Rational Labeling Theory

Issue Presented: The use of rational choice theory, as well as labeling theory in regards to decision making and assisting in developing departmental policy.

Short Answer: The ability to enforce stricter rules will change the thought process of offender before committing a crime or rule violation, along with making them productive members of society through re-entry will lift the label off of them.

Statement of Facts: The use of rational choice theory can be used to help determine what offenders thought process maybe during the commitment of violating facility rules. This is often considered “risk vs reward.” (SNHU, 2018)According to the book Criminological Theories it states “rationality is the decision-making process of determining the

The ability to put in place more strict penalties in this case could often deter the offender from committing a rules violation. If the facility is having an issue with a particular rule violation, then it would be a good idea to use rational choice theory to help assist in rewriting policy to make violating the rule have a stricter penalty, so that the risk does not outweigh the reward. The next theory that should be looked at in assisting departmental policies is the labeling theory. If the labeling theory labels offenders as just that it will make it more difficult for the offender to be successful upon re-entry to society. If one is labeled something such as a convicted felon then they will be more like to re-offend and return to the prison system. If we use this theory to assist in writing

One prime example of this was the overall problem of cell phones in the prison setting. The original punishment for having an offender in possession of a cell phone was light, considering the activities that the phones were being used for. The ability for the State of Indiana along with the department to make having a cell phone punishable by 6 months being added on to a sentence on a separate criminal charge dropped the use of cell phones inside the prison setting considerably. This is a perfect example of risk versus reward and how the risk of their freedom does not outweigh the rewards seen inside the prison setting. An example of labeling theory and how the department has changed labeling offenders is exactly that. The department used to label what staff and public called offender years ago. Offenders in the State of Indiana used to be called inmates or convicts thus, labeling them forever as convicted felons. The ability to label them as offenders sounds less severe and able to have behaviors fixed or