long labelling :) Flashcards
(15 cards)
Labelling theorists explain class differences in crime?
Working class are to be labelled negatively as rough and uneducated, leading to more arrests and more convictions
Ignores that some people actively choose crime regardless of labels — too deterministic.
class
What did Cicourel say?
Police officers held class-based stereotypes.
Middle-class youths were seen as having ‘counselling potential’ and let off more, while working-class youths were criminalised.
Supported by evidence, but based on a small sample — lacks generalisability.
How can labelling lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Once someone is labelled as a criminal, they may accept and internalise that label, be excluded from mainstream opportunities, and** turn to further deviance — reinforcing the label.
Not everyone accepts their label — assumes people are passive.
Who speaks on the two types of deviances?
**Lemert **said primary deviance is minor and often goes unnoticed, but once someone is labelled (secondary deviance)
Master status’, shaping future behaviour.
Useful for understanding repeat offending, but doesn’t explain initial deviance.
How does the justice system apply labels differently based on class?
By heavily focusing on** street crime **(linked to working class)
Ignore or downplay corporate and white-collar crime (committed by the middle class).
Overlooks efforts to tackle elite crime — not all upper-class criminals escape justice.
How is ethnicity linked to labelling in crime?
Ethnic minorities, Black and Asian males, are often stereotyped as dangerous or criminal, leading to increased police surveillance and** stop-and-search.**
Explains police bias, but doesn’t explain why some ethnic minorities commit fewer crimes.
uncle gilroy
Who speaks on black criminality?
Gilroy said black crime is a political resistance against racism and inequality. He claimed** crime stats are socially constructed** through racist practices.
Romanticises crime and ignores black-on-black violence and victimisation.
What do labelling theorists say about institutional racism?
They argue that organisations like the police operate with embedded racist assumptions, leading to harsher treatment of ethnic minorities at every stage of the system.
Supported by reports like Macpherson, but some argue crime stats reflect real differences in offending.
How does Hall et al.’s study support labelling theory?
Hall et al. showed how the media created a moral panic about black ‘muggers’ during the 1970s economic crisis, creating public fear and justifying oppressive policing.
Good example of how capitalism and labelling interact, but may overstate media impact.
What did the Macpherson Report (1999) reveal?
It found the Metropolitan Police was institutionally racist following the handling of Stephen Lawrence’s murder, supporting the idea that labelling stems from systemic bias.
Strong official evidence, but may not reflect all police forces today.
How does gender affect labelling and crime?
Women are often judged both on criminality and on how well they conform to gender roles (e.g. motherhood), making them doubly labelled if they deviate.
Helps explain court bias, but less useful for explaining high levels of male crime.
What is the ‘chivalry thesis’?
It suggests women are treated more leniently by the justice system due to assumptions that they are emotional, vulnerable, or less dangerous.
Some studies (e.g. Heidensohn) say women are punished more harshly if they deviate from gender norms — challenges the chivalry thesis.
How did Carlen criticise gender-based labelling?
Carlen found that women are judged in courts based on whether they conform to the ‘gender deal’ (family roles). Those who don’t are more harshly punished.
Based on a small sample of working-class women — not representative of all females.
Why might men be more likely to be labelled as criminal?
Stereotypes of masculinity (e.g. aggression, dominance) make men, especially young working-class males, more likely to be targeted and labelled by the police.
Doesn’t account for class and ethnicity as intersecting factors.
What is meant by a ‘master status’ in labelling theory?
A ‘master status’ is a dominant identity (like ‘criminal’) that overrides other aspects of a person’s identity, influencing how others treat them and how they see themselves.
Explains stigma well, but people may resist labels or redefine them positively.
