Topic 2 - Labelling Theory Flashcards
What do labelling theorists believe in general?
They argue no act of crime is inherently criminal or deviant in itself, in all situations at all times. Instead, the act only becomes criminal or deviant when others label it as such. It is not only the nature of the action that makes it deviant or criminal, but societies reaction to it also.
Howard Becker, 1963
Social groups and their rules
Social groups create deviance by creating the rules which breaking constitutes deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders.
Howard Becker, 1963
What is a deviant, and what is deviance?
A deviant is simply someone to whom a label has been successfully applied, and deviant behaviour is simply behaviour that people label as such.
Howard Becker, 1963
Moral entrepreneurs
These are people who lead a moral crusade to change the law in the belief that it will benefit those to whom it is applied.
Howard Becker, 1963
Effects of moral entrepreneurs
- The creation of outsiders - outlaws and deviants who break the new rule
- The creation or expansion of a social control agency, such as the police, to enforce the rule and impose labels on offenders.
Platt, 1969 -
Why was Juvenile delinquency created?
Originally created as a result of a campaign by the Victorian upper class moral entrepreneurs aimed at protecting young people at risk. This established juveniles as their own separate category of offender with their own courts, enabling the state to convict the young of status offences such as truancy and sexual promiscuity.
Becker -
Social control agencies and campaigning
Social control agencies may themselves campaign for change in the law to increase their own power.
Example, US Federal Bureau of Narcotics - successfully campaigned for the passing of the marijuana Tax Act of 1937to outlaw the use of said drug.
Piliavin and Briar, 1964 -
Who gets labelled and why?
Police decisions to arrest a young were mainly based on physical cues (such as manner and dress) from which they made judgments about the youths character. Officers decisions were also influenced by gender, class and ethnicity as well as by time and place. A study of anti-social behaviour orders found that the decisions were disproportionately used against ethnic minorities.
Cicourel, 1968
The negotiation of justice Bias toward class and typifications
Law enforcement show a bias toward class, the working class fitted the police typifications most closely meaning that the police patrolled working class areas more intent-fully resulting in more arrests and ‘confirming’ their stereotypes
Cicourel - 1968
What did he find with probation officers?
They held the common sense theory that juvenile delinquency was caused by broken homes, poverty and lax parenting. Therefore they tended to see these youths as likely to offend again and were less likely to support non-custodial sentences for them.
Cicourel, 1968 -
What is his view of justice?
Justice is not fixed but negotiable. When a middle class youth is arrested, they are less likely to be charged; partly because his background did not fit the police’s typifications and partly because his parents are more likely to negotiate his status on his behalf convincing the social control agencies that the offender is sorry.
Cicourel, 1968 -
View on official statistics
Criminal statistics reported by the police cannot be considered a valid picture of the patterns of crime. It ignores crimes unreported, the dark figures.
Lemert, 1951 -
What is primary deviance?
It is where an act has not been publicly labelled.
Example, fare dodging.
Lemert, 1951 -
Characteristics of primary deviance
Most primary deviance goes uncaught. They are not organised acts of deviance so offenders often call them ‘moments of madness’.
They have little significance on the individuals social status or self-concept.
Lemert, 1951 -
What is secondary deviance?
Secondary deviance is the result of societal reaction.
