NCJ Number
45396
Date Published
1976
Length
578 pages
Annotation
THE STUDY CRITICALLY EVALUATES THE LABELING THEORY OF DEVIANCE AND PRESENTS POSSIBLE WAYS OF INTEGRATING IT WITH OTHER THEORIES IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE.
Abstract
THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE IS FIRST DESCRIBED AND CRITICIZED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ANALYSIS. THE RESEARCH INTERESTS OF LABELING THEORISTS ARE CONTRASTED WITH THOSE OF MORE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS OF DEVIANCE RESEARCH. TRENDS WITHIN THE LABELING SCHOOL ARE ALSO EXAMINED, SHOWING A TENDENCY FOR MORE RECENT LABELING INTERESTS TO CONVERGE WITH THOSE OF TRADITIONAL RESEARCH. THE CONCEPTUAL CONTENT OF THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE IS EVALUATED WITH RESPECT TO CLARITY AND PRECISION; IT IS FOUND TO PRESENT NO SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO INTEGRATIVE EFFORTS. AN ANALYSIS OF SIMILARITIES AND VARIATIONS AMONG LABELING THEORISTS SHOWS THEM TO BE DEPENDENT UPON THE CENTRAL PROPOSITIONS OF THE MORE TRADITIONAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF DEVIANCE. FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE REVEALS THAT ITS EXISTING VERSIONS DO NOT IN THEMSELVES PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GENERAL THEORY OF DEVIANCE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT WHILE MANY PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS OF THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE WOULD IMPROVE ITS EXPLANATORY POTENTIAL, LABELING CAN BECOME A GENERAL THEORY OF DEVIANCE ONLY IF IT INCORPORATES FREELY THE CENTRAL PRINCIPLES OF OTHER DEVIANCE PERSPECTIVES. THE INTEGRATIVE POSSIBILITIES ARE EXPLORED WITH THREE OTHER MAJOR PERSPECTIVES IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE-THE STRAIN, SOCIAL CONTROL, AND CULTURAL TRANSMISSION PERSPECTIVES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (VDA)