Labeling Theory, Conflict Theories, Slides of Criminology

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Sociological Approaches:

Labeling Theory

Conflict Theories

Labeling Theory

 Labeling theory, sometimes called “the societal reaction

perspective”

• Became a major criminological approach in the 1960s (in the US)
• Based on symbolic interactionism
  • Symbolic interactionism puts an emphasis on the meanings of social interactions. (i.e., emphasis on the reactions of others and actor’s perceptions of the reactions)

 Labeling theory says that,

• Individuals are deviant mainly because they have been labeled as deviant by social control agencies and others. - Deviance is not inherent in the act itself - Crime is a label and not an act

Labeling Theory (cont.)

• 2. Who is defined as criminal?
  • The main concern is on the function of the criminal justice system that defines something as criminal bu t something else not. - Differential enforcement
  • Differential enforcement implies that less powerful groups or those groups that are more threatening to powerful interests are more likely to be labeled cri minal

Labeling Theory (cont.)

• 3. What are the consequences of labeling?
  • Although less interested in causes of crime, labeling

theory “can” be a theory of crime causation for the

answer to this 3

rd

question.

• The theory’s main prediction is that labeling actually inc

reases crime in the future.

• Differentiate primary deviance and secondary deviance
• Primary deviance refers to less serious acts of crime that most people commits at a young age. (These are episodic , transitory acts of deviance/crime.)
• If the same criminal act leads to the conferral of the label “criminal”, secondary deviance may follow (Secondary d eviance is persistent, stable, career deviance/crime).

Labeling Theory (cont.)

 Societal reaction may affect three things

• 1. Opportunity structure
  • Being labeled as a criminal can close a lot of doors for job op portunity, education opportunity, and so on.
• 2. Self concept
  • Being labeled as a criminal imposes negative self images.
• 3. Interpersonal Networks
  • Being labeled as a criminal damages the conventional networ ks with family and friends. (And, he/she may turn to others w ho have also been labeled.)

 As the person commits secondary deviance, the causal

chain begins again.

Labeling Theory (cont.)

 Becker (1973)

• “Deviance was created and rule enforcers often acted

with a bias against the poor and powerless”

• Three types of deviant behaviors
  • 1. Pure deviant
  • 2. Falsely accused deviant
  • 3. Secret deviant: A rule violator who is not noticed or perceived by others
• If a considerable amount of undetected “secret”

delinquency occurs, this could suggest that delinquency

is a result of labeling.

• In fact, research shows that a lot of secret deviance does exist. (c.f., The results of self-reported measures)

Conflict Criminology

 Vold (1958) proposed that,

• Society is made up of a variety of continually comp eting interest groups
• Conflict is one of the essential elements
• More powerful groups are able to have the state for mulate laws in their interests
• Criminal acts represents challenges by subordinated groups to the existing dominant group’s control
• Crime can be explained as a product of intergroup c onflict that expresses the political struggle of these groups

Conflict Criminology (cont.)

 Conflict criminology of Reiman (1998)

• Acts that are criminalized are generally those of the poor
• The system often fails to treat the dangerous acts of the

wealthy and powerful as criminal

• The failure of the criminal justice system in fighting street

crime conveys an important ideological message that the

greatest danger to the average citizen is from below him or

her on the economic ladder

• Crime in the suites should be prosecuted in the same

manner as crime in the streets, and all acts should be

prosecuted in proportion to the actual harm they produce.

Conflict Criminology (cont.)

 Critique of conflict criminology

• Abandoning science for ideology
• The legal order and capitalism are blamed for everything
• All of the problems of justice are collapsed into the economic interest of classes However, still very useful to examine white- collar crimes and political crimes