wa2 summary

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Chapter 8: Labeling, Conflict & Radical Theories -Slides and data in this outline are from Adler, Mueller, and Laufer (2007, 2013, 2018, & 2022); Siegel (2015); and modified by Manning (2007, 2013, 2015, 2018. & 2022).

Labeling Theory or Social Reaction Theory

• Labeling theorist began to explore how and why certain acts were defined as criminal or deviant while others were not, and how and why certain people were defined as criminal or deviant.

• Howard S. Becker • Deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a

consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an “offender”. The deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied, deviant behavior is behavior that people so label.

• When ones deviance is known they are segregated from society and labeled. • This creates outsiders our outcasts.

• One begins to associate with others just like themselves. • More people in society think and react to the outcaste as deviant.

• Ones self-image gradually changes. • W. I. Thomas Theory

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Frank Tannenbaum

Dramatization of Evil • Criminals are created in a process of tagging, defining, segregating,

making conscious and self-conscious.

• It becomes a way of evoking the very traits that are complained of.

Edwin Lemert: Primary versus Secondary Deviance

• Primary deviation: initial deviant acts that bring on the first social response. • These acts without labeling to not affect individual self-concept.

• Secondary deviation: the acts that follow societal response. • The major concern is secondary deviance.

Edwin Schur labeling theory

• Human behavior is deviant to the extent that it comes to be viewed as involving a personally discreditable departure from a group’s norms and expectations and elicits interpersonal and collective reactions that serve to: • “isolate”, “treat”, “correct”, or “punish” individuals engaged in such behavior.

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Howard Becker Moral Entrepreneurs make the rules

• Moral Entrepreneurs make the rules that define deviant behavior including crime.

• The process becomes a political one pitting rule makers against rule breakers.

Labeling theory in application:

• Civil Rights movement - MLK

• Women’s liberation – voting and what job can I do

• Vietnam protesting, draft card burning • Kent State 1970

• ACLU’s stance against racial profiling • Black lives matter.

Empirical Evidence for Labeling two studies

• Study One: 13 volunteers admitted into various mental hospitals.

• Study two: class and inequality in treatment of juvenile delinquency. • Saints – owned cars, athletes, apologetic.

• Roughnecks – highly visible and outspoken.

• Once labeled part of a group, is it possible to exit?

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Consensus Model Durkheim

• Consensus Model assumes that member of society by and large agree on what is right and wrong and that law is the codification of these agreed-upon social values.

• The law is the mechanism to settle disputes that arise when individuals stray too far from what the community considers acceptable. • We can say that an act is criminal when it offends strong and defined states of

collective conscience.

• When members of a society unite against a deviant they reaffirm their commitment to shared values.

Conflict Theory Karl Marx

• The conflict model assumes that laws do not exist for the collective good, they represent the interests of specific groups that have the power to get them enacted.

• The key concept in conflict theory is power.

• The laws have their origin in the interest of the few, these few shape the values, and their values shape the laws.

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Conflict Theory explored

• Primitive societies offered more consensus.

• Conflict: if there is consensus then • Why are there so many crimes

• So much rebellion

• So many in prison

• Those with power work to keep the powerless at a disadvantage.

• Enforced constraint rather than cooperation holds society together.

Conflict exploration continued • Forms of power used to control society

• Control over goods and services • Unequal Education: creating drop out factories (school to prison pipelines).

• Economic power

• Police power, war power • Police decide when to arrest, DA when to pursue charges, judges have discretion too.

• Political power

• Ideology (beliefs & values used to oppress)

• Society is in a constant state of conflict, one of the principles in which an ongoing society depend on. • Criminologist believe that one possible cause of crime can be linked to

economic, social and political disparity.

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Marxist ideology: Radical Theory, or Critical Criminology

• Marxist • Capitalism breeds egocentricity, greed, and predatory behavior. • History of class struggles: freeman and slave, lord and serf, oppressor and

oppressed. • Bourgeoisie versus Proletariat. • Exploitation of workers in pursuit of surplus value:

• Profits produced by laborers gained by business owners.

• Revolution is only thing to bring change (morally justifiable)

• Rusche & Kirscheimer made penologist aware that the severe and cruel treatment of offenders had more to do with (lack in) value of human life and the needs of the economy than with preventing crime.

Radical Theory/critical criminology

• Richard Quinney (1973) • The state is organized to serve capitalist ruling class

• Criminal law is used by ruling class to maintain social and economic order.

• Subordinate classes remain oppressed by any means necessary

• Solution – the collapse of capitalist societies

• Critics point out failing socialist societies • Soviet Union, Poland, Germany and others.

• Quinney – a true Marxist state has not yet been attained, but the ideal is worth pursuing.

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Emerging Forms of Radical/Critical Criminology

• Radical Feminist Theory • Explains both victimization and criminality among women in terms of gender

inequality, patriarchy, and the exploitation of women under capitalism. • How does domestic violence relate to masculinity and “doing gender”?

• As women’s education access, political power and economic liberation rise victimization decreases.

• Abolitionist – community based distribution of power/resources • Return to communities to fix power differences.

• Anarchist Criminology • Communities are destroyed by the state causing crime.

• Solution chaos.

Emerging Forms of Radical/Critical Criminology

• Peacemaking Criminology • Purpose of criminology is to promote a peaceful, just society. • Punitive crime control strategies are counterproductive.

• L. Tift and D. Sullivan first to write these views in 1980s. • Harsh punishment increases crime and marginalization.

• Favors humanistic conflict resolution to prevent and control crime. • We need to become connected and responsible to and for each other.

• Restorative Justice concept • Nonpunitive strategies for prevention and control of crime.

• Failure of old punishment policies (67% recidivism rate).

• Requires that society address victims harms and needs, while holding the offender accountable to right those harms. Involving victim. Offender and community in a healing process. • Goal is to achieve reconciliation