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Labeling theory conclusion
Labeling theory conclusion
Evaluate the contribution of labelling theory to our understanding of crime and deviance. 30
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Labelling theory is how an individual’s behaviour and self-identity maybe determined or influenced by the labels used to classify them. The concepts of the self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping can be associated with this theory. This theory focuses on the tendency to label negatively, minority groups or those that are perceived as deviant from cultural norms. Developed in the 1950s and 1960s by sociologists, with Howard Beckers book in 1963, Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance being influential in the development of this theory as its used today. Henslin (232) states that symbolic interactionists as having developed labelling theory, which focuses on the significance of the labels (names, reputations) that are given. Deviance from these processes result from the way people socially interact. Thereby meaning that deviance is not a quality of what a person does, but of how other people interpret what someone is doing. The end of WWII saw norms and values changing as great social and political changes began to happen. Women started working outside the home, the sexual revolution, the use of drugs become socially acceptable within some groups, not necessarily legal. These social changes saw new attitudes and behaviours appear and some were determined to be deviant, therefore attracting such labels as drug addicts, alcoholics, delinquents, prostitutes, sex offenders, and psychiatric patients. Symbolic inter actionists labelling theory, focuses on the significance of these given labels. Deviance from them is a process that results from the way people socially interact. By this, it is meant that deviance is not a quality of what a person does, but of how other people interpret some ones actions. These labels then influ...
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...recorded an open finding listing the cause of Azaria's death as 'unknown'. The fourth inquest in 2012 found a dingo had in fact taken the Azaria. The Chamberlain trial was the most publicised in Australian history and also shows how labelling can influence peoples perceptions of a person. From being a mother who lost a child, Lindys behaviour in the courtroom was perceived as deviant when she appeared as cold and without emotion at the trail. This was perceived as going as against the norm therefore not winning her any sympathy from many in the media or general population. It also helped people perceive her as a cold-blooded murderer. Even today peoples opinion is divided on the whether they are innocent or not but the fact remains that the this case highlights how the labels can sway the general population and influence how they judge a person or persons behaviour.
Charles Smith attacked easy targets; many of those he helped convict shared parenting similarities. James Lockyer represented Marquardt and several others in which Smith played a part in the conviction. He asserts that being an “easy, easy mark” was the common denominator among those he helped exonerate from Smith’s wrongdoing and “Tammy was a good example of an easy mark [being] a young, single mother who was impoverished and on welfare” (Shapiro, 2011). It becomes very clear that Charles Smith targeted his victims regardless of the evidence found (or fabricated) to support their guilt or innocence. He speculated on issues that were so far from his line of duty as a medical expert, raising legitimate concern of his intention to fulfill his assigned role, or if his desire be a hero for the prosecution and secure convictions of ‘failed parents’. Tammy Marquardt easily fit into this category of poor parent being a “teen mother with a history of substance abuse and troubled relationships with men” (Shapiro, 2011). Her lifestyle and choices were classified as deviant, leaving her stigmatized. Her youth and heavy drug use raised questions about her ability to parent responsibly and were consequently used to convict her. The cold, hard facts of the case meant less to the Crown than the social status of the accused, as is often seen in cases of wrongful
This illustrates the refusal of the rights of victims and the inevitable denial of justice for society. The coronial inquest that was conducted in 2011, corrected some of the initial issues with the investigation. Before the inquest, vital DNA evidence was disposed of, as a result of human error, which meant that the likely suspect could not be identified. As a result of human error the inquest provided some form of justice for society but due to how late it was conducted the family did not receive justice
Throughout history, mankind has changed and been influenced by the acts of one another. Sociologists have studied the behaviors of humans and they have coined numerous terms, theories, and principles to try and describe why humans behave the way they do. In the movie West Side Story numerous sociological terms are depicted, such as labeling theory, social norms, formal and informal sanctions, and the results of what governs groups within society when all else fails.
The theory explains how people could be labeled a certain way which would follow them and encourage them to act within the confines of said label or be unable to be perceived as anything but that label. These apparent role models participated in deviant behavior almost equal to that of the Roughnecks and yet they went on to be remembered as good kids. They were allowed to act like delinquents but were never perceived as such because they maintained appearances (good grades, healthy interactions, and lots of participation). The Roughnecks on the other hand took no steps to help with their reputation (they skipped school, made their actions public and attracted a lot of negative attention) thus insuring their label. Regardless of each student’s involvement with certain activities they obtained their labels and kept them through
There were three main issues behind the wrongful conviction of David Milgaard, each playing their own role in the ruling. Pre-existing views and perceptions of deviance placed Milgaard among the socially marginalized, making him an easy target for police and public allegations. The broadcast media had a huge impact on public awareness and police actions, presenting a problem with jury discrimination and witness testimony. Finally, and perhaps most inexcusably, misconduct on the part of the Canadian Criminal Justice System in both the investigation and prosecution of the case caused the trial to end in a guilty verdict. If any or all of these factors were more closely investigated or realized at the time, David Milgaard, may not have lost 23 years of his life and this senseless tragedy could have been prevented.
"Sociological Theories To Explain Deviance." Sociological Theories To Explain Deviance. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. .
Bohm and Brenda L. Vogel, the Labeling theory is used to explain why people commit crimes and conceive themselves as criminals. Overall the Labeling theory consists of social groups creating rules and then applying those rules to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. This theory is split into two types of deviances: primary deviance and secondary deviance. Primary deviance is the initial criminal act, for example, a man robs a bank. A secondary deviance is committing a crime after the first criminal act and accepting the label of a criminal. Following the previous example, after the man robs the bank, he decides to do it again because he now sees himself as a criminal bank robber and wants to continue doing it and is okay with being seen that
Adler, Patricia A., and Adler Peter. Constructions of Deviance: Social Power, Context, and Interaction. 6th ed. Belmont: Thomas/Wadsworth, 2009.
Labeling theory of deviance suggests that when one is labeled constantly on the basis of any minority it gives rise to deviant behavior in order to prove the strength of the minority. The minority has been labeled so by people for a long time. They have been labeled because of their race. The gang is labeled anti-social because of their criminal behavior which turns them further to deviance. The use of the labeling theory can be seen being implemented very judiciously
As mentioned in lecture, labeling theory asks two critical questions: what is crime, and who is criminal? This is the central tenet of labeling theory because the focus is on what activities constitute criminal behaviour within the context. This means that over time, the general perspective changes in regards to what can be labeled 'crime.' For instance, society is known to react negatively towards prostitution in the past; whereas the contemporary reaction is primarily to legalize it.
Before the 1950’s theorists focused on what the difference was between deviants and criminals from “normal” citizens. In the 1950’s researchers were more involved exploring meaning and reasons behind deviant acts. This led to the most dominant question in the field of deviance, “what is the structural and culture factors that lead to deviant behavior?” This question is important when studying deviance because there is no clear answer, everyone sees deviance in different ways, and how deviance is created. Short and Meier states that in the 1960’s there was another shift in focus on the subject of deviance. The focus was what causes deviance, the study of reactions to deviance, and the study of rule breaking and rule making. In the 1960’s society was starting to speak out on what they believed should be a rule and what should not; this movement create chaos in the streets. However, it gave us a glimpse into what makes people become deviant, in the case it was the Vietnam War and the government. Short and Meier also write about the three levels that might help us understand were deviance comes from and how people interact to deviance. The first is the micro level, which emphasizes individual characteristics by biological, psychological, and social sciences. The second level is macrosociological that explains culture and
Label theory is based in the idea that behaviors are irregular when the society labels them as irregular. The label theory implies that a person commits a crime in some time of a life, but that person is not seen as deviant, while other people are deviant. Label theory explains how a behavior of a person conflicts with the norms of the society. For example, A black young men, who lives in a neighborhood controlled by gangs may be labeled as a gang member. In consequence, that young man can start to act as gang member or became one. He incorporates the label that was given to him.
The Labeling Theory is the view that labels people are given affect their own and others’ perception of them, thus channeling their behavior either into deviance or into conformity. Labels can be positive and/or negative, but I’ll focus on the negative aspects of labeling in high school. Everybody has a label in high school whether it is the “slut”, “pothead”, “freak” or the “jock”; it is one of the most apparent time periods in which individuals get labeled. Students have the mentality that whatever label is placed on them is going to be stuck with them forever, which then leads into a self-fulfilling prophecy. This, I feel, is a fear of being a “loser” that has been instilled throughout years by the principals, teachers, etc. An example of this is the pressure students are given to get a good grade. In order to get into an honors class they need to pass a certain test, should they not get into honors class the following year, then all throughout the rest of their remaining school life, they’ll never be able to be in honors class. They’ll then no longer be seen as the “smart” students they were “before”(even though they still are), they’ll now be labeled as “dumb” and eventually start to believe, and become their label. Another example of this is being labeled a “slut”. When a girl has been labeled a slut, early or in the middle of her school life, the label sticks with her all throughout her remaining school years. At first, she could reject this label, and try to “change”...
The theoretical study of societal reaction to deviance has been carried out under different names, such as, labelling theory, interactionist perspective, and the social constructionist perspective. In the sociology of deviance, the labelling theory of deviant behaviour is often used interchangeably with the societal reaction theory of deviancy. As a matter of fact, both phrases point equally to the fact that sociological explanations of deviance function as a product of social control rather than a product of psychology or genetic inheritance. Some sociologists would explain deviance by accepting without question definitions of deviance and concerning themselves with primary aetiology. However, labelling theorists stress the point of seeing deviance from the viewpoint of the deviant individual. They claim that when a person becomes known as a deviant, and is ascribed deviant behaviour patterns, it is as much, if not more, to do with the way they have been stigmatized, then the deviant act they are said to have committed. In addition, Howard S. Becker (1963), one of the earlier interaction theorists, claimed that, "social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitute deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders". Furthermore, the labelling theoretical approach to deviance concentrates on the social reaction to deviance committed by individuals, as well as, the interaction processes leading up to the labelling.
Labelling theory outlines the sociological approach towards labelling within societies and in the development of crime and deviance (Gunnar Bernburg, and D. Krohn et al., 2014, pp. 69-71). The theory purposes that, when an individual is given a negative label (that is deviant), then the individual pursues their new (deviant) label / identity and acts in a manner that is expected from him/her with his/ her new label (Asencio and Burke, 2011, pp. 163-182).