Interactionism Flashcards
What is the interactionist perspective of crime?
Belongs to the interpretivist perspective, which is interested in how people interpret and socially construct the world around them.
They are interested in looking at how criminality develops through social interactions.
Howard Becker
Social Construction & Relativity of Deviance
No act in itself is deviant.
Deviance is relative to the norms and values at the time and culturally determined; it must be a social construction.
Howard Becker
Deviance & Social Control
Individuals and acts become deviant because they are labelled as deviant by agents of social control.
This ‘labelling of deviance’ by the agents of social control is influenced by and influences societal reaction.
Howard Becker
Interpretation of Deviance
Suggests that individuals are deviant because they are labelled as deviant by agent of social control.
Deviance is not an act, but the reaction to a label attached to the person defined as deviant.
Argues the social construction of deviance requires 2 actions:
1. A group which lacks power and acts in a particular way
2. Another group with more power, responding negatively to it and defines and labels their actions as deviant
Howard Becker
Moral Entrepreneurs
These are groups with power.
They play a key role in society.
They are groups or individuals that seek to change the law.
Howard Becker
Master Status
This describes a status which is more prominent than all the others
Charles Cooley
Looking Glass Self
We develop our sense of self.
This is influenced by how we imagine others see us.
Our identity is socially constructed and shaped by the people around us.
Frank Tannenbaum
Labelling & Dramatisation of Evil
Called the process of attaching a label to deviants as the dramatisation of evil.
The process of making a criminal involves 3 areas:
*Tagging - the act carried out by the individual results in a deviant tag
*Defining - the individuals become defined by the deviant tag and the reaction of society
*Identifying - the person identifies with the initial tag allocated by society and a self fulfilling prophecy takes place
Edwin Lemert
Primary & Secondary Deviance
Primary Deviance - describes insignificant deviant acts, which have not been publicly labelled, primary deviants do not see themselves as deviant e.g petty theft
Secondary Deviance - considered more serious, typical of more frequent offending after they have been caught, labelled as deviant e.g murder
Stages of the move from primary to secondary deviance (process in creating criminals):
1. Primary deviance
2. Social penalties
3. Further primary deviance
4. Stronger penalties
5. Further deviation with hostility
6. Formal action by community
7. Strengthening of deviant conduct
8. Secondary deviance
John Braithwaite
Shaming Theory
Disintegrative Shaming - current approach to crime and deviance. The person labelled as a permanent deviant has little choice but to associate with similarly labelled people. Leads to recidivism (repeat offending)
Reintegrative Shaming - reinforces bonds and reduced recidivism. Offender is treated as a good person who’s performed a bad act, it is the act rather than the person being stigmatised
Restorative Justice - the policy of reintegrative shaming, brings the victim and offender together to give the victim closure.
Leslie K. Wilkins
Deviancy Amplification
Deviant act
|
Crime
|
Operation of ‘news values’ (media selecting worthwhile stories)
|
Crime as news
|
Deviancy amplification (target certain acts and increase awareness of it)
|
Moral Panic (intense public concern)
|
Public definition of crime
Stanley Cohen
Application of Deviancy Amplification with Folk Devils and Moral Panics
Applied to the concept of deviancy amplification which is a process by which the mass media exaggerate the extent and seriousness of the behaviour.
This leads to higher levels of deviancy, therefore the deviancy amplification spiral plays a key role in causing crime and deviance.
An act or behaviour of a group of people may become defined as criminal as a result of public reaction to media headlines.
Wilkins suggests this is a cycle, with the media continually amplifying different acts of deviance.
Aaron Cicourel
Typifications and the Negotiation of Justice
Typifications - relationship between labelling, social class, ethnicity, delinquency. Police have a type and young working class black males are targeted.
Negotiation of Justice - delinquency rates similar in middle class and working class. Middle class less likely to be charged with offences. Police target poor areas. Middle class delinquency is seen as a lack of judgement and ‘youthful high spirits’
