THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT DEVIANCE IS ESTABLISHED IN SOCIAL ROLES AND IS PERPETUATED BY THE VERY FORCES DIRECTED TO ITS ELIMINATION OR CONTROL. HE COMPARES THIS THEORY WITH MORE TRADITIONAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES ON DEVIANCY, AND THEN PRESENTS CASE STUDIES TO ILLUSTRATE THE USEFULNESS OF HIS THEORY. THESE CASE STUDIES EXAMINE SUBJECTS SUCH AS THE FORMS AND PATHOLOGY OF DRINKING IN POLYNESIAN SOCIETIES, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE SYSTEMATIC CHECK FORGER, AND LEGAL COMMITMENT AND SOCIAL CONTROL.