Interactionalism and Crime

Question 1

Interactionalist theory summary

Answer 1

Focus on the social construction of crime, whereby an act only becomes deviant when labelled through society’s reaction.

However not every deviant act or criminal is labelled, and labelling theory is enforced against certain groups. Some sociologists believe labelling may cause an individual to be defined a master status.

Question 2

Becker - labelling theory

Answer 2

A deviant is someone who the label has been successfully applied, and deviant behaviour is simply behaviour that people so label. Those who are labelled are labelled based on gender, class and ethnicity.

Question 3

Cicourel stereotypes

Answer 3

Officers stereotypes of the typical criminal lead to them concentrate on types of people that are more likely to offend - for instance, by patrolling working class areas.

Question 4

Lemert - primary and secondary deviance

Answer 4

Primary deviance - deviant acts not publicly labelled as criminal

secondary deviance - deviant acts that are labelled. people may only see him according to his master status, which may lead to a deviant career because they struggle to find employment

Question 5

Braithwaite - shaming

Answer 5

Reintegrative shaming - punishes in a way to strengthen bond in society

Disintegrative shaming - punishment which isolates the individual and causes secondary deviance

Question 6

Douglas - official stats and suicide

Answer 6

Rejects the use of official statistics when examining suicide. Whether a death is labelled as a suicide depends on the interactions between social actors (doctors, the coroner, family). Statistics tell us nothing about the meaning behind an individual’s decision to commit suicide