Labelling theory

Question 1

the social construction of deviance

Answer 1

Becker: powerful social groups (RC/MC) create deviance by creating rules and applying them to particular people whom they label as outsiders.
an act or person only becomes deviant once they have been labelled.
moral entrepreneurs: people who lead moral crusade to change law. has two effects:
1.) the creation of a new group of outsiders - outlaws or deviants who break the new rule.
2.) the creation or expansion of a social control agency (police, courts, probation officers etc.) to enforce the rule and impose labels on offenders.

Question 2

differential enforcement

Answer 2

not everyone who offends is punished for it e.g. a person is arrested, charged and convicted depends. agencies of social control tend to label certain groups as criminal.
Pilliavin and Briar: police’s decisions to arrest based on stereotypes abt ethnicity, class, gender, dress. young black males 7x more likely to be stopped and searched by police compared to white males

Question 3

typifications (negotiation of justice)