MARK OF CAIN - THE STIGMA THEORY OF CRIME AND SOCIAL DEVIATION

• NCJ Number: 13405
• Author(s): S SHOHAM
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 288 pages
• Sale Source: Oceana Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE STIGMA THEORY REGARDS THE LABELLING AND TAGGING PROCESSES AS CONSTITUTIVE FACTORS IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS AS CRIMINAL IN THE EYES OF SOCIETY AND IN THEIR OWN EYES.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR STATES THAT DEROGATORY LABELS ARE TAGGED ON TO AN INDIVIDUAL BY RELEVANT OTHERS AND ARE INTERNALIZED BY HIM AS A PART OF HIS SELF-IMAGE. THE SOCIAL CONTROL AGENCIES ARE THUS RESPONSIBLE, BY MEANS OF VARIOUS BRANDING MECHANISMS, FOR THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE DEVIANT AND THE CONFORMIST. ULTIMATELY THIS DISTINCTION IS IRRESPECTIVE OF THE STRUCTURAL OR 'SUBSTANTIVE' NATURE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR. THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS DEAL WITH THE ROLE OF STIGMA WITHIN THE VARIOUS MECHANISMS OF NORMATIVE CONTROL. THE CHAPTER DEALING WITH THE FUNCTION OF STIGMA AS A TOOL OF SOCIAL CONTROL IS MORE OF AN EXTENDED DESCRIPTIVE DEFINITION PAVING THE WAY FOR THE STUDY OF STIGMA AS A COMPONENT OF CRIME AND DEVIATION. THE SECOND CHAPTER ILLUSTRATES THE CASE OF PSYCHOPATHY PRESENTED AS A STIGMATIC TOOL OF NORMATIVE CONTROL. CHAPTER THREE DEALS WITH THE PREDISPOSING FACTORS RAISING THE PROBABILITY OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS BEING BRANDED BY STIGMA. CHAPTER FOUR DEALS WITH THE PARADIGM RESULTING FROM THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VALUE DEVIATION, DEVIANT BEHAVIOUR AND SOCIAL STIGMA. THE FIFTH CHAPTER DESCRIBES THE DYNAMIC PROCESS OF STIGMATIZATION. THE SIXTH CHAPTER IS AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF ISRAELI PROSTITUTES FROM NORTH AFRICAN AUTHORITARIAN FAMILIES, PARTLY PROVING THE APPLICABILITY OF THE STIGMA PREMISES TO PROSTITUTION WHICH COMBINES ELEMENTS OF BOTH CRIME AND SOCIAL DEVIATION. CHAPTERS 7 AND 8 ANALYZE THE EFFECTS OF STIGMA, BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL, ON THE FUTURE BEHAVIOUR OF THE STAGMATIZED. CHAPTER NINE RELATES STIGMA TO CRIMINAL AND DEVIANT SUBCULTURE FORMATION. THE LAST CHAPTER IS A CASE STUDY OF JEAN GENET, THE FRENCH POETE MAUDIT, WHO EPITOMIZES TO ALMOST GROTESQUE EXTREMITIES THE ROLE OF STIGMA IN THE MAKING OF A CRIMINAL, A PERVERT AND AN OUTCAST. AN 18 PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)