This chapter provides a detailed, clear summary of the topic of interactionism and labelling theorists on Crime and Deviance, with key theorists explained with evaluation.
INTERACTIONISM AND LABELLING THEORY INTERACTIONISM AND LABELLING THEORY
THE EFFECTS OF LABELLING THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CRIME:
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DEVIANCE DEVIANCE AMPLIFICATION SPIRAL
- LEMERT (1951) distinguishes between primary and - Is a term labelling theorists use to describe a process in which the
secondary deviance. attempt to control deviance leads to an increase in the level of
- PRIMARY DEVIANCE = deviant acts that haven’t been deviance, leads to greater attempts to control it and in turn this
publically labelled, pointless to seek the causes of produces yet higher levels of deviance.
primary deviance, since it is so widespread it is unlikely - STANLEY COHEN (1972) folk devils and moral panics, a study of the
to have a single cause, often trivial. societal reaction to the ‘mods and rockers’ disturbances involving
- SECONDARY DEVIANCE: result of societal reaction groups of youths at English seaside resorts.
o MASTER STATUS = once an individual is - Press exaggeration and distorted reporting of the events began a
labelled / stigmatised, this becomes their master moral panic, with growing public concern and with moral
status overriding all others. This can provoke a entrepreneurs calling for a ‘crackdown’. The police responded by
crisis for the individual’s self-concept or sense of arresting more youths, while the courts imposed harsher penalties.
identity. One way to resolve this crisis is for the This confirmed the truth of the original media, provoking more public
individual to accept the deviant label = self- concern = UPWARD SPIRAL OF DEVIANCE AMPLIFICATION. At the
fulfilling prophecy = acting up to label same time demonising of mods and rockers as ‘folk devils’ caused
o DEVIANT CAREER = secondary deviance is their further marginalisation as ‘outsiders’ resulting in more deviant
likely to provoke further hostile reactions from behaviour.
society and reinforce the deviant’s ‘outsider’ INTERACTIONISM AND LABELLING THEORY
status e.g. the ex-convict finds it hard to be THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CRIME:
employed etc so seeks other outsiders for LABELLING AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY
support. this may involve joining a deviant - studies have shown how increases in the attempt to control and
subculture that offers deviant career punish young offenders can have the opposite effect
opportunities and role models etc. - TRIPLETT (2000) notes an increasing tendency to see young
case study: JOCK YOUNG (1971) study offenders as evil and to be less tolerant of minor deviance. The
of hippy marijuana users in Notting Hill, criminal justice system has relabelled status offences as more serious
initially drugs were peripheral to the offences resulting in much harsher sentences. Therefore, to reduce
hippies’ lifestyle (primary deviance) deviance, we should make & enforce fewer rules for people to break.
however persecution and labelling by the REINTEGRATIVE SHAMING:
control culture led the hippies to see - BRAITHWAITE (1989) identifies a more positive role for labelling;
themselves as outsiders. Fewer social o DISINTEGRATIVE SHAMING – crime and the criminal is
rules = less deviance.
labelled as bad and the offender is excluded from society
- LEMERT & YOUNG - illustrates the idea not the act
o REINTEGRATIVE SHAMING – labels the act but not the actor
itself but the hostile social reaction to it = social
- Reintegrative shaming avoids stigmatising the offender but at the
deviance.
same time making them aware of negative impact upon others –
- DOWNES & ROCK (2003) we cannot predict whether
encourages others to forgive.
someone who has been labelled will follow a deviant
- Makes it easier for both offender & community to separate the offender
career because they are always free to choose not to
from offence and re-admit wrongdoer back into mainstream society.
deviate further
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