01:920:222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 25: Labeling Theory, Victimless Crime, Harm Reduction
1 May 2019
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Labeling theorists saw labeling as central and thus focused on: Ask when, how, and why rules labeling or criminalizing behaviors came into place. Claims that behaviors get labelled deviant bc they serve the interests of powerful groups. Moral entrepreneurs have a moral interest in getting behaviors labeled deviant. Pursue moral campaigns to get behavior criminalized. Once behavior is criminalized rule enforcers also have an interest in seeing that criminal labels are perpetuated and expanded. Labelling theorists also focus on how labels are applied: Examine who is most likely to be punished vs. who is most likely to be diverted. Argue there is selective enforcement of rules w bias against minorities, lower class, males, and those w/ hostile demeanor. Bc they saw them as victims of labelling by state, moral entrepreneur, social control agents. Tended to depict them as tricksters or as heroic rather than as predators. Tended to describe them as powerless people rebelling against powerful who labeled them.
