Labelling - Essay Plan Flashcards
(24 cards)
What does Becker argue about deviance?
Becker argues that deviance is not an objective fact but a social construct. Behaviour only becomes deviant when it is labelled as such by agents of social control, such as the police or courts.
What evidence supports Becker’s argument?
In areas like Tower Hamlets, police often patrol more heavily and arrest young working-class people for low-level behaviours such as loitering or minor drug use.
How do powerful groups influence crime statistics according to Becker?
Powerful groups define what counts as deviant, meaning crime statistics reflect who gets labelled, not who offends more.
How does Becker’s theory apply to class-based inequality?
Becker’s concepts explain why working-class youth appear more criminal in official statistics.
What are the strengths of Becker’s theory?
✔️ Useful for showing how deviance is created by societal reactions
What is a limitation of Becker’s theory?
❌ Doesn’t explain why people commit deviant acts in the first place
What does Cicourel argue about justice?
Cicourel argued that justice is not fixed but negotiated, with decisions shaped by class-based stereotypes and communication styles.
What evidence supports Cicourel’s argument?
Youth Justice Board (2022): Working-class youths are more likely to be prosecuted than middle-class peers for the same offences.
How are working-class youth perceived according to Cicourel?
Working-class youth are seen as ‘typical delinquents’, while middle-class offenders are often treated as ‘misguided’ and given leniency.
How does Cicourel’s theory illustrate class bias?
Cicourel’s concepts show how criminalisation reflects class bias.
What is a strength of Cicourel’s theory?
✔️ Strong real-world support for bias in justice decisions
What is a limitation of Cicourel’s theory?
❌ Overlooks structural drivers of crime, like poverty or exclusion
What distinction does Lemert make in deviance?
Lemert distinguished between primary deviance (minor, often ignored) and secondary deviance, which occurs after a person is publicly labelled.
What evidence supports Lemert’s argument?
MoJ (2016): Pupils excluded from school — often working-class — were twice as likely to be imprisoned by age 24.
What happens to individuals once they are labelled according to Lemert?
Once labelled, individuals face rejection and fewer opportunities, increasing the chance of joining deviant subcultures and committing further crime.
How does Lemert’s theory explain the amplification of deviance?
Lemert’s concepts explain how societal reaction can amplify deviance.
What is a strength of Lemert’s theory?
✔️ Explains how labels create deviance over time
What is a limitation of Lemert’s theory?
❌ Too deterministic — some reject or resist labels
What do Marxists argue about labelling theory?
Marxists argue labelling theory ignores the role of capitalism and the structural inequalities that determine who gets labelled and why.
What evidence supports the Marxist critique?
2008 financial crash: Major bankers engaged in fraud, but few were prosecuted, showing the ruling class often avoid criminal labels.
What does the Marxist critique support about the law?
This supports Gordon’s idea that the law criminalises the poor while ignoring ruling-class deviance.
How does the Marxist critique add depth to labelling theory?
Marxism explains why powerful groups define and apply deviance unequally.
What is a strength of the Marxist critique?
✔️ Useful structural critique of labelling’s narrow micro-focus
What is a limitation of the Marxist critique?
❌ Overlooks meaning-making in everyday interactions that labelling theory explains well
