CONCOMITANT LOOK AT COMMITMENT AND LABELING THEORY DIVERGENT BUT COMPATIBLE ACCOUNTS OF DELINQUENCY CAUSATION

• NCJ Number: 32308
• Author(s): R P BAKER
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 91 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY - DISSERTATION

Annotation

THEORETICAL PROPOSITIONS ARE DERIVED BY COMBINING COMMITMENT AND LABELING THEORY AND SOME EMPIRICAL DATA IS EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF THOSE PROPOSITIONS.

Abstract

LABELING THEORY STATES THAT THROUGH A PROCESS OF SOCIETAL INTERACTION SOME ADOLESCENTS ARE SIGNIFIED AS DELINQUENT. COMMITMENT THEORY STATES THAT THOSE ADOLESCENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE BONDS, LINKS, INTIMACY, AND WHO DO NOT SHARE THE VALUES, GOALS AND PARTICIPATION IN CONVENTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND ACTIVITIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED IN DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. THIS PAPER PROPOSES THAT, FIRST, THE GREATER THE EXTENT TO WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL WITHDRAWS FROM THE MAJOR SOCIETAL INSTITUTIONS, THE GREATER THE LIKELIHOOD THAT HE WILL ENGAGE IN DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. SECOND, THAT THE GREATER THE EXTENT TO WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN LABELED DELINQUENT (SELF CONCEPT AND PERCEIVED SOCIETAL REACTION), THE GREATER THE LIKELIHOOD HE WILL ENGAGE IN DELINQUENT CONDUCT. AND THIRD, THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS BOTH UNCOMMITTED TO SOCIETAL INSTITUTIONS AND LABELED, THE GREATER THE LIKELIHOOD THAT HE WILL ENGAGE IN DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)