Labelling theory

Question 1

point?

Answer 1

criminal deviance is the result of behaviours being redefined as deviant and criminal to expand the power of certain groups and label others as deviant

Question 2

evidence?

Answer 2

Becker

moral entrepreneurs redefine criminal deviance to expand the power of an agency of social control and label a social group as criminally deviant

criminalisation of marijuana in the United States

redefined a recreational activity as a crime

to expand the power of the US Federal Bureau of Narcotics

and label young people and Mexicans as criminally deviant.

Question 3

analysis?

Answer 3

Cicourel
:typifications

found police targeted working-class areas, resulting in more arrests, and confirming their stereotypes.

dark figure of undetected crime

Question 4

evaluation?

Answer 4

Functionalists would argue the redefinition of crimes and the social groups labelled as criminally deviant is in fact adaptive boundary maintenance

Question 5

point? 2

Answer 5

labelling people as criminally deviant society creates non-conformist, law-breaking behaviour

Question 6

evidence? 2

Answer 6

Lemert

Primary deviance is non-conformist behaviour that hasn’t been publicly labelled and has multiple causes

Secondary deviance is publicly labelled and people build a master status around their outsider label.

Question 7

analysis? 2

Answer 7

Cohen

deviance amplification spiral’

a self-fulfilling prophecy process through which social control of deviance, leads to an increase in deviance and control, and finally more deviance.

Question 8

evaluation? 2

Answer 8

Chambliss argue the criminal justice system is controlled by the ruling-class to maintain the exploitation of the working-class and protect private property