sociology internationalist crime deviance - 1200 Words

1c How do interactionists explain crime? (Labelling Theory) Are offenders different? Interactionists argue that a mistake most perspectives make is that they assume lawbreakers are somehow different from law-abiding people. The labelling theory suggests that most people commit deviant and criminal acts but only come are caught and stigmatised for it. It is for this reason that emphasis should be on understanding the reaction and definition of deviance rather than the causes of the initial act. Quote by Howard Becker 1963 â€Å"Deviancy is not a quality of the act a person commits but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender’. Deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label.† The†¦show more content†¦This concept refers to the processes involved in labelling and then whether or not a person takes on the self-image of the ‘deviant’. Creating Rules Once labelling theorists began the process of looking at how social life was open to negotiation and that rule enforcement was no different than other social activities, their attention shifted to the creation of rules and laws and why they were made. Traditionally sociologists took a Marxists view that they were made in the interest or the ruling class, or they took a more functionalist view that laws in a democracy were a reflection of the views of the majority of the population. Becker doubted both these accounts and argued instead that: â€Å"Rules are the products of someone’s initiative and we can think of the people who exhibit such enterprises as ‘moral entrepreneurs’.† So labelling theorists argue that laws are a reflection of the activities of people (moral entrepreneurs) who actively seek to create and enforce laws. The reasons for this are either that the new laws will benefit the activists directly or that the activists believe that the laws are truly beneficial to society. Becker’s most famous example of this is his study following the outlawing of cannabis in the USA in 1937. Becker as well as other sociologists use term ‘moral crusade’ to describe the movements/actions taken to pass laws. Criticisms The idea that those who seek to pass laws or impose rule upon others have been largelyShow MoreRelatedCity of God949 Words   |  4 PagesLaura Schneider Sociology 1 The City of God After watching â€Å"The City of God†, I personally can see the correlation that crime plays in association with poverty, social influence, and lack of law and order. Though my perspective vastly varies from that of sociological theorists, I think we can both conclude that this movie is an extreme representation as to what can occur when society shuns away disadvantaged youths to a place that lacks justice as well as ethical and moral responsibilities.Read MoreDeviance Theory and Drug Use1619 Words   |  7 PagesTheories of Deviance Applied to Drug Use Since the dawn of society there have been people whose behavior differed from the rest of society. There are many different theories and perspectives on why people do things like abuse drugs, and although we my never have all the answers, sociology still help us to understand the problem better. In order to understand the theories of deviance, and apply them to drug use in our society one must first understand what deviance is. Alex Thio defines deviance as an