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Labeling Theory Of Crime

711 Words3 Pages

William Davis Sutherland
Midterm Exam
Cj-240-001
CWID: 11456790

I. Identifacations
1. Super-predators were thought to be youths that had no moral values and were likely to display reckless and impulsive behaviors. Scientist believed that super-predators DNA was different than normal person’s; possibly due to the offender mother’s substance abuse during pregnancy.(Pg.231) Researches believed correction facilities had no effect on super-predators, and that these offenders would continue to create chaos in communities if more severe punishments were not implemented. This theory influenced states to create new laws all around the country to trial youths as adults for more serious crimes; such as 1st degree murder, or rape. The new penalties included …show more content…

Labeling theory emphasizes that people are not born criminals, but that they are made criminals by society. When an individual commits a deviant act and is caught and prosecuted they forever get labeled as a person who committed that crime. Having been convicted of a felony makes it extremely difficult to get a job; employers will see that you got arrest automatically think of you as a criminal. Not only do employers look at you differently your friends, family and community now label with the crime you committed. “If enough people tell you something long enough you begin to believe it” (Pg.126) Ex-convicts who are unable to get a job and are told they are criminals every day; start to believe that they are in fact criminals. Once they believe they are criminals they start acting like them and turn into …show more content…

Every society has different ideas about what success is. “Strain, or sense of anxiety”(pg.94) is the driving force behind achieving these ideal goals. Not everyone has the same opportunities to achieve society’s ideal goals. Some people are born into poverty, or a bad family situation; achieving these goals by legitimate means is much harder if not impossible. As a result people resort to illegitimate means of income and achieve their goals through deviant behavior. The illicit behavior becomes the social norm in areas were poverty is common. Resulting in communities with extremely high crime rate. Different organizations attempt to inprove structural factors in these crime riden areas by giving these people legitimate opportunies to help get these individuals out of their life of crime. The majority of these people having always achieved their wealth from deviant activities see these organizations as an opportunity to a quick gain of wealth. As a result these often do not use the given materials and opportunities to get themselves into a better situation were they can earn a living through legitimate means. These individual use the materials these organization gives them until it runs out. Then they return to their old ways of income and

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The story you told in class about you nephew was a great example. He was just a kid that had no criminal record, but got a little to crazy one night and due to that he’s labeled for life.

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