Labeling Theory

Paper Summary:

In this article the writer notes that in the study of criminology, there are numerous theories that help explain, or attempt to explain, the cause of delinquency and criminal activity. The writer points out that while some focus on the role of society, the legal system, or parental control, others focus more on the individual, and the process by which individuals learn. The writer discusses that labeling theory, in contrast, is a combination of both theoretical concepts, in that the labeling theory attempts to explain how the learning process of individuals is influenced by the actions of society and the legal system. This paper focuses on the labeling theory and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of this theory in real world applications of criminology.

From the Paper:

"Lemert's theory differentiates between primary and secondary deviance. Primary deviance is thought to be minor rule violations that are spontaneous and sporadic. Secondary deviance, on the other hand, is the behavior that results after social control agents react to the primary deviance. According to labeling theory, this secondary deviance is a direct result of the labels given to the rule breaker following the initial transgression. Because of labels attached to the individual and of the social reaction to the primary deviance, the individual is stigmatized, thereby creating a social identity stemming from deviance. Repeated negative definitions of the individual's identity result in negative self-labeling, and the individual begins to see themselves as a deviant. More recent additions to the labeling theory stress this factor in the formation of the criminal subculture, in that members labeled as deviant begin to join with other, similarly labeled individuals."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adams, Mike S., Craig T. Robertson, Phyllis Gray-Ray, and Melvin C. Ray. "Labeling and Delinquency." Adolescence 38.149 (2003): 171-186.
• Becker, Howard. Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York: Free Press, 1973.
• Downs, William R., Joan F. Robertson, and Larry R. Harrison. "Control Theory, Labeling Theory and the Delivery of Services for Drug Abuse to Adolescents." Adolescence 32.125 (1997): 1 - 24.
• Lanier, Mark M., and Henry, Stuart. Essential Criminology. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998.
• Lemert, Edwin M. Social Pathology. New York: McGraw Hill, 1951.

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