criminology

Deviance and Labeling Theory

Definition of Labeling:
- Behaviors are labeled by society, primarily by individuals in authority (e.g., police officers, teachers).
- Labels are impactful because individuals are subjected to them, leading to reactions from society.
Primary vs. Secondary Deviance:
- Primary Deviance:
- Defined as minor, episodic, and infrequent behavior that does not become ingrained in an individual’s identity.
- Secondary Deviance:
- A pattern of behavior that becomes habitual and is ingrained in an individual’s identity.
- Often occurs in response to societal labeling.
W.E.B. Du Bois and Racial Labeling:
- He discussed how labels, especially regarding race (e.g., blackness), intertwine with crime statistics, media narratives, and societal racism.
- Du Bois highlighted how individuals might be trapped in certain behaviors and societal positions due to these labels.
- Quote from Du Bois in Crisis Magazine (1915):
- "…black people are the victims of police discrimination and judicial unfairness, and that their poverty and ignorance make them scapegoats of our present criminal law."

Overview of Conflict Theory:
- Emerges from Marxist thought, focusing on social changes driven by conflicts between opposing groups (wealthy vs. poor).
- Class interests are inherently opposed (landowners vs. workers), driving social change and conflict.
Marxist Understanding of Criminal Behavior:
- Criminal behavior is seen as a political and economic act expressing conflict between different societal classes.
- Rich and powerful (capitalists) work against the interests of the working class.
- Richard Quinney's Perspectives on Economic Crimes:
- Economic domination crimes (e.g., price-fixing, environmental pollution) exemplify how the wealthy preserve their status and interests.
- Mention of contemporary examples of politicians engaging in economic manipulation and environmental exploitation.
Working-Class Response to Domination:
- Engaging in crimes of accommodation to survive within their means and societal structure.
- Crimes of resistance are also discussed as responses against systemic oppression.
Solutions to Crime Advocated by Conflict Theorists:
- Proposed end of capitalism, suggesting a shift towards socialism or communism to address class disparities.
- Legal systems seen as tools of racial and class domination, protecting property interests rather than public safety.

Du Bois on Law and Order:
- Posits that law is used to control social classes and solidify racial hierarchies.
Chain Gangs and Racial Control:
- Reflects on the use of chain gangs in the late 1800s as a form of re-enslavement, exacerbated by systemic economic exploitation.
- Quote about mob justice echoes the societal injustices faced by black individuals accused of crimes.