The smoking of marijuana is another example, although it is illegal in most of the societies and nations it is now slowly being tolerated in some and even being legalised in others. A brilliant research that served as a guideline in my tertiary case study on criminal law. Crime in the making: Pathways and turning points through life: Harvard University Press. Walter Goves paper titled Labeling Theorys Explanation of Mental Illness: An Update of Recent Evidence started with sociologists failure to factor in the developments in psychiatry, creating the conflict between the use of labeling theory to explain mental illness versus its psychiatric definition. Criminology, 41(4), 1287-1318. Sherman, L. W., Smith, D. A., Schmidt, J. D., & Rogan, D. P. (1992). As is the case with all sociological theories, it's important to be aware of the strengths and limitations that they pose when explaining certain phenomena. Other tribes however had no mention of stuttering in their language and had no members of their tribes stuttering. Info: 2729 words (11 pages) Essay How Does the Labeling Theory Explain Deviance? This original research found that arresting suspected perpetrators of domestic violence had a deterrent effect. He said that due to their illness, they behave differently most of the time and are hence treated as such. according to labeling theorists, although all individuals occasionally exhibit behaviors which could be termed deviant, not all such behaviors are so labeled. Becker (1953) wrote in his book, the Marijuana user, that the drug does not produce any addiction and that it has no withdraw sickness or any sort of substance that makes the user crave for the drug. He pointed out that deviance was created entirely on the whims of authority. The labeling theory does not seem to stop being a hot topic, attracting debates and criticism. Mental patient status, work, and income: An examination of the effects of a psychiatric label. As it has already been explained, if the audience doesnt know about it then it is not a crime. Firstly, according to Wellford (1975) the theory states that no acts are inherently criminal, and states that acts are only criminal when society considers them to be so. Bernburg, J. G., & Krohn, M. D. (2003). There are however several things that are wrong with the drawbacks. Before Matsueda (1992), researchers saw delinquency in adolescents as a factor of self-esteem, with mixed results. Lemert states that there are exceptions and people continue to stay in the primary phase, an example would be someone who rationalizes that the so called criminal act is legal as it is necessary for them to survive and earn money (an exotic dancer would be an example). These youths then go on to reject those that have labelled them and tend to set up their own criminal lifestyles consisting of criminal behaviour. Noting this discrepancy, Sherman and Smith (1992) aimed to examine the effect of arrest for domestic violence on subsequent violence and found that arrest for domestic violence increased the likelihood for subsequent arrest for domestic violence, but only in cases where the perpetrator was unemployed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. He thus said that such type of labelling leads to more deviant behaviour. Labelling theory and its theorists focus on the groups and/or individuals who were deemed to be criminal and labelled thus by society. He noticed that in some tribes, stuttering occurred among their members and their language mentioned stuttering. The labelling theory emerges from the School of Chicago, with many theorists being members of the Chicago school, or simply influenced by Chicago School thinking. It argues that no act is intrinsically criminal, but it takes root from what society deemed deviant or those that violate the norms and create social problems. They would be able to smoke it at one time and at others, they wont be able to. However, when several other cities replicated this experiment, they found that arresting domestic violence perpetrators actually resulted in significant increases in domestic violence (Dunford, Huizinga, and Elliott, 1990). , Is my teacher marking my work unfairly?? Thus as shown in the above essay, labelling theory has many strengths and weaknesses. Becoming a Marihuana User. One of the other drawbacks also mentions the aspect of self-labelling. The main point of view is whether he or she has accepted the criminal label. Although there are many studies that validate it, there are none that can offer significant data in its support. Grove said that society has no influence whatsoever on mental illness. Charlotte Nickerson is a member of the Class of 2024 at Harvard University. Walter Grove on the other hand was vehemently opposed to the theory proposed by Thomas Scheff. This theory also explains the behaviour of some people due to them being labelled at a young age. Formal labels are labels ascribed to an individual by someone who has the formal status and ability to discern deviant behavior. He stated that if a person is described as being a criminal then he automatically becomes one. In the early times, it was illegal. Those that were not able to conform to the rest of the tribe i.e. Different audiences may have different reactions to a crime and thus the punishment and the labelling will vary even though the same crime is being committed. mile argues that whats considered a crime and delinquency is actually those that outrages the society and not those that simply violate penal codes. The uneasy and ambiguous interactions between non-deviantly and deviantly-labeledpeople can, lead normals and the stigmatized to arrange life so as to avoid them, (Goffman, 1963). Journal of research in crime and delinquency, 43(1), 67-88. Published: 26th Aug 2021. The biggest drawback one may say that affects labelling theory is that it has not yet been empirically validated. Its understanding is fundamental for those who wish to receive profound knowledge in many fields, including sociology and criminology. Labelling theory supports the idea of radical non-interventionism, in which policy dictates that certain acts are decriminalised and the removal of the social stigmata surrounding the acts. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of LawTeacher.net. His theory basically states that a person experiences social deviance in two phases. It emphasizes the negative effects of labeling gives the offender a kind of victim status. It tends to be deterministic, implying that once someone is labeled, a deviant career is inevitable. Mead, G. H. (1934). He is also responsible for coining the term moral entrepreneur which is a term used to describe law making officials who get certain criminal behaviour illegal. The second is known as the Secondary deviance phase. Misunderstanding labelling perspectives in key readings in criminology (ed Newburn, T) pgs 220-223. Those that were caught were persecuted as such. The labeling perspective and delinquency: An elaboration of the theory and an assessment of the evidence. These are the view that labels can contribute to improvements in education and that they may impact negatively on schooling. An example would be drugs. Labelling also involves both a wrong or deviant act and a deviant person. This is very perfect information and clear explanation of the basics, thank you! The secondary deviance phase usually begins when a person has accepted the criminal label. Howard Becker (1963) is held to be the architect of the modern labelling theory. What is considered a deviant act? The object of whether a person views himself or herself as a criminal is what differentiates between the primary and secondary deviant phases. Labelling/Interactionist (action) theories of crime and deviance. The daily mail ran an article which stated that some people were more likely to smoke if they saw Smoking Kills on it. What matters was the type of people going through the criminal justice system. He stated that if a person is described as being a criminal then he automatically becomes one. Other tribes however had no mention of stuttering in their language and had no members of their tribes stuttering. Last accessed 17 January 2010. Thus the quality of deviance does not reside in the behaviour itself, but is rather the outcome of responses to that behaviour by various social audiences (Tierney). In Handbook on crime and deviance (pp. Youths are especially vulnerable to labelling theory. Thus we see that labelling though introduced to help society and make it a better place can actually make it worse. Bernburg, J. G. Chapter title: Labeling and Secondary Deviance. Strengths and weaknesses of labelling theory - Sociology bibliographies - Cite This For Me. In the early 1990s, the Chinese government frequently had political and social drives to deter crime and deviance through mobilizing the masses to punish deviants (Zhang, 1994b). . The first phase is known as the Primary deviance phase. He or she is then labelled criminal but has yet to accept the label. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. Labelling can have different aspects as well. Tannenbaum (1938) is widely regarded as the first labelling theorist. Labelling theory - weakness. Beckers (1963) idea is that deviance Although there are many studies that validate it, there are none that can offer significant data in its support. Learn How to Order Essay Online. If the person views themselves as a criminal then the secondary deviant phase has begun. Intervention may make things worse. They will label her as a deviant since her behavior violates the social norms. The role of arrest in domestic assault: The Omaha police experiment. (1982). Individuals can rationalize their deviant behaviour. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on LawTeacher.net then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! The second is known as the Secondary deviance phase. Folk Devils and Moral Panics (Cohen 1972). In other societies however, soft drugs are illegal and the people who use them are labelled as deviant. Becker (1953) wrote in his book, the Marijuana user, that the drug does not produce any addiction and that it has no withdraw sickness or any sort of substance that makes the user crave for the drug. Labelling in Special Education Amal Saleh Alnawaiser Article Info Abstract Article History Received: . For example, someone who has been arrested or officially convicted of a felony carries the formal label of criminal, as they have been suspected of committing a behavior that is established to be deviant (such as breaking the law). In the early times, it was illegal. That is not a drawback but merely a statement of facts. The following strengths and weaknesses apply to the classical conditioning theory and behaviorism as a whole (Kompa, 2020). Panimpex Ltd, 25 Martiou, 27, D. Michael Tower, office 105A, Egkomi, 2408, Nicosia, Cyprus, Labeling Theory Overview: Definition and Authors. They then accept themselves as being criminal as use it to counter (either by moving with similar peer groups or by other means) societys reaction to the initial act. www.simplypsychology.org/labeling-theory.html. Shows that the Law is not a fixed set of rules to be taken for granted, but something whose construction we need to explain. Labelling theory however has many inherent drawbacks. Outsiders: Studies In The Sociology of Deviance. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. If I'm on a project, I'm going to make sure to stick with it to the bitter, bloody end." Although this might sound like a strength, it's actually a weakness in disguise! Researchers, such as Matsueda (1992), have clarified how labeling leads to deviance, particularly when this labeling is informa, and these findings have been more replicable than those in the past. This theory is widely credited to be the forerunner of the present day labelling theory. David Rosenhans study . Social bonding theory, first developed by Travis Hirschi, asserts that people who have strong attachments to conventional society (for example, involvement, investment, and belief) are less likely to be deviant than those with weak bonds to conventional society (Chriss, 2007). 59 (3), 235-242.v. Book. In the future the mindset of society may change and acts that were previously considered to be criminal may be legalised. This self rejection attitude leads to the rejection of the norms of society and gives them a motive to deviate from conventional values of society. We are very interested to know your opinion. He would not label himself as a criminal as it was a necessary for him to do so. However, more inclusive reviews of studies that examine how formal labeling affects subsequent behavior show more mixed results. As the labelling theory states, the first is the audience learning about the act that is considered criminal and not the act itself. In other societies however, soft drugs are illegal and the people who use them are labelled as deviant. Labelling Theory Question Crime and Deviance 20 Marks , What does 'Evaluate labelling theories' mean? Research has shown that many of the youth gangs who come from the lower class get arrested and are labelled further as criminals. And How to Strengthen Them specialization Studies have come across certain individuals that have personality traits which makes them resistant to the labels conferred on them by society. This finding which implies that formal labeling only increases deviance in specific situations is consistent with deterrence theory. 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