The Labelling Theory of Crime

• What does labelling theory argue about criminal acts?

  They result from labelling by authorities
• Who is more likely to be negatively labelled according to labelling theory?

  The powerless are more likely to be labelled
• What are the four key concepts associated with Interactionist theories of deviance?

  • Crime is socially constructed
  • Not everyone who is deviant gets labelled
  • Labelling has real consequences
  • Labelling theory has a clear value position
• How do Interactionists view the emergence of crime?

  As a result of labelling by authorities
• What is the central idea of reflexivity in labelling theory?

  People define themselves differently in situations
• What does Howard Becker's "The Outsiders" explore?

  The process of becoming a marijuana user
• What is the significance of naming or labelling in deviance?

  It helps individuals recognize themselves as deviant
• How is crime defined according to labelling theory?

  By those in power who label acts as criminal
• What do labelling theorists argue about deviance?

  It is a product of society's reaction to actions
• Who is a key theorist associated with labelling theory?

  Howard Becker
• What example does Becker use to illustrate crime as a product of social interactions?

  A fight between young people in different neighborhoods
• How do the meanings given to acts differ in various neighborhoods?

  They can be seen as delinquency or high spirits
• What does Becker's example of incest illustrate about labelling?

  Public perception can lead to severe consequences
• What do labelling theorists believe about the creation of new laws?

  They create new groups of outsiders
• How does the concept of social constructionism apply to drug crime?

  Drug laws vary and change over time
• What is the significance of the 2015 survey regarding law-breaking in Britain?

  It shows public tolerance of ordinary deviance
• What do moral entrepreneurs do according to Becker?

  They lead campaigns to change laws
• What is the focus of labelling theorists regarding the criminal justice system?

  How laws are applied and enforced
• What does Aaron Cicourel's research focus on?

  The negotiation of justice and labelling
• How do police perceptions affect the labelling of individuals?

  They influence who gets stopped and interrogated
• What is the first stage in Cicourel's process of defining delinquency?

  The police deciding to stop and interrogate
• What factors influence police decisions to stop individuals?

  Meanings held by police about behaviour
• How do juvenile officers perceive typical delinquents?

  Based on dishevelled appearance and slang
• What happens to middle-class delinquents when arrested?

  They are less likely to be charged
• What does Edwin Lemert's study of the Coastal Inuit illustrate?

  Social pressure can lead to chronic stuttering
• What is primary deviance according to Lemert?

  Acts not publicly labelled and of little consequence
• What is secondary deviance according to Lemert?

  Deviance resulting from societal reactions
• How does labelling affect the identity of individuals?

  It becomes part of their identity
• What are the ironic consequences of undercover policing according to Gary Marx?

  It generates a market for illegal goods
• What does Lemert's study suggest about societal reactions?

  They can lead to chronic issues like stuttering
• What are the consequences of labelling according to labelling theorists?

  • Encourages individuals to become more deviant
  • Leads to primary and secondary deviance
  • Affects identity and self-perception
• What is the relationship between primary and secondary deviance?

  Secondary deviance follows societal reactions to primary deviance
• How does labelling theory apply to education?

  It can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies in students
• What does labelling theory suggest about the media's role in deviance?

  It can create moral panics and amplify deviance
• What is the concept of the master status in labelling theory?

  It is the label that dominates an individual's identity
• How do subcultures relate to labelling theory?

  They can form around shared deviant identities
• What is the significance of the self-fulfilling prophecy in education?

  It can lead to students fulfilling negative expectations
• What does the term "deviant career" refer to?

  A progression of deviant behaviour over time
• How does labelling theory view the role of social control agencies?

  They produce delinquents through their reactions
• What is the impact of societal reactions on delinquency rates?

  They affect the rate of delinquency