Crime and Deviance- Interactionist theories

Question 1

Interactionism

Answer 1

Voluntaristic, argues that behaviour is influenced by meanings attached to situations which are determined by interactions with others.

Question 2

Braithwaite- reintegrative and disintegrative shaming

Answer 2

Positive role for labelling. It can lead to disintegrative shaming which stigmatises both the criminal and the crime, excluding the offender. Whereas, reintegrative shaming stigmatises the act and not the person which helps people reintegrate into society and it avoids criminals commiting secondary deviances. Crime rates tend to be lower where this method is used.

Question 3

Becker- Moral entrepeneurs

Answer 3

Argues that a deviant is someone who hasn’t successfully had a label applied to them. Moral entrepeneurs are people who lead a moral ‘crusade’ to change the law. This law has 2 effects- a group of ‘outsiders’ (deviants) who break the new rule. Creation of a social control agency to enforce rules/ impose labels. SCA may campaign for a change in the law to increase power, SCAs label people e.g FB of Narcotics campaigned for the ill effects on young people who they have labelled.

Question 4

Cicourel- officer typifications

Answer 4

Typifications lead to concentration on certain ‘types’, where the police patrol w/c areas more and arrest them more and other agents of social control within the CJS reinforce this. Juvenile delinquency was viewed as being caused by broken homes and poverty. These youths are seen as likely to offend in the future. Justice is negotiable- m/c are less likely to be charged as they don’t fit the typifications and have convincing parents. OCS is invalid.