Deviance

Deviance can be basically definied as do something that is against society's norms. While this is usually negative, deviance can be positive like buying a stranger a cup of coffee or thanking your teacher after class. But if you focus on negative deviance, what seperates the "Saints" from the "Roughnecks" is society's perception of their actions. The Roughnecks were poor minorities whose negative actions were often visible to everyone since they didn't have many options. The Saints were able to drive to the city or drive far away from campus so as not to be caught by people who knew them. And even if they weren't caught, their deviance would be seen as a mistake, a one time screw up, while the Roughnecks were typically thought of as having no future.
I think that while this sterotyping of people who commit deviant behavior is wrong, it comes down to are you willing to play the game. A student can "forget" to do their homework but apologize to the teacher and turn it in the next day and possibly not lose credit. This student knows how to play the game even though he might hate the class and have no desire to work.
Just something to think about... Is downloading media illegally really deviant behavior? Sure there are consequences, but is it that against social customs that you're looked down upon?