2. Interactionism and Labelling Theory Flashcards
Where do interactionists stand with crime?
There is no such thing as as criminal or deviant act
Becker - the social construction of crime
It’s not the nature of the act that makes it deviant, it’s the nature of society’s reaction to the act
B - SCC
Becker - the social construction of crime
Who leads a moral crusade in order to change the law (B-SCC)?
Moral entrepreneurs
Two effects of moral entrepreneurs changing the law (B-SCC)
Creation of new group of outsiders (ones that break the new law)
Creation/expansion of social control agency to enforce the law
What increases the control that social control agencies have? (B-SCC)
The more laws that are created
Examples used for Becker’s social construction of crime
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned marijuana use which created new group of criminals and gave more power to social control agencies
Who developed the labelling theory?
Becker
Becker’s labelling theory on a deviant act
An act only becomes deviant when it’s labelled as such
Who establishes what is considered criminal according to Becker’s labelling theory?
Those in power establish what is considered as criminal/deviant through law formation
Result of social constructed nature of crime/deviance (Becker’s labelling theory)
Socially constructed nature of crime and deviance means it varies over time and between cultures
3 factors affecting whether someone is arrested, charged and convicted (Becker’s labelling theory)
Interactions with agencies of social control
Appearance and background
Situation and circumstances of offence
Who stated that police are 28x more likely to stop-and-search black people than white people?
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHMR)
What did Reinr state about labelling of criminals?
Police more likely to stop, arrest and prosecute young men from lower classes and from ethnic minority groups
What did Lemert talk about?
The consequences of labelling
Primary and secondary deviance according to Lemert
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
What does the negative label become (Lemert)?
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)
Consequence of labelling a criminal (Lemert)
They become stigmatised, which may lead them to join deviant subcultures
Deviance amplification spiral
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
Who developed the negotiable label?
Cicourel
What did Cicourel find about police arrest and prosecution patterns?
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
Impact of labelling on crime statistics according to Cicourel
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
Positive of reintegrative shaming
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
Positive evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime (3)
Recognises role of power in creating deviance
Recognises police discrimination
Identifies issues with crime statistics
Negative evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime: too deterministic
States that once labelled, a deviant career is inevitable
Negative evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime: what does it ignore? (2)
Ignores victims by focusing on labels given to criminals
Ignores that individuals may actively choose crime
Negative evaluation of interactionalism and labelling theory on crime: what does it fail to explain?
Fails to explain why people commit crime
