Crime Topic 2 - Labelling Theory Flashcards
What is the focus of labelling theory?
Labelling theory examines how and why certain acts and people are labelled as deviant and the consequences of this labelling for future actions.
What do labelling theorists argue about deviance?
They argue that it is not the nature of the act that makes it deviant, but the nature of society’s reaction to the act.
What theoretical approach does labelling theory derive from?
Labelling theory derives from interactionism, which sees social reality as constructed through interactions.
How do functionalists view official statistics on crime?
Functionalists take official statistics for granted as true representations of crime patterns and seek to discover the causes of crime.
What is the significance of moral entrepreneurs in law-making?
Moral entrepreneurs lead moral crusades to change laws, believing it will benefit those affected by the laws.
What are the two effects of a new law according to Becker?
- Creation of a new group of outsiders (deviants). 2. Creation or expansion of a social control agency.
What did Platt argue about juvenile delinquency?
Platt argued that the concept of juvenile delinquency was created by Victorian moral entrepreneurs to protect young people at risk.
What was Becker’s study on cannabis use in the USA about?
Becker studied the outlawing of cannabis in 1937, arguing that the moral campaign was about extending the Federal Bureau of Narcotics’ influence.
What factors influence whether a person is arrested?
Factors include interactions with social control agencies, appearance, background, and circumstances of the offence.
What did Piliavin & Briar find regarding police arrests?
They found that police decisions to arrest were based on physical cues like dress and manner, leading to judgments about character.
What is Cicourel’s view on police typifications?
Cicourel argued that police typifications led to a class bias in law enforcement, focusing on certain types of offenders.
What is the difference between primary and secondary deviance according to Lemert?
Primary deviance consists of trivial acts not publicly labelled, while secondary deviance results from societal reaction and public labelling.
What is a master status in the context of labelling theory?
A master status is a label that becomes the controlling identity of an individual, overshadowing all other identities.
What is the deviant career concept?
A deviant career refers to the path individuals may take after being labelled, often leading them into deviant subcultures.
What is the dark figure of crime?
The dark figure of crime refers to the unreported or undetected crime that official statistics do not capture.
What does Lemert argue about the relationship between social control and deviance?
Lemert argues that social control leads to deviance, contrasting with functionalist views that deviance leads to social control.
What is the significance of Cohen’s study on mods and rockers?
Cohen’s study illustrates the deviancy amplification spiral, where societal reactions to deviance lead to further deviance.
What are the implications of labelling theory for policy makers?
Labelling theory suggests that negative labels push individuals towards deviant careers, advocating for fewer laws to reduce deviance.
What is Braithwaite’s distinction between disintegrative and reintegrative shaming?
Disintegrative shaming labels both the crime and individual as bad, while reintegrative shaming labels only the act, allowing for forgiveness.
What is the interactionist view on suicide?
Interactionists reject Durkheim’s reliance on official statistics and argue for studying the meanings behind suicide from the perspective of the deceased.
What did Douglas argue about the classification of suicide?
Douglas argued that the classification of suicide is influenced by social actors and may produce bias in coroner verdicts.
What is Lemert’s view on mental illness?
Lemert views mental illness labels as social constructs that can lead to secondary deviance through societal reactions.
What does Atkinson argue about official statistics on suicide?
Atkinson argues that official statistics are merely records of labels attached by coroners and do not reveal the true meanings of suicides.
What is the beginning of secondary deviance?
The negative response to being labeled as odd, leading to discussions about how to deal with the individual, which confirms their suspicions and paranoia.
What does ATKINSON argue about official statistics on suicide?
He argues that they are just records of the labels that coroners attach and that we can never fully know the meanings individuals give to their suicides.
What factors do coroners consider typical of suicides according to ATKINSON?
Certain modes of death (e.g., hanging), location and circumstances of death, and life history (e.g., recent bereavement).
What is a critique of ATKINSON’s theory?
If all we have are interpretations rather than real facts, then his theory is no more than an interpretation.
What does GOFFMAN’s study ‘Asylum’ illustrate?
The effects of being admitted to a ‘total institution’ where the patient’s identity is lost and replaced by a new one, ‘inmate’.
What is ‘mortification of the self’?
A process where an individual’s identity is lost upon admission to a total institution.
What similarities do prisons, armies, and boarding schools share?
They all can be considered total institutions where individuals undergo identity changes.
What is one critique of the determinism perspective in labeling theory?
It suggests that once someone is labeled, a deviant career is inevitable.
How does labeling theory give offenders a victim status?
The focus on the negative effect of the label gives offenders a victim status, but this ignores the real victims of crime.
What assumption does labeling theory make about offenders?
It assumes that offenders are passive victims of labeling, ignoring that some individuals actively choose deviance.
What does labeling theory fail to explain?
It fails to explain primary deviance, or why people engage in deviant behavior before being labeled.
What strange conclusion does labeling theory imply?
It implies that without labeling, deviance would not exist, suggesting that unlabelled individuals who commit crimes are not deviant.
What does labeling theory recognize about power?
It recognizes the role of power in creating deviance but fails to analyze the source of this power.
What is a limitation of the focus of labeling theory?
It tends to focus on less serious crimes, such as drug-taking.
