Socio - interactionalism

    Cards (7)

    • Labelling theory
      Argues that much crime is the result of a self-fulfilling prophecy. By labeling someone as criminal, we risk them living up to their label and committing further, more serious crimes. Labeling theory has influenced the development of several crime control policies.
    • Decriminalisation
      Decriminalising minor offences such as possession of cannabis would mean many fewer young people were labelled as criminals. A criminal record can prevent them getting a job and lead to secondary deviance (further offending).
    • Diversion policies
      Aim to keep an offender out of the justice system so as to avoid labelling them as criminals. Some diversion policies are informal, like when police use their discretion not to charge someone. Others are formal, such as requiring an offender to attend an anger management programme to avoid prosecution.
    • Reintegrative shaming
      • Disintegrative shaming, where both the crime and the criminal are labelled as being bad and the offender is excluded from society. This can push them into secondary deviance.
      • Reintegrative shaming labels the act but not the actor-as if to say, 'he has done a bad thing', rather than 'he is a bad person'. It avoids stigmatising the offender as evil, while still encouraging them to repent and encouraging others to admit back into society.
    • Evidence shows crime control policies based on labelling theory can be effective for minor offences and young offenders
    • Avoiding labelling = avoiding punishing individuals into a deviant career
    • Evidence shows crime control policies based on labelling theory can be ineffective