LABELLING THEORY (FROM CRIME IN SOCIETY, 1978, BY LEONARD D SAVITZ AND NORMAN JOHNSTON - SEE NCJ-53552)

• NCJ Number: 53555
• Author(s): C WELLFORD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wiley and Sons
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM 'LABELLING THEORY AND CRIMINOLOGY - AN ASSESSMENT', SOCIAL PROBLEMS, V 23, N 3 (FEBRUARY 1975), P 332-345

Annotation

SELECTED ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING THE IMPORT OF LABELING THEORY ARE IDENTIFIED AND EVALUATED IN LIGHT OF EXISTING CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH.

Abstract

SCHRAG (1971) IDENTIFIED WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE THE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS DISTINGUISHING LABELING THEORY FROM OTHER THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES. THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) NO ACT IS INTRINSICALLY CRIMINAL; (2) CRIMINAL DEFINITIONS ARE ENFORCED IN THE INTEREST OF THE POWERFUL; (3) A PERSON DOES NOT BECOME A CRIMINAL BY VIOLATION OF THE LAW BUT ONLY BY THE DESIGNATION OF CRIMINALITY BY AUTHORITIES; (4) DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVERYONE CONFORMS AND DEVIATES, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE DICHOTOMIZED INTO CRIMINAL AND NONCRIMINAL CATEGORIES; (5) THE ACT OF 'GETTING CAUGHT' BEGINS THE LABELING PROCESS; (6) GETTING CAUGHT AND THE DECISIONMAKING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE A FUNCTION OF OFFENDER AS OPPOSED TO OFFENSE CHARACTERISTICS; (7) AGE, SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS, AND RACE ARE THE MAJOR OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS THAT ESTABLISH PATTERNS OF DIFFERENTIAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONMAKING; (8) THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ESTABLISHED ON A FREEWILL PERSPECTIVE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE CONDEMNATION AND REJECTION OF THE IDENTIFIED OFFENDER; AND (9) LABELING IS A PROCESS THAT PRODUCES, EVENTUALLY, IDENTIFICATION WITH A DEVIANT IMAGE AND SUBCULTURE, AND A RESULTING 'REJECTION OF THE REJECTORS.' REVIEWING SCHRAG'S ASSUMPTIONS IN LIGHT OF EXISTING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY AND RELATED DISCIPLINES LEADS TO THE CONCLUSIONS THAT THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE AT SIGNIFICANT VARIANCE WITH THE DATA OR ARE AT LEAST NOT CRUCIAL TO THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE. LABELS ARE DISTRIBUTED AND MAY AFFECT ATTITUDES. THE ASSUMPTION THAT LABELS ARE DIFFERENTIALLY DISTRIBUTED AND THAT DIFFERENTIAL LABELING AFFECTS BEHAVIOR IS NOT SUPPORTED BY EXISTING CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH. IN SUM, TO THE DEGREE THAT THESE ASSUMPTIONS CAN BE TAKEN TO BE BASIC TO THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE, THE PERSPECTIVE MUST BE SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)