Labeling theory was influenced by what perspective?
Symbolic interactionism perspective
What is the symbolic interactionism perspective?
A perspective that human interaction and communication is facilitated by words, gestures and other symbols that have acquired conventionalized meaning
What does the symbolic interactionism perspective propose?
That an individuals identity, self-concept, values and attitudes only exist in the context of society, acting, reacting, and changing in social interaction with others
Who focused on the process of self-formation during childhood?
Cooley
What is the looking-glass self?
Process of obtaining ones self-image through the "eyes of others
What others matter the most to an individual?
Primary groups:
Intimate and personal interactions, family, peers, neighborhood
Mead proposed that there were two types of social interactionism. What were they?
Non-symbolic and symbolic interaction
What is Non-symbolic interaction?
Occurs when individuals (or animals) respond to gestured or actions without interpreting the meaning of gestures.
Responses dictated by preexisting tendencies to respond in certain ways
What is symbolic interaction?
Occurs when individuals interpret each other's gestures and act based on the meaning of those gestures
T or F:
Individuals who are stigmatized as being deviant are predisposed to take on a deviant self-identity
True
Who was one of the "fathers" of labeling theory?
Tannenbaum
What did Tannenbaum propose?
The most important factor in making a criminal is separating a child from his peers and special treatment
What is dramatization of evil?
Social reaction to the deviant/illegal behaviors
T or F:
The first dramatization of evil has a greater influence on "making the criminal" than any other experience
True
What influences the varying degrees of how good or bad acts are labeled?
Social reactions, an individuals social status and social setting
Who is known for outlining the sequential stages of the labeling process?
Lemert
What is primary deviance?
Deviant acts that are largely committed in juvenile playgroups and that aren't motivated by a deviant self-role or identity
What is secondary deviance?
When an individual takes on a deviant identity, as a result of an external label. They start engaging in more serious, frequent offending
In short, what does Lemert propose?
While delinquency (primary deviance) is normal, officially reacting to it can have detrimental consequences for future behavior (secondary deviance)
Who are outsiders?
Those individuals considered by others to be deviant. Deemed to be "outside" the circle of the "normal" members of the group
Who proposed that deviance isn't a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to the offender?
Becker
What is self-fulfilling prophecy?
When individuals respond in a manner consistent with how others perceive them
What are the typologies that Becker talks about?
Conforming individual, pure deviant, falsely accused, and secret deviant
What type of person is a conforming imdividual?
One who obeys the rules, and society perceives that person as obeying the rules
What type of person is a pure deviant?
An individual who disobey the rules and is perceived as doing so
What type of person is falsely accused?
An individual that has been identified as disobeying the rules but didn't violate the rules
What type of person is a secret deviant?
An individual who violates the rules of society but elicits no reaction from society
Who proposed that the labeling perspective attempts to explain the varieties of the deviant experience?
Schur
What is the better definition that Shur provided?
Human behavior is deviant to the extent that it comes to be viewed as involving a personally discreditable departure from a group's normative expectations, and it elicits interpersonal reactions that serve to "isolate," "treat," "correct," or "punish" individuals engaged in such behavior
What are the 3 key factors Shur talks about in the labeling process?
Sterotyping, retrospective interpretation, and negotiation
What is stereotyping?
usually associated with racial prejudice and discrimination
What is retrospective interpretation?
the process by which an individual is identified as a deviant and thereafter viewed in a "new light.
What is negotiation?
is more noticeable in cases involving adults rather than juveniles, usually in instances that use plea bargaining in criminal trials.
Labeling theory focuses on the ________ through the application of labels
stigmatization
What is the process of labeling into crime?
Primary deviance -> CJ labeling -> deviant identity & restricted conventional -> deviant subcultures -> crime (secondary deviance)
What is the support towards labeling theory?
53 % found support
What are limitations of labeling theory?
It doesn't take into consideration other processes that lead to deviance, doesn't explain origins of primary deviance, doesn't clearly define what actually constitutes an official label.
What is a new development of the labeling theory?
The role of informal labeling (can increase one's negative self-image and continued offending)
What are informal sanctions?
negative appraisals of individuals as "rule violator" or a "bad" by those closest to him (e.g. parents, teachers, peers)
What are informal labels especially harmful to?
young offenders, ethnic minorities, males, source of the label, individuals from low SES families
T or F:
Research on the effectiveness of juvenile diversion programs shows these programs did have the desired effect
False
they did not
Who proposed the use of reintegrative shaming approach?
Braithwhite
What is the reintegrative shaming?
the shaming is a form of social disapproval with the intention of invoking remorse, being followed by efforts to reintegrate the offender back into the community of law abiding citizens through gestures of forgiveness.
What is stigmatization?
no attempt to reconcile the shamed offender with the community (disintegrative shaming)
Reintegrative shaming is more likely to reduce crime in who/what?
individuals displaying higher interdependency and cultures characterized by communitarism
What are the empirical findings for reintegrative shaming?
they are mixed
What is the purpose of restorative justice?
aimed at repairing the damage done to victims and the community, while providing reintegrative responses by the criminal justice system, victims and other stakeholders in the community
What do restorative justice programs include?
community service, offenders making direct apologies to victims and accepting responsibility for the harm done, participation in conflict management training, making reparations to victims and community, integrating self-help groups
Is evidence weak or strong regarding restorative justice and reoffending?
it is inconsistent and weak
What kind of programs might be beneficial in reducing the likelihood of criminal behavior following the formal labeling process?
Programs combining case management and mentoring
What will successful programs for adolescent offenders involve?
the parents and provide a mix of activities, services, and community sanctions.
What do other conflict theories have in common?
They basically state that crime is a product of political conflict between groups, a natural expression of the ongoing struggle for power, control, and material well being.
(powerful groups make the laws to express & protect the groups interest, criminal behavior is the course taken by the less powerful groups)
What are limitations of conflict theories?
Is not testable, hard to distinguish them from other theories, and hard to provide support or disprove them