TOPIC 4: Labelling theory

• 'Master status' = takes precedence over all other labels
• Those with master label = treated negatively --> leads to development of negative self-image
• Self-fulfilling prophecy occurs = master label becomes internalised
• Deviant career = person accepts master label
• Labelled as criminal = further rejection by society, leads to further crime

The Outsiders

• Just because someone breaks rule does not necessarily follow that others will define it as deviant
  
• Someone has to enforce rules/draw attention to them - people usually have vested interest in issue
• If person is successfully labelled, consequences will follow
• Malinowski = islanders expressed horror of youth killing himself after being publicly accused of incest --> incest not uncommon on island because not too obvious and public, reacted with abuse/offenders ostracised when made public

• Primary deviance = initial rule breaking, no consequence --> e.g. stealing stationery from company person works for
• Secondary deviance = e.g. someone draws attention to theft, person loses job, commits more thefts --> can lead to deviancy amplification
• Person labelled as 'deviant' eventually sees themselves as bad
• Once label has been successfully applied, all other qualities become unimportant

• Marxists = rules made by ruling classes, protects ruling class interests
• Functionalists = rules are essential for maintenance of social order, reflect views of majority
• Labelling theorists = laws are reflection of activities of 'moral entrepreneurs' --> actively seek to create and enforce laws, laws are truly to benefit of society

Issues occur

• Media coverage dependent on: newsworthiness/power of those seeking media coverage

Moral panic

• Dependent upon: frequency/context/reflexivity/difficulty/rebound

Public response

• Process of sensitisation may occur --> dependent upon how news is 'processed'/reaffirmed by personal experience

Policy responses

• Punitive 'crackdown'
• Welfare measure
• Scapegoating

Deviant responses

• Increases deviant activity/change to another activity/decreases activity

• Rule/law can have effect of increasing deviant behaviour when enforced

Jack Young (1971):

• 'Hippie' marijuana users in Notting Hill
• Only minor/insignificant event for majority --> 'closed ranks' because of negative way police treated them
• Increasingly rejected by mainstream society = difficult to enter 'normal' society
• Accepted 'hippie drug user' master label = developed deviant career in buying/selling of drugs
• Police activity led to drug use being 'driven underground' --> increased price
• Professional criminals attracted to business = brought violence/dilution of drugs with dangerous subs

Cohen (1972):

• Effect of media coverage = make young people catagorise themselves as mods/rockers
• Helped to create violence that took place between them --> confirmed them as troublemakers in eyes of public

Evaluation:

• McRobbie and Thornton (1995) = Cohen's theory is outdated:
  - Frequency = increasing number of moral panics --> less impact/more inclined to be dismissive
  - Context = society is more diverse --> no longer one unified response
  - Reflexivity = many groups create moral panics for own benefit --> media knows this, do not wish to start moral panic
  - Difficulty = far less clear today what is unambiguously 'bad' --> society is too fragmented/culturally pluralistic
  - Rebound = more wary about starting moral panics as possibility of rebound 

• Social action theorists accused of having too much sympathy for criminals = deterministic --> imply once you have been labelled, deviant career is inevitable
• Marxists accuse them of focusing too much on working class
• Labelling theory does not explain why some people are labelled
• Concept is outdated
• Akers (1967) = criticised labelling theorists for presenting deviants as perfectly normal/no different from anyone else --> major fault, some behaviours are inherently wrong, such acts only wrong when they are labelled as such
• Marxists = criticise idea that all laws made by moral entrepreneurs --> law making occurs within capitalist framework, labelling theory does not have coherent theory of power
• Does not explain why some groups have more power