2. Interactionism and Labelling Theory

Question 1

Where do interactionists stand with crime?

Answer 1

There is no such thing as as criminal or deviant act

Question 2

Becker - the social construction of crime

Answer 2

It’s not the nature of the act that makes it deviant, it’s the nature of society’s reaction to the act

Question 3

B - SCC

Answer 3

Becker - the social construction of crime

Question 4

Who leads a moral crusade in order to change the law (B-SCC)?

Answer 4

Moral entrepreneurs

Question 5

Two effects of moral entrepreneurs changing the law (B-SCC)

Answer 5

Creation of new group of outsiders (ones that break the new law)
Creation/expansion of social control agency to enforce the law

Question 6

What increases the control that social control agencies have? (B-SCC)

Answer 6

The more laws that are created

Question 7

Examples used for Becker’s social construction of crime

Answer 7

The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned marijuana use which created new group of criminals and gave more power to social control agencies

Question 8

Who developed the labelling theory?

Answer 8

Becker

Question 9

Becker’s labelling theory on a deviant act

Answer 9

An act only becomes deviant when it’s labelled as such

Question 10

Who establishes what is considered criminal according to Becker’s labelling theory?

Answer 10

Those in power establish what is considered as criminal/deviant through law formation

Question 11

Result of social constructed nature of crime/deviance (Becker’s labelling theory)

Answer 11

Socially constructed nature of crime and deviance means it varies over time and between cultures

Question 12

3 factors affecting whether someone is arrested, charged and convicted (Becker’s labelling theory)

Answer 12

Interactions with agencies of social control
Appearance and background
Situation and circumstances of offence

Question 13

Who stated that police are 28x more likely to stop-and-search black people than white people?

Answer 13

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHMR)

Question 14

What did Reinr state about labelling of criminals?

Answer 14

Police more likely to stop, arrest and prosecute young men from lower classes and from ethnic minority groups

Question 15

What did Lemert talk about?

Answer 15

The consequences of labelling

Question 16

Primary and secondary deviance according to Lemert

Answer 16

Primary deviance - deviant act that hasn’t been publicly labelled as such so has little affect on the individual
Secondary deviance - act has been publicly labelled as deviant so will affect the individual’s status

Question 17

What does the negative label become (Lemert)?

Answer 17

The negative label becomes the master label and this dominates and shapes how others see the individual (E.g. criminal or mental patient becomes what people know the individual by)

Question 18

Consequence of labelling a criminal (Lemert)

Answer 18

They become stigmatised, which may lead them to join deviant subcultures

Question 19

Deviance amplification spiral

Answer 19

When an attempt to control a small initial deviation spirals into ever-increasing levels of deviance through processes of labelling and over reaction from the media

Question 20

Who developed the negotiable label?

Answer 20

Cicourel

Question 21

What did Cicourel find about police arrest and prosecution patterns?

Answer 21

Police would arrest and prosecute those who fitted their stereotypical view of an offender
Police less likely to arrest and prosecute white m/c youths that committed same crimes as black w/c youths

Question 22

Impact of labelling on crime statistics according to Cicourel

Answer 22

Labelling meant that stereotypical criminal was included more in crime statistics, leading to more policing in areas where they may be, leading to more arrests and ultimately reinforcing the statistic

Question 23

Positive of reintegrative shaming

Answer 23

Avoids stigmatising the offender while making them aware that their act in unacceptable, encouraging forgiveness
Crimes rates tend to be lower in societies where reintegrative shaming is dominant way of dealing with criminality

Question 24

Positive evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime (3)

Answer 24

Recognises role of power in creating deviance
Recognises police discrimination
Identifies issues with crime statistics

Question 25

Negative evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime: too deterministic

Answer 25

States that once labelled, a deviant career is inevitable

Question 26

Negative evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime: what does it ignore? (2)

Answer 26

Ignores victims by focusing on labels given to criminals
Ignores that individuals may actively choose crime

Question 27

Negative evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime: what does it fail to explain?

Answer 27

Fails to explain why people commit crime