Sociological Theories of Crime Flashcards
2 examples of sociological theories
- Howard Becker’s Labelling Theory
- Robert Merton’s Strain Theory
Sociological theories of crime suggest that…
crime is shaped by factors external to the individual such as their experiences within the neighborhood, peer group, family, school and workplace
In his labelling theory, Howard Becker argues…
that nothing is inherently deviant, rather that society label certain behaviours as deviant, and as labels are applied to specific groups, the agencies of social control, such as the police, stereotype these groups which then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for these people, leading them to commit crime
Statistic to support the labelling theory (UK)
Findings from the Office of national Statistics found that more than half (52%) of children in care had a criminal conviction by age 24 compared to 13% of children who had not been in care
Statistic to support the labelling theory (International Comparison)
In New Zealand 81% of offenders under 21 years old were also found to have care records
A counter-argument for the labelling theory is…
that it is difficult to exclusively say this labelling stuck and is an explanation to causes of crime, as it is likely other factors were at play. This could include drugs, ACEs, or abuse
Statistic against the labelling theory (Counter Argument)
The 2019 UK census showed that 74% of children surveyed had been exposed to 4 or more ACEs prior to entering care, directly linking to crime as children with 4 ACEs were nearly 4x more likely to commit crime as an adult
The labelling theory is very relevant, with Karyn McClusky saying…
“exclusion from schools in a direct pathway to prison”
The strain theory by Robert Merton proposes…
that social structures within society may encourage citizens to commit crime, so if some social structures are inadequate this may change a person’s perceptions of what is right or wrong
Studies have suggested that feelings of dissatisfaction with one’s monetary situation and the desire for more money are…
much more prevalent amongst the working class and is a realistic explanation for criminality
Statistic to support the strain theory (UK)
In the UK, the Prison Reform Trust Factfile shows that in 2024, 68% of prisoners were unemployed prior to offending, compared to 7.7% of the economically active population
Statistic to support the strain theory (International Comparison)
25% prisoners in the US were unemployed prior to admission to prison, compared to an unemployment rate of just 4% in the general public
Research also suggests that the loss of a positive stimuli or the presence of negative stimuli may contribute to…
the development of criminal behaviour
The theory has been criticised on the grounds that…
most people do not take the pursuit to achieve their goals seriously enough to commit crime, with research showing that failure to obtain one’s ideal education and occupational goal does not relate to delinquency
The strain theory is very relevant today due to…
high levels of poverty
