CRIME AND DEVIANCE - Interactionism + Labelling Theory --> Becker, Cicourel, Reiner, Lemert, Braithwaite, Jock Young and Stan Cohen

Question 1

What is the definition of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

Answer 1

To live up to a label that is placed on you!

Question 2

What is the definition of Labelling?

Answer 2

To apply a stereotypical characteristic / label onto an individual.

Question 3

What is the definition of the Master Status?

Answer 3

A status that replaces all other features of a person’s social standing; they are solely judged in terms of the label (by themselves and by others) - They internalise the label!

Question 4

What is the definition of Primary Deviance?

Answer 4

Deviance that has not been labelled by society as being ‘deviant’! (Behaviour that has yet to be labelled)!

Question 5

What is the definition of Secondary Deviance?

Answer 5

Acts of deviance that follow an individual once they have been labelled as a ‘deviant’. (What behaviour / actions a person does after they have been outed as a ‘deviant’)

Question 6

What is the definition of Symbolic Interactionism?

Answer 6

A theory that argues that the world is made up by social construction (socially constructed elements)! Humans give meanings to people and other things that can change how individuals act towards each other / different institutions / different things!

Question 7

What is the definition of ‘high jinx’?

Answer 7

Anti-social behaviour, including littering and the Bullingdon Club!

Some anti-social behaviour when carried out by white, middle-class individuals may be seen as ‘high jinx’ and accepted (such as the Bullingdon Club)! However, when carried out by other youths, these individuals may be seen as deviants, and their behaviour be deemed ‘unacceptable’!

Question 8

What sociologist studies Labelling?

Answer 8

Howard Becker!

Question 9

(BECKER) What are the quotes he says that link deviancy to labelling?

Answer 9

‘Deviance is that which we label!’

‘Deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label!’

Question 10

(BECKER) What does the labelling theory say regarding people committing crime?

Answer 10

Most people commit crime in their day to day lives, such as speeding!

However, only some people are caught and stigmatised (especially by the media)!

Question 11

(BECKER) According to the labelling theory, what types of individuals are more likely to have a negative label applied on them?

Answer 11

Individuals from minority groups, especially those regarding race and sexuality!

Question 12

(BECKER) What are the 5 things that the labelling theory focuses on?

Answer 12

1. The INTERACTION between deviants and those who define / label them as such (EG = Institutions)
2. The PROCESS whereby rules are selectively enforced and why the response to rule breaking is not always the same for everyone (EG = Selective enforcement and the difference between White and Blue Collar crimes).
3. The CONSEQUENCES of being labelled as a ‘deviant’ (EG = The impact on society and the individual themselves)
4. The INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES in which a person isset apart from society and defined as a ‘deviant’
5. An analysis of who has the power to ATTACH ‘DEVIANT’ LABELS and make the ‘stick’ (EG = Institutions, like the media)

Question 13

(BECKER) Give a definition of ‘moral enforcers’ and provide some examples.

Answer 13

Agencies who have the power and the resources to create or enforce rules and impose their own definitions of what is and is not ‘deviant’.

Examples include: The Media and the Police (Law Enforcement)

Question 14

Give an example of an act that is criminal in one context and deviant in another. HINT: Name as many as you can; there are 3 examples here!

Answer 14

1. A nurse injecting opiates into a patient is acceptable but a teenager injecting opiates in a park is criminal and deviant!
2. Wearing swimwear at the beach is okay, but not in a board meeting!
3. Killing is criminal, but in a war it is seen as acceptable!

Society constructs what is deviant and what is not!

Question 15

(BECKER) Why do Moral Enforcers (such as the Media and the Police) enforce and impose certain rules on people?

Answer 15

• Due to an individual’s class, gender and ethnicity –> Links to institutional racism!
• Social control = Rules are made by rich individuals in order to benefit them!

Question 16

Explain what the Bullingdon Club was!

Answer 16

This was an Oxford Society that included individuals such as Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

These individuals would hire out places, such as restaurants, and they would get drunk and wreck the place. The next day, however, they would pay off the bill!

They were LABELLED as rich people who were ‘letting off steam’, instead of ‘delinquents’ –> Because they were wealthy, they were not negatively labelled. However, if these had been working-class people, they would have received a different reaction!

Question 17

What sociologist looked into the Negotiation of Justice and Typification?

Answer 17

Aaron Cicourel

Question 18

(CICOUREL) Explain his study into Typification and how it links to the labelling theory!

Answer 18

He studied police in California and he found that the police were more likely to arrest people who fitted the picture of having a poor school performance, were from a low-income background, where from a ‘poor’ area, or where from an ethnic minority group –> The police were judging individuals based on certain stereotypes and they were applying a label to them!

Question 19

(CICOUREL) Explain his study into the Negotiation of Justice!

Answer 19

He found that rich people, who have a specific address that may be in a wealthy / upper-class area or those who had links and connections, would be able to negotiate justice on the behalf of their children or relatives who got into trouble; this would allow parents to convince the police to give their children a reduced punishment.

This was not possible for working-class parents, perhaps due to the limited cultural capital and the weakened restricted speech code!

Question 20

(CICOUREL) Summarise Cicourel’s studies in relation to the labelling theory!

Answer 20

The police were applying labels to people who they believed should and shouldn’t be charged for crimes - Typification!

Certain types of people are more or less likely to be able to negotiate their way out of crime - Negotiation of Justice!

Question 21

What sociologist continued to look at Cicourel’s work on Typification, especially regarding ethnic minority groups and working-class youths?

Answer 21

Reiner!

Question 22

(REINER) Explain Reiner’s study!

Answer 22

They found they ethnic minorities or working-class youths who live in specific areas are targeted more by the police who believe that the area has a ‘negative label’! –> These areas are usually more run-down areas, with high levels of unemployment and working-class individuals, rather than being wealthy, middle-class areas!

Reiner said that the police target specific areas with a high population of working-class and ethnic minority individuals; this means that these people will get labelled more negatively and frequently, and explains why numbers of working-class youths and ethnic minority individuals are high in crime statistics!

Question 23

What are some Strengths and Limitations of Interactionism? (HINT: Name as many points as you can; there are 2 strengths and 3 weaknesses here)!

Answer 23

STRENGTHS:

• This theory / approach looks into the ‘looking-glass self’ (Cooley)!
• The theory / approach shows the importance and impact of the labelling theory

LIMITATIONS:

• It doesn’t look into or analyse the Marxist perspective on crime
• It doesn’t look into the victims of crime or offer them any support
• It is a micro approach; it doesn’t assess how the state can repress an individual

Question 24

What sociologist studied Primary and Secondary Deviance?

Answer 24

Edwin Lemert!

Question 25

(LEMERT) What is Primary Deviance?

Answer 25

The 1st act of deviance.

This is when the individuals hasn’t been caught yet / publicly labelled! They have not yet been labelled by society, so they can continue living their lives out normally and conventionally –> The person may only feel the impact of the actions psychologically!

Question 26

(LEMERT) What is Secondary Deviance?

Answer 26

When the person has been labelled for their deviancy / crimes; they begin to witness a ‘second layer’ of judgement and a reaction from individuals in society!

They are ‘named and shamed’, which coxes a reaction from society! The reaction from society decides whether a person’s behaviour is ‘deviant’ or not –> This affects their status and may make it difficult for them to get a job if they have a criminal record.

Question 27

(LEMERT) What did he claim was a major cause of deviance / deviant behaviour?

Answer 27

He claimed that SOCIETAL REACTION can be seen as the major cause of deviance / deviant behaviour! He said that the blame for deviance / deviant behaviour lies with the agents of social control, such as the government, the media and the police, rather than the deviant themselves!

Question 28

(LEMERT) What did he study? Can you briefly explain his study?

Answer 28

He studied stuttering and the societal reaction to it in a community of (what we would now call) Native Americans.

If a child had a speech impediment, like a stutter, they would be shamed and made fun of, due to the importance of speech and oracy in this community!

This then made the children’s stutters worse, as they were so worried and concerned about it!

In these communities, labels were placed upon children who had these stutters; however, in other societies and communities, children do not have a label placed upon them, which allows them to grow / develop out of them as they were not anxious about it!

Question 29

What sociologist studied Disintegrative and Reintegrative Shaming?

Answer 29

Braithwaite - Placing a label onto a PERSON or onto their BEHAVIOUR!

Question 30

(BRAITHWAITE) What is Disintegrative Shaming?

Answer 30

Labelling a PERSON! This doesn’t allow the person to reject the label and come back into society –> This basically links to ‘naming and shaming’ offenders in order to publicly shame them and not allow them to come back into society!

Question 31

(BRAITHWAITE) What is Reintegrative Shaming?

Answer 31

Labelling a PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR! This allows the person to work on their behaviour, reform themselves and come back into society –> This links to treating offenders in a way that allows them to remain a part of society whilst making clear that they have done something wrong!

Question 32

(BRAITHWAITE) What are the 4 Points that identify when Reintegrative Shaming has been accomplished?

Answer 32

1. The SOCIAL BONDS between the person and society are NO BROKEN
2. The shaming is directed at an ACTION not a person!
3. The shaming is delivered in a way so that the offender can COME BACK TO SOCIETY!
4. The shaming is terminated with GESTURES OF ACCEPTANCE back into society!

Question 33

What sociologist studied Societal Reaction, in particular hippies, the use of drugs and their connection to the labelling theory?

Answer 33

Jock Young!

Question 34

(JOCK YOUNG) Explain Young’s study into hippies in the 1960s and it connection to the labelling theory.

Answer 34

He noted how hippies used marijuana (dope) as part of their lifestyle. However, he found that once they were labelled as ‘dope users’, they used dope as ‘the’ symbol of the hippie movement, rather than just being ‘a’ symbol of the movement!

He also said that, once hippies were labelled as ‘druggies’ for using marijuana, they would commit more crimes, as it caused a deviant subculture to develop. The hippies internalise the label of ‘druggies’, which led to the self-fulfilling prophecy and drove a wedge between the hippies and the rest of society!

Question 35

What sociologist studied Moral Panic and Folk Devils?

Answer 35

Stan Cohen!

Question 36

(S. COHEN) What did he study in the 60s as an example of ‘Moral panic’?

Answer 36

Mods and Rockers and the fight on Brighton pier!

Question 37

(S. COHEN) What is the definition of Moral Panic?

Answer 37

An over-the-top reaction to an issue that appears to relate to morality (what is right and what is wrong). This is exacerbated by the media, as seen by the 2011 London Riots!

Question 38

(S. COHEN) What are Folk Devils?

Answer 38

Someone that the media picks out as a problem / the main issue!

Cohen argued that when the media reports on deviant behaviour, a narrative is constructed that depicts a clear villain: the folk devil! This makes people look negatively at them and want to fight them, as seen with the ‘Mods’ and ‘Rockers’.

Question 39

(S. COHEN) What does he say regarding the media’s influence in increasing deviancy!

Answer 39

He says that the media amplifies issues and makes the situation worse. This creates a large subculture / idea that people want to live up to / join, which can lead to an increase in the amount of deviancy.

Some people want to join a subculture for their ‘five minutes of fame’!