interactionalism Flashcards
How is a crime a social construction?
We are labelled based on stereotypes.
What do labels lead to?
Self fulfilling prophecy and crime
Why do interactionalists not trust official statistics?
The police do not enforce law equally, just use labels.
What is a problem with the interactions between police and people?
There a microlevels of interaction between police and people
instead of external social factors
What is the labelling theory?
how and why certain criminals act defines someone as criminal
What do they say about criminal acts?
No act is inherently criminal only becomes true when the label is given
What is crime and deviance a product of?
Societies reaction to crime
What does Becker say a deviant is?
Someone who the label has applied to.
What does Becker say deviant behaviour is?
A behaviour that people label as deviant.
What are laws made by?
Moral entrepreneurs
What is a moral entrepreneur?
Those who embark on moral crusades to change laws.
What are the effects of these laws/labels?
Creates outsiders, those who weren’t deviant suddenly are.
Expansion of social control to impose labels on offenders.
What does Lemert talk about?
Primary and secondary deviance
What is primary deviance?
Deviant acts that have not been publicly labelled as criminal.
What is secondary deviance?
Deviant acts and individuals who are labelled.
What does secondary deviance lead to?
Master status and deviant careers
What is the process of primary deviance?
1 - action is witnessed but not formal
2 - No label given
What is the process of secondary deviance?
1 - Action is witnessed
2 - person is labeled
3 - person is rejected by society
4 - person rejects society
5 - deviant career
What are criticisms of interactionalism?
Deviant becomes victim of labelling and so not blamed for behaviour - blames the victim
Assumes victims are passive victims of labelling
Ignores if they chose deviance
Deterministic as it implies if someone is labeled a deviant career is inevitable.
Focusses on less serious crimes like drug taking.
