As explained in item a, the labelling theory explains how actions become labelled as criminal or deviant. The labelling theory explains how crime and deviance is a social construct as the laws and norms are constructed by society. The theory can be seen as useful in explaining crime and deviance yet this can be disputed. First of all, the labelling theory aims to answer the question, why and how people get labelled. One researcher found that police made decisions on whether to arrest youth based on their physical cues.
According to Sutherland, differential association refers to the principle that criminal acts are related to an individual’s frequent or constant exposure to antisocial attitudes or values. Proposition 1- Criminal behaviour is learnt. The basic argument of differential association is that, like all forms of behaviour, criminal behaviour is learnt from other people, thus eliminating the roles of heredity, human nature and innovation as causes of deviant behaviour. Example: Newly recruited gang member will learn from others how to commit crime – hot wire a car. Proposition 2 – Criminal behaviour is learnt through interaction with other people by means of a process of communication.
Offenders in this society know or at least thinks that they will only get a smack on the wrist if they were to commit a crime. This in turn doesn’t help to deter them from their criminal ways. The adolescents that are in similar circumstances uses the choice theory wisely. They effectively weigh their options and decide that it’s not worth the risk of being caught and being
Crime as defined by Winterdyk, “is a socially constructed concept used to categorize certain behaviours as requiring formal control and warranting some form of social intervention” (Winterdyk, 2006, p. 491). Individuals that commit these criminal acts are believed to have made a specific choice in the matter. The benefits and consequences have been weighed therefore the criminal has made the choice, but what other circumstances can have a role in this decision? It is understood that social structures, social processes and human biology can all have an affect on the outcome of our individual acts. However the biological flaws of persons are not as significant as one may think.
His theory had two basic elements, firstly it pointed out that criminal behaviour is learned by the interaction within intimate personal groups through communication this includes techniques for committing the crimes (Bernard et al., 2010 p.180). Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) contest this statement explaining the average delinquent act may be committed before the interactions with other delinquents as the crime may need no special skills (Smith & Brame 1994). The delinquent behaviour and the pleasure derived from the act may cause the attraction to and joining of a delinquent social group meaning this behaviour is not learned
Criminal law consists of bodies of regulations and rules that will specify and define the punishments for the wrong committed against society or the state. Criminal laws are enforced on state, federal, and local levels. Criminal laws are in place to maintain some type of standard of conduct more acceptable in society, and to safeguard society from criminals. The purpose of criminal laws is to set a no tolerance standard for criminal behavior, also meaning no crime committed will go unpunished thus an attempt to keep the community crime free and safe. When
The officers and management team should be held accountable for the actions that they did not take to help the victim. However, commanders wanted the numbers to decrease to show that implementing this system could reduce crimes. The crime should have reported properly and actions should have been taken. The commanders in the situation should make sure that officers understand the importance of protecting and serving their districts and helping citizens feel safe in their neighborhoods. Instead of staying in a darkened room, the commanders should be training their officers on how to combat this action and help actual reduce the crimes not cover them up.
Criminal justice is part of the institution of social control, because they persuade you to follow social values. They call these social values laws. Some of the laws they want you to follow are: speed limits, do not steal, do not commit murder, and do not vandalize other people’s property. To persuade you to follow the law, they punish you if you break them. 2.
Describe Using Evidence any two influences that explain why a person turns to crime. (15) There are various influences which may explain why a person tunes to crime, these influences may vary between a person’s upbringing, cognitive and biological make up. A study that supports this theory may be Farringdon et al. He suggest that social factors experienced during a child life and upbringing are clearly associated with criminal behaviour. Within the study he was able to identify patterns of particular behaviour and social factors which later lead to participants becoming’ chronic offenders’, examples of this situation were, poor parenting, harsh discipline, family members who were currently or previously offenders, and the child’s poor performance
It would be absurd to think that there is a need to criminalize a conduct if an individual’s feelings are hurt or an individual is offended by another’s actions. The harm done must be towards protected interests and conduct that are not just offensive in nature. In response to the Report, Devlin argued that criminal law was not just for the protection of individuals but also for society as a whole. The society, Devlin felt, was a community of shared ideas about how people should live their lives. As such, the law is entitled to create laws that protect the society even if it means infringing on an individual freedom to make his or her own decisions.