iving while under the influence, using or dealing street drugs, and being involved in criminal acts. In todays society we see more and more athletes pushing the limits when it comes to deviance off the field. Many athletes believe that since they are celebrities to the American public that certain rules do not apply to them. Coakley states that the Los Angeles Times reported that during 1995 in the U.S., there were newspaper stories on 350 intercollegiate and professional athletes, nearly all men, who were implicated in 252 cases of crimes and criminal charges. The cases of criminal assault outnumbered those of any other type of offense, and most of the assault cases involved women as victims. Drug possession and use were the next most frequently mentioned charges. The bad thing about this is that when athletes are charged with a crime they receive wide spread media coverage which broadcasts all around the world. In doing this it shows the young adults of the world that famous athletes are being confronted by the same pressures they are confronted with everyday and are giving in to them. Also, when athletes are charged with crimes they have well paid attorneys to get their charges dropped and nothing is usually done except maybe a fine or two game suspension by the athletic board. This message sent to the younger adults of society illustrates that it is somewhat okay to commit deviant acts whether they are positive or negative. Through this, society sees a copycat effect of deviant acts throughout the world because young adults now emulate their idols who have engaged in criminal acts of deviance. With these facts in mind the American society asks themselves what is the world of sports coming to in society since public icons are doing the things they inform others not to do.Finally, the question comes to mind of why are male athletes found to engage in acts of deviance more so than woman? Coakley states, that when men become...
