LABELLING THEORY

• What is master status?

  the dominant way someone defines themselves
• How can labelling lead to a criminal master status?

  someone does a deviant act, witnessed by others and more people become aware, pass judgement and they can’t shake the label off. Recommit the crime as see no other option, now secure criminal master status
• What did Cicourel say?

  Police Typifications

  suggests police have class bias, assume W/C are more likely offenders resulting in more chargers and police presence. M/C have material and cultural assets to negotiate justice. Then counselled, warned and released rather than prosecuted
• What does Lemert say?

  most people commit acts of primary deviance but this doesn’t matter but when there is a societal reaction the individual is labelled as deviant. Result in master status and self fulfilling prophecy
• what is primary deviance according to Lemert?

  deviant acts we all do that go unnoticed and unlabelled
• what is secondary deviance according to Lemert?

  refers to acts that happen as a result of the initial label
• What does Becker claim?

  moral entrepreneurs lead to moral crusades to change laws and criminalise actions, resulting in branding a new group of ‘outsiders’ and expanding social control agencies to enforce the new rule
• What did Platt argue?

  idea of ‘juvenile delinquency‘ was originally created as a campaign by Upper class Victorian moral entrepreneurs aimed at protecting young people at risk. Established juveniles as a separate category of offender with own courts
• What did Cooley suggest?

  Looking Glass Self

  a persons identity or master status is affected by the ways others view them. We see ourselves how we think others see us, interactions with others is a key part of identity
• What did Jock Young find?

  Hippies in Notting Hill who smoked Marijuana were an example of primary deviance until persecution and control culture from the police, led to them being seen as outsiders. Developed deviant master status, drug taking became more significant and increased
• What did Braithwaite say?

  effects of negative labelling depend on how the label is applied. Disintegrative Shaming and Reintegrative shaming
• what is disintegrative shaming?

  labels both crime and person as deviant, causes social exclusion and recidivism is high
• what is reintegrative shaming?

  only labels crime as deviant, person has chance to rejoin society and recidivism is low