Normalization of Deviance CJ403 WK 6 Research Paper

Normalization of Deviance CJ403 WK 6 - Research Paper Example Vaughan cited the space shuttle Challenger disaster as an example. It led to the loss of 7 crew members because of the failure of the vehicle’s O-ring seal. There were already apparent flaws regarding its design in the early stages of the project. The first time that it was damaged, experts found a way to repair it. However, intermittent failures occurred in the testing stages. Besides the evident danger, the engineers decided that the Challenger was ready to be launched with â€Å"acceptable risk†. Then, after it fragmented 73 seconds into its flight, they were completely staggered. Basing on the aforementioned discussions, both the offender and the organization share the responsibilities. Using the Challenger example, the engineers on the project should have been sensitive enough while the observers and other individuals in NASA should have pointed out the obvious concerns. Since the offender is mostly unaware of the gravity of the situation, the organization must take aggressive measures. Hence, stopping the normalization of deviance is quite important in preventing mishaps. Astronaut Mullane (2009) specifically identifies several ways on how to deal with this phenomenon. It is significant to be acquainted with one’s susceptibility to it. Furthermore, planning the work and working the plan must be a religion. It is also valuable to contemplate on one’s instincts and to review past mistakes as well as near-misses. In general, the normalization of deviance has negative effects. If left unchecked, sizeable losses may ensue. Thus, individuals must be vigilant in addressing this social concern. Those who are affected must be wise. And those who are uninvolved must be courageous enough to point out the