Labelling theory Flashcards
what does labelling theory argue?
Labelling theories say that no behaviour is wrong until someone else says it is.
Crime is not about what you do – it is about how others see it.
Labelling theorists argue that no act is inherently criminal or deviant in itself- in all situations and at all times.
Instead, it only comes to be so when others label it as such.
It is not the nature of the act that makes it deviant, but the nature of society’s reaction to the act.
Becker
An act only becomes deviant when others perceive and define it as such, and whether or not the label of deviant is applied will depend on societal reaction.
moral entrepeneurs:
determine what is and is not acceptable in society - gov. ruling class, law makers
Platt - juvenile delinquency
Platt argues that the ides of ‘juvenile delinquency’ was originally created as a campaign form upper class Victorians aimed to protect young people at risk.
This established ‘juveniles’ as a separate category of offender in their courts
It allowed the state to extend its powers beyond criminal offences involving young people, into ‘status offences’
Status offences:
A status offense is an action that is prohibited only to a certain class of people e.g. drinking, truancy
Who gets labelled?
Not everyone who commits an offence gets punished for it. Whether a person is arrested, charged and convicted depends on factors such as:
Their interactions with agencies of social control.
Their appearance, background and personal biography.
The situation and circumstance of the offence.
Pilliavin and Briar (1964)
They found that police decision to arrest a youth were mainly based on physical cues (such as manner and dress), from which they made judgements about the youth character.
Decisions world also be influenced by gender, class, ethnicity as well as time and place.
agencies of social control:
- informal - peers, society
- formal - police, CJS, courts
Becker argues that agents of social control use considerable discretion and selective judgment in deciding whether and how to deal with illegal behavior.
Becker suggests that police operate with pre-existing conceptions and stereotypes, which influence how they deal with crime they come across.
Negotiable justice - Cicourel
- suggested that justice is not fixed but negotiable.
For example, when a middle-class youth was arrested, he was less likely to be charged- partly because his manner and appearance were less likely to fit the typification of a criminal held by the police, but also because their parents were more likely to be able to negotiate successfully on his behalf.
what did Cicourel find?
Investigated police’s subjective perceptions and stereotypes and how they effect criminal labels being attached.
Cicourel found that police viewed behaviour of the middle class differently from working classes, even when the actual behaviour was the same. He argued that this was because police percieve the middle class differently, and percieved the criminal as having come from a ‘good’ background, so their behaviour was a temporary lapse. They viewed the opposite of working class, and tended to use more formal action against them.
what did Lemert find about the process of labelling:
primary and secondary deviance
Primary deviance:
A person commits an act they know is deviant/criminal but no one else knows so there is no label attached for example, people might break traffic laws, or use illegal drugs, which may have few consequences for the person as long as no one knows about it.
i.e. dodging fare
Secondary deviance:
Secondary Deviance – Deviant act is witnessed and there is a label attached to the person committing the act
Criminal or deviant act is committed - primary deviance
Action not witnessed - no label
Criminal or deviant act is committed - secondary deviance
action witnessed - person labelled - person rejected by society - person rejects society - deviant career
