Criminalization and the Perceived Deviance of Latinos

There are different context in which labeling has specifically been used in the readings; however, there is an overarching theme in that the labels serve to undermine and to subjugate Latinos, Asian Americans and African Americans. The readings primarily focused on the criminalization and the perceived deviance of Latinos and Latino youth.

In the book Punished by Victor Rios, he presents the argument that the consistent labeling by every state run institution that cast young Latinos as criminals or cast “at risk youth” expected to commit crimes is symptomatic of the social structures that creature the criminalization process of young Latinos. Non-state institutions as well as parents, who often seek help from them, are often advised to become policing agents at the encouragement of the authorities, hence becoming part of what Rios calls the “Youth Control Complex” that focuses solely on punitive measures. Parents often feel compelled to obey the dominate discourse provided by the youth control complex which sends the message, “Your child is a deviant, your child needs to be scrutinized and policed, and when your child acts negatively in any kind of way, such as dressing like a ‘thug,’ you need to call probation and police.” (Rios , p. 83) Labeling such as this creates over policing which in turn creates a symbolic violence in the criminalized youth.

In the book “Academic Profiling” by Gilda L. Ocho, the author gives evidence that the “achievement gap” between Latinos and Asian American youth is due to faculty and staff of schools racially profiling students into educational tracks that both limit support and opportunities for Latinos and creates a divide between the two groups. Intersectionality, the ways in which oppressive in...

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...ure and its mechanisms of law enforcement and media take over and quickly spin the story into a kidnapping and the criminalization of the well meaning house keeper. Araceli, the house keeper; although, falsely charged has no voice and cannot defend herself due to fear of deportation. The labeling of undocumented immigrant as criminal goes in line with stereotypes and institutional discrimination which has been studied in the course.

As has been demonstrated by Ochoa and Rios’s findings, labelings’ repercussions are negative and assign expectations that in turn limit life opportunities. In Gonzales and Tobar’s books, we see the over reactions and distorted views that labeling migrants as criminals creates. The repercussions of this is to further propagate fear to quell dissent within the migrant population.

Works Cited

reform without justice

punishment