Elite Deviance

As the United States is consumed with the scandal involving President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, many citizens have wondered why a man at the apex of his career would endanger himself and his family for the sake of a few cheap thrills. Here, Simon (sociology, U. of Calif., Berkeley and San Jose State U.), in an update of his textbook, classifies such behavior as a form of elite deviance, which also includes corporate immorality (such as excessive corporate compensation) and political corruption. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.