Labelling Theory, Lecture 4 PDF

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Labelling Theory: Lecture 4 –Sociological Approach –  Unlike classicism and positivism, labelling theory is grounded in early sociological theories  Early sociological theories focused on the role of social status, class, bias, power and the environment. Labelling theory was born out of these conc...

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Labelling Theory: Lecture 4 – Sociological Approach –  Unlike classicism and positivism, labelling theory is grounded in early sociological theories  Early sociological theories focused on the role of social status, class, bias, power and the environment. Labelling theory was born out of these concepts.  This theory is unlike any other sociological theory because it rejects using the offender as the starting point in their analysis but focuses on the behaviour of people who apply the labels or attempt to control offenders  Social constructivism implies that crimes a definition rather than a behaviour. Definitions of crimes are arbitrary and based on subjective values as opposed to objective facts. This is evident across cultures and countries because the law is different everywhere  This approach stated to question the definitions of crime and started from the basic premise than no behaviour is inherently deviant  Labelling theorists look at why and how something is deviant Labelling primarily focuses on the following three things – 1. What and how certain acts become defined as deviant – this means there is some focus on legal practices and those that define the law 2. Focus on the notion that certain groups and types of individuals are more likely to attract the deviant label than others 3. Focus on the experience and impact of being labelled Emergence of Labelling Theory – In the 1960s was when labelling theory began coming into force, it draws on work of earlier scholars like Durkeim and Mead It’s closely linked to social construction and symbolic interaction Symbolic interaction – George Mead – our self-image is shaped and reshaped but interacting with and reaction from others. The way others view us and the way we view ourselves has a big impact on our behaviour

Becker (1963) social groups create deviancy by making rules and applying them to people. An act or an individual becomes deviant or criminal when society puts a label on them Labelling theory and Crime –  State intervention labels offenders as criminal which can worsen criminal behaviour  Crime is socially constructed through social relations and interactions, no act in itself is intrinsically criminal  Criminologists should focus on and explore why some behaviours are labelled, how this label is applied and the consequences of the label. Frank Tannebaum –  Work in the 1930s came to be seen as using some principles of the labelling theory  Focus of juvenile delinquency  Tagging process which leads young individuals being defined as such  Often the behaviour of youth and activates associated with youth lead to the label of delinquent as such attitudes change towards young individuals  Modern example of tagging – ASBOs Howard Becker – o One of the main scholars for labelling theory o Rules are created by particular groups and it’s the rules being broken that results in deviance o Rules are applied to people so the focus should be on who applies the applies and who they apply them to and what are the consequences of such labels Lemert (1951) –  He argued that consequences can be affected by ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ deviance  Primary – the act which was committed wasn’t saw by other people so the individual isn’t labelled as deviant publicly, therefore the individual won’t see themselves as deviant either. Usually the offences are relatively minor

 Secondary – the results from societies reaction, the offender is labelled and stereotyped against. Usually involves being stigmatised and excluded from the mainstream society. This can encourage or lead individuals to continue committing deviant acts Deviance and the Institution –  Institutions are important in the stigmatising process  Goffman (‘Asylums’) argues that the stated aims of institutions cure and rehabilitate, but that in practice, the institution aims to get the offender to accept their deviant identity  Through a series of interactions, a pressure is put on the individual to accept a label. It involves a mortification process, usually on entry  The final stage is a process called ‘institutionalisation’. Where the individual accepts the label and might become unable to function outside the institution  This post-institutional experience of many individuals is stigmatised and rejected socially. The deviant is ascribed a negative identity which is commonly irreversible Deviancy amplification –  Wilkins 1964  Less tolerance of deviant behaviour  More actions described as crime  More action against criminals  More alienation of criminals  More crime by deviant groups  Less tolerance of criminal behaviour...