When people’s deviant behaviors are labelled, people need to accept the identity and make it their own. People pass through the seven stages of the deviant identity career that “move them out of their innocent identities towards one labeled as different by society” (A&A 248). As teenagers, Bonnie and Clyde’s deviance started from small actions such as robbing a small grocery store or stealing cars. Yet these actions were not enough to label them as deviants, they kept committing crimes like “embezzlers may not think of themselves as thieves until they are caught” (A&A 247). They were not aware of the severity and importance of their behaviors until they got caught. In the year when they turned in 21, they were incarcerated and committed his …show more content…
They were people who hated poverty and wanted to make a name for themselves. Sykes and Matza suggested that people commonly make “justifications for deviance that are seen as valid by the delinquent but not by the legal system or society at large” (A&A 251). Although Bonnie and Clyde’s deviant actions were invalid by the delinquent and the legal system or society, the circumstances where they lived can be justifications for their deviances. According to Scott and Lyman, individuals accept responsibility for their actions but seek to have specific instances excused with justifications (A&A 252). Bonnie and Clyde invoked the need for self-fulfillment in their drawing on justifications. Both Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow had been raised in a loving family, but also had been through hard times like almost every other family in the United States in that period where United States was under Prohibition and the Great Depression. By the time, the economic crisis due to the Great Depression occurred and affected many people’s lives. People mainly accused the government and banks. Crimes took place frequently to relieve the anxiety. Therefore, despite Bonnie and Clyde’s heinous crimes, poor people saw them as heroes while rich people saw them as criminals. Many people felt catharsis and saw them as heroes. This fall in condemning the condemners, which is one of the five techniques of neutralization. People turn on the table on the accusers, throwing attention away from themselves focusing on things their accusers have done wrong (A&A 252). Although their actions were inappropriate, they tried to get back what was rightfully theirs. The media came to draw Bonnie and Clyde intently as stunning outlaw of the western town, people got satisfaction from this couple robbing banks which was recognized as a villain for citizens at that