What does the phrase "structure of the deviant act" mean?

Deviant behavior is any behavior that goes against social norms. Not all deviant behaviors are the same or have the same effect on society. To grasp the effect of a specific act on society, the structure of the deviant act has to be considered.

The structure of the deviant act takes into account aspects of the deviant behavior such as who it involves, the impact on society as a whole, the severity of the act...

Deviant behavior is any behavior that goes against social norms. Not all deviant behaviors are the same or have the same effect on society. To grasp the effect of a specific act on society, the structure of the deviant act has to be considered.

The structure of the deviant act takes into account aspects of the deviant behavior such as who it involves, the impact on society as a whole, the severity of the act and the reason for the behavior. The interventions, if deemed necessary, are based on the structure of the deviant act rather than the fact that a deviant act has taken place.

A the same deviant act may affect one person or many, as is the case with alcoholism and drug use. If someone starts a bar fight, but the fight is ended when the parties are separated and sent home, the act has a different structure and different consequences than if one of the fighters follows the other out and beats him severely. On the other end, some behaviors are viewed as deviant simply because they deviate from normal behavior, but cause no harm to any member of society including the person engaging in behavior. This is also taken into account when viewing the structure of the deviant act. The function of the act is also taken into consideration and, in some cases, adjusted. When possible and necessary, consequences may be made to make the function of the deviant behavior satisfy able by other means or cancelled out by repercussions. For example, stealing is not as tempting if the reward of getting more money or a particular item is weighed against the risk of jail time.

In society, remediation and reparation are the main ways that deviant acts are dealt with. Without looking at the structure or function of the behavior, inappropriate or insufficient attempts to bring the behavior back to main stream may result. There is no benefit to sending someone needing addiction services to jail solely for the deviance of being an addict and it is insufficient to remind someone politely that murder goes against social norms. 

By analyzing the deviant behavior, we can establish the structure of the deviant act. By understanding this structure, society can then determine what, if any, changes need to be made to protect the person engaging in the act or protect society.