

that

areift

Her mather,

who ar

her daughter behaves badly and beooms teddy girl, cheo

her tightly.

tInt: What

kinds

of behaviours do you regard as

deviart

for

students? Have you tried any of them?]

Fighting, smnoking

talking in olass

not respect part5

and teachers, us

foul language eto.

All have been tried

by

[mt:

When did you try it and why,

under what situation

i.e.

you tried it?]

From

kids
teachers7

to

present,

usually do not listen to thea. I

Except studies

hate English.

and I

followed

some

of

bosom brothers

[mt: When did you smoke? How may pieces of cigarette do

take

to

I got to a group of friends.

they taught me snoke,

their friends as

listen

wri good in conduct in primary school.

After entering this school,

Later,

only sometimes

you

each day now?]

In the second term of Forni One.

pieoes of cigarette.

usually

take three

Coupared with the initial period.

have smoked lesser

[Lit: what are the a&iantages of saoking? How did you feel when
you first smoke?]

'lt can wake me up.

the
74

air.

previously

feel like treading in

First smoking? Cough nd feel it

is nasty

Now

sinelty.

other

I feel srnelty when I sniff up

people but

do not have suoh

smoke

feelings

from

my

on

smokings.

LInt:

What do you do with your friends nd bosom brothers?J

Un

do what? Sometimes I dorit know,

them fighting against sonebody,

I

m afraid,

sometimes look at

but I would not join in

I hide behind theni; sometines wander in the

playground and ta)k for some titie.

E1nt

How old are they in?

Do they have triad background

or

criminal records? Do your parents know that?]

and

Tens
aren't.

twenties,

but

some are triar members

some

My mother checks me, she sometimes scolds me and

asked me not to accompany them

my father does

not have

time to care for ne. He only knows how to scold but dont
know

how

to sooth ne,

he is

o bad.

He said

that

my

mother stands on my side, he is bad, not good at all'.

[mt: 1-low about other deviant behaviours?]

Fou1 language.
second
75

term

of

used foul language most freuent1y in

Porm One.

even used to

oondenn

my

nother.
less.

1Jin

ror

three or four words in a sentence. Now I use

others

talk in the o1as because

the

teachers are dull and I dcint like some.

[tnt: Have

you been very close to male? I

nean let male touch

your body or secret paxt.]

No,

not

but I have dated for a sliort period last tenn. I do

like X,

intercourse

she

let the boy eat her pig'

with a male).

case, I wonder why he will

(has

At the tUne when

sexual
know the

go horse" (do that) since she

is so ugly, so fat. I th,nJ he just plays her. Really, he

f1es

her (goes away from her),

the boy just wants to

feel sexual experience'.

CInt: Hora do you know that? Eow do you feel?]

,x paid my boson brother for beating that boy because

left her,

she want

prior to seeing her,

and

Originally

to express her anger.

I

he

stood on ny bosoz brothers side

the girls side but after seeing her,

changed

my

opinion. She is so uncharining that she nust give her body

to

that boy if she want him to date her.

help that boy. She is deserved to that result

7S

chenged

to

[mt: I-low about you? If you were dating, will you do that?]

'of oourse not, I will not do that even det. I am very

clear---still a virgin. I un afraid of my mother.

If she

Ig-iow I sleep with boys, she will kill me'.

[mt: Then that means you are afraid of your mother only? lt is
not due to the faot that you think it is immoral that you
should not do it. 4il1 you do that if you dont live with
your mother?]

Not live her?

Perhaps

i!l. There isn't any thing moral

or immoral, you wish and I ani willing to do

LInt:

TOU

Ek)

have

any

record for

serious

in

'mistake

school?]

the

cheek becaus& I told her to

classmate
to

pay

case, I

arid even used words to challenge us.

felt unfair.

why I hit so soft.

receive

a 'mistake' .

her

to

reftsed

this

In

hit her iith only a very little

ho took part in this case

asked

They hit violently and they

It is unfair

would beat her with more strength.

77

repay money

but she was so incooerative that she

strength. Other people

ne

the other for beating a girl on

one for fightrig

'Two,

if I knw that,

only
I

The Disoipline Master

said
is

to my mother that my niarwier at the time

like

the

one who are

of beating

collecting flags

(colleotthg money illegally from classmates).

They

are

in your conception, how do your teachers judge yoti?

How

unfair, I beat only slightly on that girF.

[mt:

do you judge your own behaviours?]

My psrformanoe

is good when I am revising

the books

before

test or lessons because I have to brief my mother

on the

report.

teachers

am nanghty.

How

think they list me as bad.

Most

Other than that,

judge

me?

teachers know my naine even thongh they haven t taught me.

Some

of them punish me unreasonably.

sentenoes

who

beat

talk only

he/she deducts me two conduct marks.

the

girl did riot

record but I did,

strength.

it

recieve

aS inhair;

Ti

serious

demerit

Somebody
xnistake

orly use a little

Others who beat more violately

received a minor

few

than

only

reoorcF (she seems to be angry

with teaohers treatment on her).

Int: Whioh teachers do you like? Why do you like hii or her?]

'I like Mr. Y, he seldom punishes me'.

LInt: Have you tried to change yourself so as to release

you

being greeted as deviant?]

Perhaps have'.

(mt: Really have?]

No, it is difficult.
of

You know we are in the same class,

course we iust have contact.

Even though you do

not

play with than, they will lind you and call you

After
the

high

the interview and taking observation on her,

find that

standards of morality which Mable has internali2ed is not so

and strong.

In teachers

perception,

she is a

conmitted

deviant. That means she haz no intention to change her behaviour,

She

doesn't regard her behaviour as problematic and having need

to improve. Inste,
that

she was glad to accept the label.

all teachers knew her name even though they

her. She

continues

her style of behaviour.

She said

haven't taught

She talks loudly in

the class, she is rude in manners (like a eowboy)

and associates

with bad elements outside the sohool.

Winny Chan is a Eorin One student living with her grandmother and
7

two

unoles.

She

forged the signature of her classmate's saving

She had a reeord of stealing money from

take the money and so I regard it as

that

she is bad.

behaviours.

Yet,

guess

and she

She

is

prompted

did not

correct.

stealing.

of

lt seems that she felt shy to talk

Irnits

abcut

her to tel). me by saying that Let

refuse.

Actually

she

'ormerLy,

me

Hence I guessed and luckily my

was unwilling to tell

tier

she has stolen money from her

grandmother when she was in Prcary Three

lacked

She replied she had some had behaviours at home but

this.

guessing

&id

account

asked her whether she had any other devjnt

to disclose.

objected

hiatory

tea1ing inoney

c1assmate

She explained that

he

The followings are some of

her

kind of behaviours do you regard as devisnce

for

money and she is greedy.

pereptiofl on various events:

jlnt:

What

student?]

Smoking, speaking foul language.

fInt

f-Lave you tried it?]

Ho

I haven ' t tried smoking . In my class ,

snoke including males and females.

Some classmates have

trapped me to smoke but I have refused.

say a few of foul words

more than ten

have tried to

only one or two times

[mt: Any other deviant behaviours?]

Sone done at hcnne (she choke her he) and unwilling to

tell'.

[mt: Ail right, let ne guess.j (S1e did not have objection and
I

began

to guess).

[uarre1 with grandmother or

scold

her?]

'Not.

(I c.ontinuI to guess another)

Taking

oey from you

family?]

She nodded her heal and seemed to be shy.

(mt: When did it happen? FLow iriuch did you take away?

What are

their reactions?]

Triinary Three,

took several tens.

My grardmother

oo1ded me'.

[mt: Why did you take money?]

, I didn ' t have enough noney and for a tune I was greedy'

81

lInt:

you angry with her?

Actua11y,

does she treat

you

well? Do you 1ke her?]

1Jm,

am wrong indeed.

nothing special.

She treats me quite all right,

However,

Later sunnner holidays,

she is sometimes rather rude.

he put several thousand money in

another house before going back to China.

back,

After she Caine

she forgot where she has put the money

that I have taken them.

said

and

Ii-i fact, I did not have keys for

that house. She later found the money. I disliked her for
putting the blame on ne'.

[mt: How much does she give you every dy now?]

More than ten for lunoh.

[mt: You

do

not

have

spare money for

buying other

needy

things? What do you do if you havd something to buy'?]

'I

will

Sometimes,

ask
I

for money from her if

need something.

ask for money to buy clothes but she

said

that I have too much and refused to buy them. flost of the

clothes were
like it

82

brought by my mother and her but

don't

(mt: Last

time

(several months ago)

you

have

cotnrnitted

sercs iustake, can you tell something about it?]

She kept silent and shoke her head continuously.

She didn't want

to inntion about the oase anymore. Actually, I got nearly all the
information froi her teachers and classmates.
from

classmate

clasniate,

then stole the saving

After the first success,

saving account

'mistake
her

abnorioaF

Hable7

behaviours

a serious

other

ince

her friids

she ws afraid of thei.

IDiscipline Master.

punishment

money.

repay the

Sandy and Amy began to beat her. Each

aiong

beating was disclosed and

th

lender
she

the

sa

informed

Ttus the

event

ti-ia

of

those who beat WinnY was punished by

further

asked Winiw whether those who

have disturbed her or not after the

She told me the facts as fo1lows

83

However

she refused to repay her debt to

on the cheek.

her

teachers because

received

receiving

They gatheri together to force her

them beat

another

she forged

1-1er classmate told this to her friends in

While Wiriny refuse&

of

that

the bank inforned the oner of

She was recorded as

in school . Later on ,

classmate.

olases.

of

accotnit

and wanted to withdraw for the second time.

owing to the incorrect signature,

the

$100

forged her signature and withdrew the money from the

bank suooesfully.
signature

and

She borrowed

event.

'Oie

of

them

asked me to follow her so

protect ne next time.

did not have speeial

neither refused nor accepted.

she

nentioned

oax

ste

react ion

Not too far from the days

about her protection,

ociXect one tiousand for her.

hundred

that

she

asked

me

to

collected more than one

dollars with which more than thirties are my own

money. She contsiuous1y requested irie to

o11ect flags--

- collect money for her for several times later. I wonder

the oorrecthess of her statement.

I did not so do,

then

she did not ask any more and we have no contact now.

[mt: How do

you

judge

yourself? Why

do

you

have

such

conceptions?]

'Naughty and

sometimes bad .

grandmother.

sonetiies argue with my

in

Sometimes I pla crazily with my uncle

the playground

[mt:

Concerning

about

the

taking money event,

do

your

classmate know it? Will those who know your case not play
with you or look down upon you?]

'Soae of them know it, some of them dont know. Those who
know the case do not have any special treatment on me,

don't feel that

[Int

Can you tsll me why YOU take money from others?]

Silent

for a while and said

Greedy all of a sudden

[mt: Do you any regret on the behaviour

you

sure

that

you

will not

you have taken? Are

coimnit

another

similar

behaviour?]

'I regreted it. I wish I did not

[mt: Have you let the male touch your body?1

'No,

i: seldom play with them after school,

only for one

time 1 went to game center with then because I felt dull,

but

I don't enjoy the game,

so I did not go

there

any

longer'

Based

on

what

Winny has said,

She can be said as

a personal

deviant for stealing. Other than that, she behaves normally.

perception
deviant

on

her

respondents.

behaviours

are

behaviours
It

is

is guite

different

hard for her to

bad for students,

yet she

has

point

from
out

f-1er

other
what

internalized

substantial standard of morality on herself. I

realized that she

was reluctant to mention about stealing money.

She regards that

arguing with parents and playing crazily in the street playground

85

is

behaviours that students should not do so.

the oominent from taohsrs on her behaviours,

nothing special

as

during the 1esons and

By drawing ori

she i

comiiente.d ori

they seldom see her

accompany bad and deviant students, except that stealing case.

David I-ias been

engaged in various deviant behaviours since early

chi1dho. The level of severity of these behavjoirs increases as

grew up.

he

At the end of last year,

crime of wounding
typical

and

thus

juvenile delinquent.

he was convicted of

he is now on probation.
fie accepts the deviant

continues to engage in deviant acts.

However,

He

the
is

label

and

there is a change

in perception after he was charged by the police. He thought that

is a waste of time in involving deviant acts.

it

his

behaviour

was

supervised by

behaviour is restrained

probation.

regard

As he advanced u

ho might

see

tbei

the deviant ladder,

as more aevere.

His

The decrease

can be said to be only a

some deviant acts as minor in contrast to

time,

officer.

by the terms of probation.

in volume of deviant activities

of

a probation

at this

result

he came to

common

The following

people
is

his

perception on deviant behaviour.

[mt: What kinds of behaviour would you consider as deviant?]

To me,

fron

deviant behaviour in primary school is different

that

in

secondary school.

a boy

1hen I was

in

primary school, I regarded hurting other people, c1aining

myself

as

triad

speaking

nembers,

destroying public faoj1jtie,

are deviant behaviour. Now,

foul

language,

attacking teaohrs etc..

I gould regard them as minor

offenae or xninor deviance only.

[mt: Can you tell me your experiences?]

-I

began

ta

deviate

following three years,

Erimary Three.

in

that is from ?.3

committed various deviance.

'4ithin

have

to F.c, I

When teachers beat

the

me,

would strike back. I smoked and was thvolved in fighting,

claimed

the

title

of

triai

members

and

used

foul

language. I was full of violence. I broke the litterbox

school.

threw away tables and broke net of basketball in

Due

to all these behaviQurs,

was forced to leave the

school'.

Outside the school, I often went to gaine centre,

snooker

and

wandered in

the garden. I

robbery, flirted with girls (gon nu

also
2

happened between E.3-F.5. In E>.5 and P.6, 1

played

ooiinnitted

). All these

parUcipated

iii drug carrying work. When I was searched by the police,

would say that the drugs were for self use

wu1dnt charge
and 1nife.

ne.

joineci

then they

fighting with water pipes

Those who fought with

tue

needi

to be sent

into hospita1.

After promoted

to

becomes more severe.

the

client,

Form One,

The

the deviant

Sun Yee On,

in order to serve

was paid to hurt the target

which

client wanted to.

As a iiember of then, I was

such

Once,

activities.

during

the

course

behaviour

engaged in

was taken to police

of ohopping and fighting

their

station

after

the

event was reported to the police'.

[mt: ihat

your

is

feelings

of

involving

in

all

these

activities?]

Whi1e I

as young, I felt very smart in engaging in them

but such feelings is absent today.

the pay

only ooncern about

to fight'.

[mt: Do your ps.rents snd relatives know all these things?]

When I was taken to police station or oharg1 by polioe,

it was unable to conoeal it.

not know at all'.

or the other oases, they do

f mt.

What are their reactions t

those events after they knew

your deviant behaicux?]

They told me not to do that again.

Actually,

they have

no power to control me
[mt: I-low do you perceive yourself?1

of course,

bad but I dont mind that.

do

for

mye1f

[mt:

police?

what type of crime have you been charged by the

What is the final result?]

Seriou

woi.ndings.

was

sentenced

probationary period of one and a half year.

to

have

May of

next

year would be the due day

[mt: Does the probation officer exert any influences ori you?]

othth
hone

at

inhibit

except he set limits on the time cf doing back

e3ght oclock at night.
my freedom.

my percptiorL
aU.

th

admitted.

time.
I

really

Other than that, he does not change

He says his words

-1e aaked me

will

it

Por this,

and I pretend to agree

f I h

smo

pretend to do whatever

cr

not.
he

likes,

actually this is not the case.

disclose

some

It is stupid if you don't

of your deviant

behaviour

which

is

unacceptable to them'.

[Lit: How do your teachers ve

you?]

'The school is going to kick irte out at the end of this

year when I reach the time to leave,

i.e. have reached a

certain age'.

[mt: What is your future planning?]

'I

want to find a job to do.

think it is a waste

of

time to be engaged in deviant behaviour'.

This

conversation

conversation,

is

only part of the

found

extract.

that he is guite mature.

Through

the

One

the

of

subjeot"s teacher disclosed to me that he has the ability to do a

job
can

efficiently although he does not like to study.

stop

his

Naturally,

it

deviant behaviour depends

also

on

depends on the situation

Whether

he

his zactivation.
he

faces.

For

example, one month after the interview he was hurt on the head by
his enemy.

The

crucial point of this event is whether he would

take revenge. If he does so

further deviation.

Therefore

accepts the deviant identity

go

he would be definitely involved in

he is

treated

as

a deviant who

and continues to deviate.

This

is

because,

by

the

time

being, he is

ti11 involved in deviant

behaviour nd gives no indication of inclination to reduce it.

Chasy is a thirteen years old girl. She wa.

in

prinary

school

examination.

and

had quite good

in first the position

results

in

Form One

C1-iasy views herself as a deviant but she does no

take further actions on deviance. In fact, she finds it difficult

to explain her deviant act.

[Xnt: What kinds of behaviour will you consider az deviant?]

friends,

Sinoking, associating with b

following triad

brothers'.

members and regarding them a

[mt; Have you tried it?]

No,

I do not smoke, nobody traps me to smoke. I seldom

associate with deviant friends

{Int How do you view pre-inartial sex?]

(Silence

Since
g'

for a while when I was waiting for her

she did not answer,

prompted her answer

reply)

with

choices gven to her. For thstance

we must riot do that.

It is no gocd to do that. I dont know whether I will do

that not since I haven ' t dated at all .

...

1 think we are still young, we girls should not commit

it'

flnt: Actual

behaviour and ideal are two different things.

want to know whether you have tried it or not?]

'No'.

lint: (After a perid of silence) i

it,

hope that you wont mind

want to ask. you a cuestion.

Since I have heard

from the rumour that you had lost virginity to a boy

mny class,

so I want to verify its correctness.

in

Can you

;e1l whether it is true?]

'(A short silence) Yes'.

[mt: Why was the event disclosed?]

My classmates guess only, I haven't told others.

the boy heard about
disclosed by me,
my olassroom'.

the rumour,

When

he thought that it was

so he questioned me at the entrance of

[Irit: Then everybody know thatfl

'Some of

[mt : What

are

their

reaotjons?

1-low

do

your

classmates

perceive you?]

'Some of

then creat1 a naked naine

for

me.

At the

beginning of Form One,

they have already created

naine for me; at first,

I dislike it and hate them;

naked

but

as time passed, I got aecustomed to it. I p1eaed myself

that

it doen 't matter if it can make everybody happy.

Now they tease me

very

often

including the upper form

schoolmates'.

[mt: Just

for

this

case

(pre-marital

sex),

have

you

experienced pressure?]

originally I have already planned to

change

to

another school because the students here do not like

to

'Yes,

study.

The learning atmosphere is very low, it may also

affect my motivation to learn. After this event, my need

to change to a new school is more urgent'.

[mt:

By

the

way

want to know that

if

you did

it

voluntarily?]

I have tried to refus&'.

[mt: esides, sexual interocurse, what other close actions do

you have? Did he touch yours body in other ways?]

He embiaoed me and touched my upper side (breast)'.

[mt: Did you regret to have such behaviour?)

Yes, I wont do that again in future before marriage'.

[mt: Do your mother and teachers know it?]

No

they dorm 't

don ' t want to let the teachers know

it because if they know it,

they will inform my mother.

I am afraid that she will scold and beat me if the event

is disclosed'.

Based

on Chasys expression and gesture,

very oalm.

94

found that she

was

She did not cry or reel excited during the course of

desoribing the case.

violently.

do

not

sensed that she did not refuse the

reject

the

probability

of

boy

voluntary

interoourse among the two students. I

deviant

aecept that she has been a

and will try her best to esp from Thrther

According

to

her teachers,

she does not bring any problems

them except that she likes to date boys.

to her personal background.

She wants

Perhaps,

inform

her

mother

so

as to

to

it is related

care fron boys which aots

as a substitute for parental care. As a teacher,

to

deviation.

I felt the need

prevent Chasy from

further

dangerous sexual behaviour on the one hand; ori the other hsnd to

arouse her mothers ooncern

field

of the

need to educate Chasy in the

of sexual education. Therefore, after being counselled and

explained to her about the responsibility

oaze

Her

know

she agrees to disclose the fact to her mother.

mothar's reaction

teenager will

discuss

the matter

knowledge,

have much imaginations.

th the baYs parents.

Chasy's

material compensation,

that

as a peaoeful expression.

She said,

"I

it

had

No

ways

None of the parent woild like it happened.

happened.

the

must bear in this

she

questioning

(Actually,

mother and the third stepfather

to my

want

some

i.e. money, from the boy's parent)

After

it was

found

to the boy by

isoipline Master,

the boy denied the comuhission of the oaze.

the boy's parents refused to believe the case,

Simultaneously,
and

situation the case was reported to the E'olice finally.

95

We need to

under

such

In this chapter,

performed

by

the first analysis will be put on the functions

the

deviance---deviant

secondary school students under study.

subculture
I

the

airiong

attempt to explore the

purposes of engaging in deviant behaviours among the respondents.

Fartioularly

is the disoovery of

special

the consistency

discrepancy between peroeption of and the continuity of

behaviours.

and

deviant

Wherseas there are acceptance or rejection of labels

of deviant, there is also an increase or decrease in the level of

deviant

behaviours.

perception
analyzed
studies

and

through
of

not

The interplay of these

two

dimensions----

oontthuity of actual deviant behaviours will be

the typology
only

have originally created for the

ori youth but also on adult

world.

Such

analysis may also have implications for correctional policy

ctions of Subciflthres for tI

The

conception

of

culture

is

Besixindents

characteristioally

functional.

Culture provides the basis for eonfomnity but at aonia points

SS

of

in the social ystein, subou1tus may develop or borrow elenients

from the larger subculture and rework them into distinctive
forms.

The

first

systematic

use

of the concepts of culture

arid

subculture in the explanation of delinquency occurs ii-i the work

of

Albert

Cohen.

He

emphasized the expressive

forms

of

delinquency and the oppositonal character of the subcultural

values among the youth against the middle class values.

However,

it is clear that this profile of delinquent subculture does not

oontitute an exhaustive catalogue of all delinquency. Ear the
subcultures of the respondents I have studied

most of them do

not possess the anti-social values suggest&i by Cohen. Rather the

work

of Matza's theory of drift helps to understand analyze the

subcultures of my subjects under study.

The

essential element for the development of subculture

effective interaction among the members of the group.

is the
Cohen

vividly conveyel the scope for distinctive subcultures to emerge

as a solutions to problems posed for different groups.

The

crucial condition for the emergence of new oultural forms is the

existence, in effeutive interaction with one another, of a number

of actors with similar prob1ens of adiustment(Cohen,lB4:59-Bl).

Except for Mable and Sandy, most

the

deviant uboultures do so

studying.

of

ut

the respondez-ts involved in

of the loss of

interest

in

Why dWt not all students who 1oe the

interest

in

studying beooine involved in devient subcultures?

in

fact

the

subcultures

that they do not associate with the people whose

already

forn part of

either form the new suboultures

with

The

lives.

through

students

interaction

other students or through association with outsiders

type of subculture is learn

engeged

In other words,

the

who

latter

through cultural transmission since

it exists before. One must bear In

mind that while those who are

in subculture which is distinct fron conventional norms

may view themselves

culture,

as

in society

deviants.

nothing special or only a sub-group in a

For example,

others may view theri as deviant.

homosexual behaviour

group

their

themselves

already possees those subcultures.

larger

The answer lies

engagers may

only

Similarly

but
the

thin1

other

people may regard them

subcultures

themselves would be seen as only a

that they are a minor

among

the

as

students

sub-section of school culture

or students conventional culture wherseas

they would be seen as

school deviants by the normal students and teachers.

No matter which type/types

involved in it, they

all

activities

are

the

respondents

have common characteristics. The Drift

Theory developed by Mat2a.

He suggests that

most

individuals

spend their lives behaving on a continuum scnnewhere between total

and

freedom

total restra3j-it.

individual moves

Drift is the process by which

one ete ot'

from

behaviour

behaving soietimes iji an unoonvertja1, free,

to

ar

another,

or deviant zianner

and at other times with constraint and sobriety.

delinquent

'The

transiently

exists

a limbo

in

between

convention and crime , postponing oonniitiient , evading decision'.

(Matza, 1S4)
This is exaotiy
subculture

students is shifting fron

according
olass,

the case for the subc1ture of the students. The

to their will

at home

and

They qi11 obey the noriis and rules

society.

in

behaviours whenever necessary.

actions

condition which comprises a

They will constraint

However,

they begin

attractive,

when

to shift

follow their

punctually
they

will

and

they

their

fthd

themselves

inth

opposition
subcultures

Yeti

obey their parents wherever they like to.

change

to

differential

attitudes

a different person

hi1e

they

that plaoes

the

triad society.

association

is

So

are

They then confora to the

respondents

in

it is correct to

crucial determinant

engageirient in groups which carry subculture activities.

99

of

direct

to the values of the dominant culture except for

of

they

s'or instance

subcu1ture values arid beliefs but there is no independent set

end

the

family to go for a picnic or attend the school

accompanying the neinbers of subculture.

values

in

set of perceptions that release them

both from the oonstrainth of law and custom.

niay

side

ie side to the other

the

say that
for

the

the activities lauj-ioh&j within the subculture group that

students engage th
the most ooinmon ones include smoking,

Among

observing fighting, searching for bosom brothers and

speaking foul language, nd fighting. The less common ones are
sisters1

gaibling,

drinkisig,

illegally collecting money, steaUng and

joining triad societies.

Matas view that the delinquent

suboultur is relatively amorphous and without formal rules or

values ooincide with the subcultures among the students under
study. Their activities are characterized as having an infornal

oral tradition. Their behaviours are learnsi and inferr&t

the bahavic&ir cues of their comardes,

f roui

inoluding s1ogns &id

actions.

In fact, there must be some purpose for joining the activities.

For Matza (1964), he define his concept of the teenage subculture
as a conventional version of

the delinquents

traditional

Such subculture emphasizes fun and adventure, and its

behaviour.
niembers

are persistently involved in status offenses like

smoking,

gambling, arid engaging in premarital sex. They disdain

schoolwork and scholars and are overly concerned with proving

inasoulinity or femininity.
According to

the findings through in-depth interviews,

respondents

are

searching

for

subculture

identifjotion, tension re1eaSe fun and excitement.

loo

for

the

social

4ost of the

respondents aim at getting social identjfjoatj.n withir the group

when they are involved it-i the subculture among them. Some of theni

disclose
the

that they learn to

group smoke.

inoke just because all the people in

They are afraid that they will not be regarded

as 'in-group nieinbers

or

sittjng in the sanie shipS

They do not

have any speoial desire to siaoke. At the very begthning, a few of

them would find it enjoyable

smell

nasty.

smoking

Overall,

Inste&1

but

nearly all of them

they did not get

they disliked it;

since everybody smoked

any

enjoynent

from

but they continued smoking

They smoke in order

found the

to

achieve

social

identification among the members.

having the same manners, they establish

By doing the swne thing

They think

their identity within the subculture group.

acquire

an in-group feeling if

they

identify with

they can
the

group

through cooperation. Sometimes, they were influenced by the group

and

niembers

attitudes.

gr&ivally got

For

example7

the

accustomed

to

their norms

and uiore common

to

learned

respondents gradually

The use of

speak or use foul language through social gatherings.

foul language would become riore

and

or a

habit

to

the extent that they lose their control of how they speak.

Besides

want
the
ici i.

hoping for social identification,

fun and excitinent.

the respondents

As revealed by the

students1

subculture for fun by means of watching others to

also

they join

fight

or

direotly engagng in fighting.

entertainment

'1 see fighting s a kind of

one of the respondents

said .

Through

the

participation in various aotivjtje, they are able to sweep away

their idleness. A1so they ae interested ii-j a situation which
zuight be exciting and posib1y a channel for expressing some of

their aggressions.
To st-un up

based on the verbal description and observation from

the respondents,

the subculture derived from a need for social

identification, protection and excitement. among the respondents,

most of

them joined the deviant subculture

'orin

One.

apparently, the need for social identification was important when

they entered in an environuient which they didn't know anything

about. It is especially crucial when they were facing some of the

threats

and

inseourity from their classmates or surrounding

envirorunent. Embedded in

it is the iditional motive for fun or

excitement that they highly valued as a teenager. As a result,

the assimilation to those subculture unintentionally will be

extreinemly difficult to expel or give up.

niatthr what types of subcultures are they engaging in, what

soins special
ai do they have in engaging in these
findings have been discovered in the course of this study Through
o

subcultures1

102

the discussions with respondt

that

their

stated

past

there seems that the perception

self and the actual present

pattern are two distinct and different things.

there are two

behaviour

On the one

different perceptions of ones own

hand,

past behaviour

and self. Stie of the respondents may think that they are deviant

whereas others regard thense1ves

the

coninitted

same

act.

normal even though

they have

The perception on one's self

can

be

categorized into two types: either acoeptance or rejection of the

label of deviant. On the other hand, the subsequent behaviours of

the

respondents may be continued or

reduced

independently of any perception of self.

of actual behaviours is a process

is

of

discontinued

or

the dinensicn

In faot

development. Whether there

a continuation of their deviant behaviours or not becomes one

of the focal concerns of this study.

In regard to these two dimensions of perception of one5 deviant

identity and continuity of deviant behaviours---eaoh of which has
a

been divided into two sub-groups,

worked out.

For simp1ification

denoted by the C-)

even an
compared
103

reduction

from the present to

the past is

sign and that when there is a continuation or

acceleration

with

while the reeetion of it is

For the actual behaviours, a

of deviant behaviours compared

is

acceptance of ones behaviour as

deviant is denoted by the sign (+)

devoted by the sign (-).

typology of the deviant

of deviant behaviours in

the previous time,

the

recent tine

the sign being used

is

(+).

Incoporated with these two dnensj, four types of deviants is

portrayed

A type which is not so coimor among the people Ls also

delineated and it is called transcender sthoe they neither accept

nor reject the label of deviant identity.

Instei,

this type of

deviant replaces the perception on devi&it identity with a higher

value,

ideal and loyalty, for enp1e,

robbing the rich for the

poor. After incoporating all these ideas, the typology worked out
is represented in the following table:

L'erception on

crLes Deviant Identity

1. Deviant

Continuity o
Deviant Behaviours

(+

Con f orine r

2. teviant

(+)

Reformer

3. Deviant

(-)

Liar

(-)

4. Deviant
Escaper

()

5. Deviant

Transcender

Table i : A TypoloSy of Deviant by Feroeption of Deviant Identity

and Continuity of One's Own Devient Behaviours.
Note:

(+/-) acceptance/rejection of ones behaviour as deviant

<+1-> continuation/discontinuation of actual deviant

behaviour
105

Based on t1e above typology,

deviants.

Each represents

particular

characteristics,

deviance.

Besides

characteristics

following
label

there at-e altogether four types

and

certain

kind

of

deviants

of

with

different levels of involveinent

searching

for deviants

with

special

intensity of involvement in deviance,

subsequent passage will be devoted to a discussion

management by the respondents.

It no1udes

in

the

the
of

actions

employed by the respondents in response to the label they receive

due

to

the

sohool.

It

inong

the

presence of their deviance in

sohool

and

outside

embodies the analysis on the subsuent behaviours

respondents

after being regarded as

deviants.

consistency and discrepancy between perception on

The

deviance and

those behavioural development of deviant is theoretically worthy

of examThing. In the course of analysis
incoporated into

various theories will be

this typology (me in this study)

deviation of Ini respondents. Table 2 illustrates

deviants

I have ereat1,

suitable ty'es.

106

with

to explain

the typology of

respondents being

fitted

into

eceptjon on

Continuity of

One's Deviant identity

Oeviant Behaviours

1. Deviant

(+)

Conf o rner

(David,
1'(able)

2. Deviant

(-f)

Re f oriner
(

Winny,
Airiy , Chasy)

3. Deviant

(-)

Liar
(Peter,,
Tommy)

Deviant

(-)

Escaper
(Sandy)

5. Deviant

(is)

Transcender

Table 2

A Typology of Deviant by Perception of Deviant Identity

and Coritnuity of Ones Own Deviant Behaviours.

Note:

(+/-) acceptance/rejection of ones behaviour as deviant

<+1->

ontinuation/disoontinuation of actual deviant

behaviour

107

With

the name

Deviant Conformer',

it implies that the deviants

who fall into this oategory will both accept the label

deviant

on

activity

the

on

engagement
three

the
in

types

one hd and oontinue to

other hand,

Moreover,

deviant activity
of

deviants

their

in

deviant

frequency

ja more intense than the

This type of

engage

being

of

deviants

has

of

other
already

stepped into the deviant path.

They no longer mind the deviant label'.

self-conception

They have

arid have the re1iness to accept deviant

They actively motivate ones own self to

assertive
cheerful

self-attitudes
facial

a deviant

on

expression

deviate.

their on behaviours.

label.

They have

when they are talking about

involvement in deviant activity nd the

have

They

their

process of deviant path.

They never think of ceasing the association with deviant group as

reflected
thema

by Mable.

She uses exouse

they will call you

or

even if you do not

call

it is difficult to leave and get

away from them' . Their further deviation is not related to a kind

of

reaction with resentment

agaixist

the

penalties

imposed.

Instead, they are willing to participate in deviant activities.

The

ove mentioned ideas contradict

to Lemerts notion of

primary deviation and secondary deviation. According to

secondary deviation
106

emerges as a

result

of

the

the

Leinert,

seuenoe

of

interatin between devjnts and

the t1tate acceptance of deviart social

that

strengthenthg

the devi&t conduct

of

status and

the

to

the

reaotions

are

states

were

Embtded in further deviation

penalties.

stignatizing and

He

societal reaction.

hostilities and resentnent.

4hen a person begins to e1oy his deviant behaviour or

cjusthent to the overt and

covert problems created by

the conseivient societal reaction to

is

ay distort
cf

tnotivation

devtation

the deviant

reality,
ootUlfljSSjQfl

of

example

activities

of

the true pictures

or entamai
enjoys

his deviation

type of deviant.

an

for

deviants

tb

tivities

In

actual

excitement brought by the

the

deviant activities.

this
at

iiin,

eme, 1951 7 S-78).

eocnde.!y '

ideas

Sich

or

attack,

role based upon it as means of de?ense,

The respondent David

He was

erIaed

early age in Primary Four.

In

in

his

is

an

deviant
concept,

kinds of heroic
commitment in deviant activities provide him some
feliriSs.

He mentioned that

he had high prestig@ backed up with

power after the commission of choppifl

David is proud of
hai-id

He

has

and fighting.

his possession of information and know1ede in

spent a long time in accompanYifl

deviants

and

committing crime. While he

learning. the techniques and skills of

was getting a1on

1.09

definition
with deviant friends, he learned the

favourable to violating the

obeying the rules of

differential

1a. H

disregard

ohoo1 wid society.

assooiatjn theory wi1

the utilities cf

Hence, it is clear that

be

applicable

to

the

analysis of this type of deviant---evjt conformer.

Apart

fron

learning the skills of enacting

deviant

behaviour,

David also actively learns the specific direotion of motives

and

drives on commission of illegal activities.

and

enhances his ability

during

with

to

cope

and deal with difficult situation

the course of coinnission of illegal acts and

deviants peers who

perception

and

behaviours.

riutual1y

influence

For exple,

strategies to develop one's deviant career.

in

He consolidates

order

"enemiest

to

strengthen

During

the

his defense
course of

he

association

each

other's

uses

various

He learned Taekwondo

ability while

fac Ing

thteraction with probation

he manages to present his true life to the officer.

officer,

He

was clever that the probation officer gould not believe him if he

ooncealed
friends

denied

his

actual

performances.

He

1ded that one of

lost the faith of the probation officer on him when

his smoking habit.

He was smart enough

for not

his
he

telling

lies in front of probation officer since, accordirg to him, it is

unrealistic for the deviant youth not to be addicti to smoking.

On

the

whole,

identity title
110

'deviant conformer'

will admit

for they dont mind the label.

their deviant
Instead,

they

accept

theij identity anc cantjue to enact

because

they are

asimi1ated norns

deviant behaviours

associated

with devjnt

and

whioh are exteineiy different from

va1ue

,eer

groups and have

oOnventioaI norms and values. Aoordjng to Johnson, this

type of

deviant

oommits

greater

motivation

law-violating behaviour
to

violate

the

beoause

law

they

themselves

feel a

(Johnson,

186:335-336).

Deviant

reformer refers to those deviants who accept the deviant

identity

label

deviant

behaviour.

experieno

but

they have an in1ination

They have

such

oases under study.

into

the

abyss

respondents

deviant

ohange

pressure from the labelling and more

the aoting of social control mainly from

are

reduce

to

because

their

they

importantly

is

sobool and family in the

This group of the deviant has not yet plunged

of devianoe
still

behaviour

occaional1y drift

or

in

From what I have

their initial

law-violating

into

found,

stage

of

activities.

these

connitting

They

only

delinquent behaviour and for the most

time they accept and conform to the social rules and norms.

Roughly

speaking,

conventional
have violated
ill

norms

this

is

kind

of

accepts

the

They know that

they

deviant

and values in society.

the social rules and, therefore

they accept the

identity of 'deviant
from

the 1e1.

They XPerienoe sone sorts of pressures

Saine of them iuy wish to escape from the label

and thus they begen to change their perfornianoes. Simultaneously,

there exist the intervention of their behaviour from their

parents, teachers and good friends. Their parents, usually after

the aohnowledgeient of the devjant behaviour, would try every
means to stop them frani further deviance provided that they have

the time and care for their children. Their teachers would also
monitor behaviour with the saine intention as their parents.
A number of respondents belongs to this type of deviant . Host of
them

committed

status offence hib seems to be attractive to

almost every teenager. These many forms of delinquent behaviour

includes drugs,

engaging in aexual acts,

fighting, getting drunk, and so on.

beating others.

Amy

skipping school,

committed the violence of

Winny committed stealing two times,

one

th

primary Three which stole from her grandmother, one in Form One,

stealing from her classmate but later discovered. Chasy enaSed

in sexual intercourse with another boy of the same form.

During the

course of interview, I

characteristics

among them,

found

that the

common

prior to the emergence of deviant

behaviour, is the lack of control from faiuily. All of than under

our study come from single-parent family. They either live with
single parent (Amy) or with relatives such as grandmother, uncles
112

and aunts (Winny and Chasy). In this situation,

others seldom have time to take care of them

the significant

or do not have the

ability

to control their behaviour

Consequently,
their
attachment to family
weak anti they are free to comjt deviant

sets (Rtcsthi
The

1966:206).

intervention began

when

the deviant behaviour of the

respondent was detected and diaclosed publicly.

Eor

instance,

Anys father did not feel anything special about coining back home

late.

only thought that her daughter played with other

Re

children in the playground.

He did not worry about

the

composition or background of Ainys friends so long as Amy

did

not commit any deviant aets. It was only after he was inforini

that

my

had

run away

from

achool and

later beat another

schoo1iate that he took steps to control her

school,

after

behavoi.mr

no matter in-school and out-school behaviour,

through

different mneans.

First1y

he requests his younger sister to look after her.

requires her to go back home iinnmediately after school.

He

He

sets

the time 1init for her to be back. If she is unable to return

home for whatever reasons, she has to ask her teachers to verify

the tine of leaving school

home

at a

or a period , her aunt has to go back

latter time than kny. fier aunt then requests our

school teacher to detain Amy at ehoo1 until half-past four when

113

she has already go-ie back hone.

the tehers report any deviant

necessarY.

He

In addition,

Pny's father

behaviour to

asks

her aunt whenever

will aleo occasionally phone her daughters Form

teacher with the aim of oolleoting information on her daughters

Such means of control is suite effective since

performance.

is afraid of her father. Qn the other hand,

she does not develop

any arti-fee1ins for she shares a similar moral doctrine

She

conventionality.

social

conscience

authority.

accepts

and

the social norms and

feelings

of

she

respect

for

of

possess a
others

in

This phenomenon contradicts the views of Hirsohi that

'youthful law violater was soneone who

rejects social norms

and

beliefs.

Another example of this type is Winny.

Ehe stole money from her

in

rimry Three but such event hd not been exposed

to the public.

She is free from family control on her behaviour

andiother

except that

she will be questioned if she go back home too late.

Aftei she iqas

ght for stea1ng in

hoo1,

she

scolded and

punishi by her grandmother but without any further control

her

behaviour

because her case is an individual deviance.

on
She

does not go with deviant groups and so it is of no ue to contro1

her

behaviour after school like 4my.

1ather

her

provide her with a proper view on moral standards.

i 14

family must

Acoording to

that it is wrong to steal

things. $he stole because of inuffjcjent pookei money
nd
sudden greed' She wants to get rid of the title because it is
humiliating to bear the deviant identity She said that she won t
Wirny,

she

believed

stealing again. She has such initial ohange for fear of

insult arid 1ooking down upon her. I guess that if her behaviour
commit

were not discovered, she would continue to steal. Bowever

since

it was disooverj, she experience pressure from surroundings. Her

determination to change herself proved that she is still bound by
the social values and norni. This is different from the deviant
conformer who rie

longer cares about both their on image on

conformity and image on deviance.

social valuea and norms

They are alienated front the

hence they rio

longer

appreciation from the teachera and parents.

receive any

Those deviant

conformers are insulated fron the normative world, so autoatie

conformity is out of the guestiori.

Ori the other

hand7

they

accustomed to being a deviant. However, for this type of deviant

reformer, they still follow to the rules of school conduct; they

will experience considerable pressure on deviance. Moreover, they

are afraid of punihznent, including non-physical

pressure and

insultation) and physical punishnent subsequent to performing of

the deviance. Winny is a typical example. Ninny continued to

deviate but want1 to restore her self-esteem. In fact,

not

a serious deviant for

strong.
115

her cozniriitinent to school

Winny
is

She has average result in academic performances.

is

quite

She

attends the lessons atteiftively nd hands in hework unctua1Ly.

She does not associate with a deviant peer group.

association

with deviants

conventional

goals would

conformity

her aoeptnce of

together with
induce

Winny

ohanoes

deviance would be reducI or disappear in th

As for Chazy,

she engaged in sexual

have

to

thuS

with non-deUnquents1

often teas1 by

waz

unattractive
always

cried,

classmates were joking and that

peers.

fathess

for

nd

she was guite unhappy

and

acoustoined to

it,

that

her

giving herself

and

another

family and

she grIua1ly got

however,

herself

comforted

At first ,

appearance .

in

further

for

interaction with

classmates

her

a stke

end.

schoolmate because of a lack of attachnient to

She

The absence of

excuse

the

she wont care if her naked name

'flute blowing(thui xiao) can make everYbodY happy. At home, she

has

to

take care of her

whenever they are naughty.

mother

and

relatives.

cousins with no power to punish

them

She does not get enough care from her

As a result

refuse to

ahe didn't

have

intercourse with a boy when he asked her to do so.

Except that one

case

of

deviant

behaviour,

Chasy has strong

commitment and involvement in conventional activities.

not smoke,

She

drink,

disolosed

116

does

wander in the street and speak foul language.

to me that

aoadenioa11y when

She

she

was

in

the

first position

she was in primary five and six.

After

the

event,

she

faces an identity orisie:

whether she

bad

is

or

normal. She became one of the stereotyped deviant and pays a high
price for deviance.

Once the stereotype has been fixed on one,

diffju1t.

Indeed,

tI-ie label,

one may not easily tmansfortn crie

renoonoing it is very

for this kir-id of deviance,

a more conventional one unless one changes

faces.

Although

actively

run

determination.

wants

to.

deviant identity to
the

it is difficult to exit the

away from
She

Thus,

if one has taken

further deviance

environment one
label,

she

if

has

can return to a normal way of life

perception on deviant identity and

can

she

such

if

level

she
of

continuity should be treated separately.

This

type

of deviant is called Deviant Liar since

verbally denies their deviant

identity but still

he

or

continues

he
to

ooimyiit deviant behaviour or criminal activities. The most typical

characteristic

among this

neutralization

or rationalization to justify their

group

of

deviant

is

the use

of

continuation

of deviant behaviour with the resistance on labelling of deviant.

Thus,

Hatza and Sykes

delinquents neutralization techniques is

appropriate for explanations of this type of deviants behaviour:

why do
117

they deny stigma even when there is

conviction

of

coimnithent or illegal

ru1e

behaviour

and at the sa

and

actual violation of social

time he keeps on having deviant behaviour?

In an attempt to uncover the situatjon

perception

and

partially

views

and

deli,nuent

try to dig out

on devit behaviour.

While

their

supposedly

thoroughly committed to the deviant system of the

sub-culture,

they

appear

to recognize

the

aoral

validity of the dominant normative system in iaany instances (Rail

& Wineman, 1951:74). These deviants are not immune to the demands
of

conformity.

participate

frequently

in many of the same social functions as

law-abiding

such as

to

that

complete

and

delinquents

youths,

say

Most deviants

schools

in the

denial

of

transmitted by

and feni1y activities.

It is iimprobble

minds of this type of deviant there

the

validity

of

demands

for

is

conformity

their parents during the ohilds or adolescents

dependency.

Moreover1

aeth

they sometimes have a sense of guilt over their deviant

themselves

frein

their moral constraints.

their devnt acts.

Matza &

for

stated

as a technique of neutralization,

that:

responsibility
are

the

sykes (18)
the denial

of

extends much further than the claim that deviant

an 'accident

accountability.
ile

release

They would deny

responsibility

acts

to

but they would employ a set of rationalization

or some

similar negation

of personal

It may also be asserti that delinquent acts are

&ie

to foroe

This

outside of the thdivfrlual and beyond

situation

is

respondent eter,
that

proved to est in

to

difficult

reality just

scold

me,

so I beat hiin;

to control my bad temper

control

engage

or

sonetimes

activities'

Tommy us

foul
it

is

He explains his indulgenoe

yourself if you are addjot& to them

these

in

our

he points to ite and uses

in gambling arid using foul language by c1aining that

to

like

He rationalizes the acts cf fighting by saying

'he owes jne money end deny;

language

his control.

the

neutralize his snokthg habits as 'nc way,

arid

same

it is

hard

frequently
excuse

to

I am deeply affixed to

it-- 'sum yan'

For

another

condemn

teachers

it,

they would

behaviour.It

their

condemnation
phrased

time,

appears

of the condemners

always

are mostly not

or,

to

be

as MoCorkle arid

They

show favoritism

responsible,

who!rl they don't like;

misunderstand me, I am

and

Peter

parents

stress1 tht

Similarly,

Korn

have

think

that

out

their

'teachers

the

they want to get rid of mB. They

a good kid in fact,

always warn other

and not to be a

Tommy commented that 'you can hardly return

to a normal way once you've been stereotyped.

119

in

some of them falsely accuse

schoolmates not to learn bi things or turn badi

deviant.

take

who

person

involved

rejection of the rejectors.

frustrations on their children.

students

ut the blame on the

For

he

learns all th

evils in Secondary One. He

criticized that teachers in secondary school are not responsible.
Tommy,

They never care about their students; they dont care about their
conduct, their aoiemic performance etc. . He further stated that
.

he affiliates with outsiders for he Thses interest in studying,

he finds it boring to attend class.
In order to check the

validity his statements. I eonsulted his teaohers

asking about

his in-olass performance. Their reply is that

The always talks

and talks in the olass

t is

As a matter of fact,

extremely

difficult to find out what is the cause for his uneagerness to

study: whether it is due to his assooiation with outsiders or to
the irrresponsble teachers that 1e to a loss of interest in

What seems to be more important is his total denial of

studying.

his own responsibility for such situation happening. By using the

technigues of condemnation of condemners,

he is successful in

shifting the blame to others and consuent1y able to repress the

feeling that his acts are wrong.

They are entitled to this name-- deviant 1iar because they deny
the fact that there is something wrong with their behaviour, yet

at the

same

activities

to deviant
is mostly likely that they will lose their

tiine

It

they further their

commitment

n the
i.e. type one deviant. Although there is still an

standards of morality and will become a pure deviant

future days,

absence of confirmation of next type of deviant by the time

120

being. I am looking ftjrard to wtchtrig the sequence of change in

deviant type in the near future.

This type of deviant resists the label of deviant identity and by

the

same token 1s a tendency to ruoe their deviant

behaviour

oonsciously. They hope to escape from the devient world. In fact

their previous deviant behaviour is a response to negative
attitudes.

The

indicators

of

deviant behaviour

self-

constituted

contraventions of normative ocxes. They repudiate the 'unfairness

of

the

world or reality to then

end as a

result,

they adopt

deviant behaviour as a kind of response and reactions in order to

arouse

attention

in such a way to

gain

back

or enhance their

self-esteem.

According to Kaplan (1980),

of

the need to maximize the

experience

positive self-attitudes is a characteristically human motive.

It is the normal outcome of infants

hunan

beings

for

initial dependence on adult

the satisfaction of basic biological

needs.

Individuals who develop characteristically intense negative seirattitudes have hart a history of being unable to defend themselves

against experiences in their membership groups by which they come

perceive
and
121

themselves

U being

as possessing negatively valued

the object of

negative

attitudes

attributes

expressed

by

others

Increase in se1f-rejectjon is assojated with adoption of

deviant patterns, in spite of whether the pattern,

was continued
the

premise

or discontinued.

that

self-rejection

once adopted,

Earlier research has established

the relationship between antecedent level

of

and subsequent adoption of deviant responses was

more consistently and strongly observed for those segments of the

population

(lower sooioeoonoiic stratum,

be more

oould

easily assumed that the

females)

for whom

indicators

deviant

of

behaviour constituted 'ontraventions of nonnative codes

it

(Kaplan

198:14).

The

mentioned

premise

is

applicable to the

case

deviant

of

escaper. Sandy has negative feelings towards her family since she
father

Her

was sold by her father when she was still an thfant.

accused her as the chief culprit for his loss in gambling.

was

brought up by her grandfather (mother's

morley as exchange for Sandy)

died

later

in

faziily

father paid

This way of treatient by

thduced Sandy with a sense of uneasy feelings,

lack care at home.

She

the

until the time when her grandfather

half of Prijnary 1?our

feelings towards the society.

She

negative

he has a sense of inferiority and

reported that she wa

ill-treated by her

elder sister and her parents paid little attention to the family.

Gradually

she

developed negative

attitudes

to

them and

to

society. She compared and complained about the inecjuality enjoyed

between
122

others and her own.

Her behaviour caine to a.

change

in

this

pericxL

with teachers,

She began to have deviant behaviour,

or exemple.

to, and motivat

She is

to deviate

from

Quarrelling

neither motivated to conform

normative group norms id

structure. Her adoption of deviant patterns is to defend against

self-devaluing implications of family experiences. Through such

means, it is hope that she can restore her own se1f-esteen.

While

there are findings that deviant response patterns are able

to gain back the elf-esteein

opposite result or

of some juveniles

there exist seine

verse consequences. The cruoial factor for

the difference lies iii the perception on one's potential ability

of enhancing ones normative environment:

Subjects low in perception of self-enhancing potential of

the normative environment were significantly more li1ely

to

opt the deviant response pattern' (Kaplan, 1960:161).

Subjects with low perception of self-enhancing potential of the

normative environment were significantly more likely to adopt

deviant patterns in the long run because these self-rejecting

persons are unable to defend against the experiences in their
membership groups that have in the past (Kaplan ,

1960 : 16) ;

but

they are able to achieve self-enhancing feelings. As a result of

adopting the deviant response patterns, they do not have
unanticipated self-devaluing circumstances.
123

Fioiever, this is not the case foi, subject qith high

pereeption of
se1-enhanoii-ig potential of normative erivirormient. In
contrast to

the other type of subjects,

negative

self-attitudes

they won ' t fird it tsefi1 ta

and

restore se1t.-esteen

reduce

by means

of

deviant patterns becauBe those dvjant patterns only brought

more

condemnation on ones performance when other people put stigin

then.

Therefore,

one hand
result

they
of

in order to gt rid of the stereotype,

ori

on the

reject the label of deviant identity which is the

prior deviant behaviours

on the

other

hand

they

actively reduce further enggenent si deviant activities with the

aim

to

reduce

ridding the label as well as erihanothg

negative

self-attitudes

as a

seif-esteen

corsetuenoe

and

adopting

of

deviant reeponse to the normative environment.

Sandy is a girl with roteotive iriechanism and strong self-esteem.

In her
evils

concept ,

to

them.

she hates her parents blaming her

She wants to rebuild

for bringing

her self-image

through

participation in deviant behaviour. Unfortunately, it only brings

more denunoiation on her and thus she refuse the stigma that she
is a deviant and at the same period,

she tries her best, as well

as is confident enough to have ability,

to change her behaviour.

She has extrene high totivation to change her deviant pattern

of

she likes to

be

response

to

nonnative environment.

praised by her
studying.
124

teacher

and

Actually,

he also claims

Being one of her teacher,

that

she

likes

observe that she really

wants to

easily

behave well,
lose

but owing to her personality,

her control on her behaviour.

she would

This partly explains

for her commission of deviant behaviour.

This

type of deviant is absent in the present study.

type

of deviant,

replace

it

appealing

justice

this

For

they reject the label of deviant identity

with a new one.

and

They will justify their actions by

a higher value and loyalty to society.

and stress the respect of human dignity.

They emphasize
Their

actions

are not frequent. While an action is being done, they will appeal
to

an ideal such as

modern

Robin Hocd,

people.
being
and

I do that for the ney people',

I

do it for justice,

space.

Dr.

however,

he was definitely

the uprising led by him was indeed a struggle

at least in the eyes of Chinese

Such action is done with surpreme and respectable slogan

but it only occurred when situation comes.

125

type.

the good lives for the Chinese people and a struggle against

people.

rare.

of

by time

Sun Tat San could be said as one of this

the oppression of Ching Dynasty,

this

benefits

hurt by something and its occurance is not bound

deviant;

am a

It happens whenever they reagard that social justice is

Judging from the view of Ching Dynasty,

for

for the

'I

Thus,

the number

of

type of deviant is very limited and its occurrence is quite

After

a deorjptjon of the characteristics of the four types

deviants

having the two dimensions being

of

onsidei altogether.

there comes to a suimnary of and delineation ori the situation that

determines the inclination of continuity of deviant behaviour and

the level o

Whether

acceptance of ones perception on deviant identity.

a person

will

have a continuation of deviant behaviour

or not depends on various ciroumatances

may be seine positive reinforcement of deviant behaviour.

behaviour

will

delinquent
deviants.

be

behaviour

self'-reinforced

can

There

anii determinants.

while

Devient

the performance

satiafy the important ne1s for

Since the behaviour satisfies the needs,

of

the

as the needs

the deviant behaviour will continue

continue

or

recur,

repeated

i.n

the expectations that the neis will still or

or be
once

again be satisfied (Kaplan, 1984:107).

Some scholars and research findings suggest that the general need
for the youth is to feel positively about oneself.
that

It is

deviant acts can help to satisfy thia need in any of

argued
three

ways. Deviant behaviour may permit the youth to avoid the sources
of his self-devaluing attitudes,

positive
126

or to substitute new sources of

self-devaluing eperiences

to attack the basis of his

self-devaluing

attitude

or

to

substitute

ne

souroes

of

positive self-evaluation, Of course, I do not expel the existence

of such needs.

However,

from what I have found in this study,

out of a feeling of Heroism when they are

deviant acts.

individual

Delinquent

can

activity may

involve

himself

arise

participating in those

acts may provide ne

evaluate

the needs

ways in which the

positively.

The delinquent

associating with a group

that

endorses

standards which are more easily attainable than those endorsed in

the conventional environment.

The youth thus gains gratification

fron achieving the new standards. Besde,

more prctica1.
because
than

SOEie

sonie of the needs are

respondents join the deviant

acts just

their potential rewards they could obtain is far greater

their possible loss that would result when deviant

act

is

done.

One of the respondents reported that he hd a sense of heroistic

feelings while he is acting in chopping or beating other people.
He gains

happiness

standards

from

achieving

the

new standards. The new

subculture of violence within

of

the

devient world

enable the deviants to acquire a social status whioh is easier to

obtain in this subculture group than in conventional envirorunent.
Of

more value

norms
127

will

to them is that

result

in

oonforinity to delinquent group

acceptance

frein

the

group

and

will

posi.tively reinforce the value of the delinquent behaviour that

earned the

acoeptance'

(Kaplan,

1984:109),.

He

joined the

criminal aotivity because he waz paid to beat the concerned

people or even paid to chop them. He added that The Sun Yee Un

Triad Society likes to erip1oy such method to punish or expel the

persons they dislike. For another ease,

the respondent often

involves in gambling mainly because he could get th money from

gambling as a kind of pocket money. He has a ne

of money since

he don't have enough money initially but while he ha addicted to

it,

it is very difficult for him to give it

continuously

indulges

in gambling.

up.

in addition

Ts he
to

the

satisfaction of need by deviant behaviour and the recurring of

the need which further reinforces hi deviant behaviour, another
reinforcing factor for gambling is the frequent winning of money.
Thi practical rewards reinforce the respondent to be repeatedly

erigaed in his or her deviant behaviour.

Just

as

different factors influencing

the

continuation,

various
escalation of deviant aotivity
circumstances may influence the disooutixnatii or decressed
involvement in deviant activities. The different sets of

repetition,

or

circumstances that will. be considered for the discontinuation of

deviant activity are: failure to satisfy the youths needs by the

128

deviant

activity;

adveise

consequences

of

deviant

aets;

strengthening of social contro1 on their deviant performances.

Under

certain

irounstances,

enhanoe

one's

deviant

behaviour.

a need

se1f-eteem or gain self-approval by the

they

activity.

the youth will have

after

However,

would

find

that

the

the

joinig

delinquent

use

to
of

deviant

iii

peer group

provides only unsatisfactory solutions to its inembers

problems.

Self-esteem

is seldom found in this context for which

favorable

evaluations

can

be

aohieved and translated

self-esteem.

into

Although the motive underlying the juvenile's attachment to peers

it is apparent that the peer

may be his guest for self-esteem,

wants

is the least likely place in which to find what he

group

(Hewitt,

to

fail

contrary

1970:96). In such situtiofl, the ooncerned deviant will

experience
will

they

a sense of
experience

satisfaction.

While

on

the

sense of failure and will be

the object of negative sanctions from conv&itional group nembers.

Then consequently they may

leave

the

deviant group and deviant

behaviour pattern that he or she has previously participat1.

Not

only might a youth discontinue delinquent behaviour

the youth was unable to satisfy the needs,

also

be moved

oonsequenoe
early

&loption

socialization
12

of

to

of

performance

a major

of

of the deviant acts.

conventional values

process is

but he or she might

behaviour because

cease deviant

initial

because

source

in

the

course

of motivations

the

The
of
that

mitigate the
failed

to

inclination to devinoe. Those individuals who have

achieve the values they learned in the course of

sooialization

process nay

adapt to

any of a number

of

the

ways

irioluding using deviant behaviour to achieve conventional values,

withdrawing

validity

fron
of

the

conventional world,

the values

these

However ,

potentially unstable beoaue the

and

rejecting the

adaptations

youths have great difficulty in

totally ridding themselves of the

standards of

they were taught to use in evaluating themselves.

behaviour

that

They will feel

so while

disoonfort while performing deviant behaviour and

some

are

opportunity to successfully pursue conventional values was

the

given, the youth is likely to

cease performance deviant activity

(Kaplan, 184:122)
During

the

of

course

respondents will

interview,

deviant

that

diacovered

&lmit that their behaviours are 'not

against conventional values' .

in

behaviour

good

or

They responsed that they engaged

just for tension release or

They are still accustomed to

dullness.

some

for

fun

or

conventional

relief

of

values

and ts they experience come sorts of uneasy feelings

when

they are cmuitting deviant acts.

They will choose to be a

conforming person of norumlity.

Another determinant
the

strengthening

concerned
i 30

deviant

for disoontthuality of deviant behaviour is

of

social

behaviour

control
after

in

response

such behaviour

to

had

those

been

detecti by their significant others or other social institutiolis

such as school and police. Hirsehi links de1inuent behaviour to
the bond that ari individual maintains pith society.
bond weakens or breaks,

When

that

the constraints that society puts on its

members are lifted, and an individual may violate the 1ai. Those
respondents whose deviant behaviour reduced are due to the fact

that their familial and school control on their behaviours are

strengthened while their previous thvclvenient in deviant
bshaviour are dic1ost to their significent others. In this
ways

these 1nstitution

ou1d maintain ties to and secure strong

attachment from the children. Yet, for the tizne being, we ignore

the degree of acceptance or rejction to social norms

inorig

the

deviants as suggested by Hirsohi.

Percipj;ioii on Deviarit1dtitv
devient who accepts the deviant identity acquires the title
after a long drawn-out interaction process. Several social &id

The

cultural oonditions affect the process by whioh people accept or

reject deviant identities. These includes the factors that the
definitions of various deviant roles, the level of morality that
the individual possess and subjeoti've evaluation of the response
frani others.

It

Social

response

to

effective in discouraging
when

a person

deviant

initial

can

be

extreniely

a future career th deviance.

participate

embezzlement

acts

in

deviant

Usually)

activity such

they may not define their aotioris

as

as

stealing.

Rather, they will justify their notions by claiming that they are

only borrowing
repay

the

at

it

the money

froni the oonpany and that they will

earliest opportunity.

borrowers rather than thieves,

actions of stealing. In
deviant

or

even though they are taking a

let alone

one does not define

the

one's own

ot OOt5d)

rule-

identities.

deviant

different from conventional norms arid values,

soiieththg neec to be ohang

as

the embezzlers cari neutralize the

this way,

law-breaker)

while

Therefore,

thenselves

they will definitely reject the label of

ro1e

violater

Seeing

behaviour

as

as prob1enatio) as

e mLy irnia11y

reject the label of deviant identity.

Mentioning about definition of deviant roles, it is reasonable to

say that such definition is related to the level of morality that
one

has

important

in

his mind.

fact

that

Although Becker (163)

social

points

acts are not deviant

in

to

and

the
of

themselves----- it is the imputation of deviance to ongoing social

acts

by

seine audience that leads any form of

term&1 or labeled 'deviant

:I32

behaviour

to

be

we cannot ewel the fact that there

are

social rules in every society or moral codes for guidance of

behaviours among the members.

Those whose behaviours that damage the moral orders but do not

consider themselves as deviant will develop various set of

justification for their

social

nornis.

behaviour when they

violate accepted

These neutralization technigues allow youth

to

temporarily drift away from the rules of normative society and to

participate in subterranean behaviours. They employ a standard

set of rationalizations for deviant and illegal behaviour. Those

certain techniques which release themselves from their moral

constraints include: denial of responsibility, denial of injury,
denial of

victim,

higher loyalties.

Condemnation of the condemnors, appeal to

In sum,

they often have certain excuses to

escape from being labelled on the one hand while on

hand,

the other

they may have two possible responses to the 'deviant

labeF: continue to participate in deviant activities or exit

from further deviation even though they are 1abell as deviant.

Previous Labeling theories argue that a deviant in his primary

stage of deviance will probably resist the deviant identity. What
follows the

performances of a deviant act is the social reaction

and response to the act, usually with some kinds of punishment.

133

Repeated deviations together with more severe penalties evolve a

voious circle until

others have come to expect

systematic deviant behaviour from the deviant;

a pattern cf
in effect they

have assigned that person to a deviant role. Recproca11y

the
person who is now expected to perforn a deviant role comes to see
hiinseif or herself

in the saine terms and finally accept the

'identity of devant

and may begin to search the

ways

of

continuing the deviant line of action without getting caught

(Rubington & Weinberg, 19838).

Such viewpoint is only partially true if the methodology
symbolic

of

interaotionisiri is employed to get the meaningful world

of the deviant respondents.

Such points overgeneralize the

response of deviants. As a inattr of fact, based on my findings

in this study, not all the deviants will

resist the 'label of

deviant identity' after the initial deviation.
primary
Secondly1

deviation may not neoesarily lead to secondary deviation.

It

depenth on the oonsciouness of the deviants and the level cf

aooeptanoe on Rorality of nornative society. Tbirdiy. continuity

of deviant acts does not always accompany acceptance on 'deviant

roles

and

deviant identity

secondary deviance but

identity'.

134

One iay continue to engage in

still resist

the 'label of deviant

Actually, there are two typ&s of deviants ho aceept the title of

devianl:. ideritity . The first type is those people who has highly

committed to the norms of the devjnt group. To sustain a deviant

identity and irienthership in a. deviant group, this type

has

incoporated the

personal

group's

signs

of deviant

and symbols into their

styles and to behave accorthnS to deviant norms.

own

Tine

spent is deviance on time spent away from the conventional world.

Becoming

niore involved with other deviants and avoiding

contact

with non-deviants facilitates the developnent of deviint identity

and

the

inaintainji-ig

deviant role.

It is

easier

to

sustain

a deviant identity under these optiinun conditions. In fact.,

complies

with

the

essence of different association

this

theory

to

explath deviation.

Hence,

the

more

the tixne spent on deviant oaeer,

the higher

position they have climbed in the social laider of deviant world,

the lesser the ohances they reject the label of deviant identity.

While

the deviants

have acquired a high

status

within

their

deviant group, they accept the deviant role and identity without;
in other words,

they are willing arid would be grateful to accept

the deviant identity

and to be engaged

in a variety of deviance

or even criminal affairs.

the stage

of

primary deviance renounce the label of deviant identity. Sonte

of

As

135

mentioned above,

not all deviants who are

in

the deviants who have committed some forms

accept that they are 'not good',
and

the

type

seoond
identity.

of

may adnit that

oine

concealed,

deviant with

the

them

acceptance

as

the

deviant

of

title even though their acts

lt is due to the fact

are

that these devi&its do not cast

off conventional traits and loyalties.

They do not renounce the

of behaviours which are essential to social stability and

social order.

society

They never really reject the morality of normative

so

arid

identity beoause
behaviours

they do not
they

and values.

repudiate

However

behaviours.

various

control3

certair

negative

label

of deviant

consensus

on

moral

Such ideas are internalized along

their

the ability to evaluate their own

by the same token,

may use

they still

excuses to rationalize their behaviours such

their

deviant

the

confirm the social

grog up process. Thus they own

from

e call

normal'

not discovered by other pecple. What can be accounted

for ths?

traits

deviant acts will

'different from

bad's

most extreme oase as 'deviant'

of

as

beyond

unable to control themselves in face of attraction

things

etc. .

Whether they will

behaviours or not depend ori the

reinforcement

on

extant

the commission

of

continue

their

of positive and
further

deviant

activities.

Eositive reinforcement to devianoe refers to the association with

deviant fellows which either exert pressure on their behaviour or
lead
136

to

the lack of practice in conventional roles

since

they

always

acquaixt with the deviant members.

definitely
Hoqever,
of

deterinthe

continuation

has

interplay with

exerted

the

further

a greater force in the

presence of

accept

who

disoontinue their

the

significant

positive

label

of

ftrther deviation.

reinforcement to deviance? It

fron

of

deviance.

if the negative reinfoecenent which reduces the. chances

deviation

deviants

the

Such association will

others

like

process

the

reinforcement,

deviant

identity

of

will

But what are the negative

the existence of social control

parents arid teachers

and

other

social control agencies such as police, probation officer? social

workers etc. .

valuation

of

It

also includes the perseverance of their proper

social

behaviours.

In the minds of this type

of

deviant, they accept the title just because they still have some
oonsciol.]sfleSS and they are on their initial sta,ge of deviance. If

in a later days

theu

it will be hard for

to cease deviation while there is nonexistence

control.

l7

they abandon all of these,

of

social

hi1e the general thoretica1 and methodological implications of

synbo1io interactjonjsin are commonly understood,

few

there have been

attempts to clireotly apply this perspective to the study

deviance

and deviant behaviour.

intention

In the present study it

is

of

my

to employ the methodological implications of symbolic

interaetioriism

to

stndy youth with deviant

behaviour

in

secondary school.

Reality
know,

is a social production which waits for people to

and most importantly of all is to understand.

consists

of social objects,

As such it

the meanings of which arise out

the

behaviours persons direct towards them.

Humans are

the

capacity

and

behaviour.

fitting

to
In

that

be

the

engaged in

interact with one another.

negotiated,

to tile behaviours

often times unpredictable concern.

manipulation

of

symbols,

of

granted

self-reflexive

standpoint
others,

Interaction is seen as

symbolic simply because minded,

the

'infnded

course of taking their own

standpoint

sense,

and

human

emergent,

Interaction

is

self-reflexive behaviour demands

words,

meanings

and

diverse

languages (Denzin, 172:269)..

In
138

employing

the

methodology

of

inspired

by

symbolic

interactionisn
standpoint

It

ta1es,

those

of

the best of my ability,

to

tuded.

attempt to grasp the

the

shifUng

relationship between attitudes and acts of the respondents. In an

attenpt

to study deviarie,

soirie causes for it.

to

examine

the

statistical
the

Researchers often use positivistic

ciases

behaviour.

Thus,

it

to

of deviance.

perception

say

While perception on deviant

deviance may also have

on

Sini1ar1y,

continuation of deviance.

the

an

effeot of

the strategies which are

deviant label are the result

of the

in deviant activities and on the other hand,

it can

employed for management

involvement

we cannot

for ocmjinitment of deviant aotivities

behaviour is a factor

be a cause for further continuation in deviation.

uieaningless

to

find

Therefore,

the causes for delinquency in

dijnensional way of analysis.

it

a uni-

comprehensive way ori the study of

should be used and could be accomplished by actively

entering the worlds o

behaviours,

those studied
139

a uni-

becomes

For instance,

deviant behaviour or vice versa.

deviance

the

devaint behaviour affects continuity

on

that whether perception

is

explain

analysis only which neglects interrelational factors

in the whole process

change in

approach

deviance by using sophisticated

They use iu1tivariate factors

deviant

of

dimensional

of

for

be

models which then ignore the deeper understanding ori

deviants.

emergence

it is undeniable that there nust

languages

the

respondents that is grounded on

definitions,

the

attitudes and feelings of

Based

on

the information gathered by observations and

interviews,
founth

patterns arid functions of deviant

in-depth

ubcu1tures

are

Guided by methodology of symbolic interactionisin, a close

inspection

of

representative,

episodic and negative

behaviour

specimens is conducted. A typology of deviant is contruct

two diinensins considered:

one is the respondents perception on

deviant icentity and the other one is the magnitudes of

continuation

with

with

deviance
situation

the comparison between the present

and the past one.

The perception on deviant label and the actual

continuation

deviant

of

behaviour

is

mitually

Different types of deviant represent the

involvement in deviant
concept
to

of

acoept

eoonciary

stages

influencing.

tune and level of

Type one refers to Lemert's

activities.

deviant who on the one hand feel no burden

the deviant identity and on the other

engage in further deviation.

Type

actively

hand

four refers to those deviant

This

who both resist deviant 1a1el and reduce further dev.ation.

fourth type of deviants seems to be the one who are mostly likely
fron deviant world if they keep on their actions in such

to quit
way.

Thus the typology made from this research may be

for policy inpleinentation to reduce juvenile

useful

guite

delinquency

or deviant youth in Hong Kong.

However,

one must be aware that those four types of deviant

probable

to changes in types as time passes.

types
140

of

deviants

are created,

it

is

Although

neither a

are

several

static

of

categorization of deviants nor an ending

When

deviant.

oonsideration,

tine

type

Ths

taken

is

me to find out the

shifting

among

further sthdies ori these direotions

into

another

due to limited tiiue available,

it

is

the deviant

re reeonended
really

in reality and the causes of shifting discovered,

policy

if a pattern of shifting in types

formulators

deliberately
identity.

141

element

deviant

eerhaps,

exist

for
,

or

one type of devient is able to shift to

type of deviant. However,

impossible

hrazes

f deviant process

will

have

a greater ability

change one's behaviour

or

of

crime

to control

perception

on

by

deviant

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