Topic 2- Crime And Deviance Flashcards
What are moral entrepreneurs?
Those who can lead a ‘moral crusade’ to change the law.
According to becker, what are the 2 effects of law?
1) creation of a new group of outsiders
2) the creation or expansion of a social control agency
What is evidence to the effects of law?
Platt- juvenile delinquency, created by a victorian moral entrepreneur. Aimed to protect young people, using their own courts and offences
Becker- cannabis in the usa- the outlawing of cannabis in the usa was done by the federal bureau of narcotics , as it was a danger to young people. Argued that this campaign was to extend their influence.
Who gets labelled?
Pivilian and briar- found police arresting youths was based on physical cues, such as dress, manner, gender, class and ethnicity.
Cicourel- argues police officers typifications led them to concentrate on a specific type of offender.
Found this theory was reinforced by probation officers who held the common sense theory, where juvenile delinquency was caused by broken homes, poverty and poor parenting.
What does common sense theory lead to?
Means m/c youths who are arrested are less likely to be charged, partly because their background doesnt fit the polices typical delinquent.
Why shouldnt official statistics be used?
Cicourel- official statistics do not represent facts about crime.
There is a dark figure of crime- there is crime that goes unreported and u detected so offical stats dont give us a true representation
What are the effects of labelling?
Lemert- there are 2 different types of deviance
1) primary deviance- types of crime that isnt labelled by society as a crime, Fair dodging.
2) secondary deviance- labelled deviance, result of societal reaction, they are stigmatised and excluded.
Becker- exclusion leads to a ‘mad or bad’ identity which leads to a master status. Which can be internalised and create a sfp.
Lemert- refers to further deviance ,as a result of getting labelled , as being secondary deviance. This could lead to deviant subcultures and deviant careers
What is evidence for the effects of labelling?
Jock young- studied hippie marijuana users in notting hill, police led the hippies to feel like outsiders. They reacted by retreating into their groups forming a deviant subculture, resulting in more attention from police and secondary deviance. This shows how control agencies create deviance.
What is deviance amplification?
The term used to describe the attempt used to control deviance leads to more deviance
What is evidence to deviance amplification?
Stan cohen- folk devils, a study of the societal reaction to the ‘mods and rockers.’ It illustrates the deviancy amplification spiral, how deviance leads to further deviance.
What does braithwaite find?
Disintegrative shaming- the crime and individual is labelled as bad
Reintegrative shaming- the act is bad not the person
How does reintegrative shaming do to avoid deviancy amp?
Avoids the stigma of the offender and makes them aware of their actions. This stops reoffending and secondary deviance
What did douglas find about suicide?
Douglas took an interactionist approach to the meaning suicide has. Labelling suicide has bias due to guilt and coroners( people who pronounce the act as a suicide) may see it as sinful. He believes there needs to be a qualitative method to understanding the meaning on suicide.
What does atkinson say about suicide?
Agrees that officials stats are just a record of labels that coroners attach. He argues we should concentrate on coroners decision to make their verdict.
What is said about mental illness?
Interactionists reject official statistics on mental illness.
Lemert studied paranoia, he notes not everyone gets into groups easily, they are excluded, this starts secondary deviance.
