Interactionism and Labelling Theory

Question 1

Why crime & deviance is a social construction (Becker)

Answer 1

• not naturally occurring, created by society
• deviance is in the eye of the beholder

moral entrepreneurs: ruling class, government, law makers

labelling depends on appearance, background, circumstances

Question 2

Cicourel’s concept of the negotiation of justice

Answer 2

officers typification’s (stereotypes) cause them to focus in particular areas (e.g WC)
- more arrests which confirmed stereotypes

Question 3

Why are crime statistics
a social construct (cicourel)

Answer 3

• police make decisions to proceed or not based on typification’s

dark figure: difference between official statistics and real rate

Question 4

Lemert’s separation of primary and secondary deviance

Answer 4

• primary deviance not publicly labelled, so widespread (fare dodging)
• secondary deviance, societal reaction, caught, stigmatised. becomes master status, controls identity (‘thief’)

hostility from society may lead to further deviancy

Question 5

Braithwaite’s concepts of disintegrative and
reintegrative shaming

Answer 5

disintegrative= labels crime and criminal, excluded from society

reintegrative= labels the act, not actor, he has done a bad thing (avoids stigma)

Question 6

relationship between labelling theory and suicide

Answer 6

Douglas, to be labelled a suicide depends on interactions (relatives feel guilt, coroner suicide is a sin)
stats dont tell meanings, must use qualitative data + interpretations

Question 7

relationship between mental illness and labelling theory

Answer 7

labels on mental illness are social constructs from those in power

Question 8

Evaluate labelling theory

Answer 8

law is enforced in discriminatory ways

• deterministic
• without it, crime wouldnt exist
• less serious crimes?