Labelling and Societal Reaction

• Whether an act constitutes a crime depends on whether the social audience for that act defines it a crime. State crime is socially constructed which prevents a sociologist from imposing their own definition of state crime
• BUT… very vague definition 
• Kauzlarich 2007: study of anti-Iraq war protestors found that while they viewed the war as harmful, they were unwilling to label it criminal. By contrast, from a harms perspective or an international law perspective, the war can be seen as illegal. 
• Unclear who is the relevant audience to define a crime 
• Ignores how an audience’s definition can be manipulated by ruling class ideology