LABELING THEORIES
We tend to live in an ordered society. That makes it necessary to set rules and regulations, and to "label" not only the measures of conformity, but deviations from the norm. In criminology, such deviations are carefully studied- both for their origins and the results. Many recent journal articles (including the ones selected for discussion here) now tend to blur the line between sociology and criminology- assuming there was a division line in the first place. So, perhaps one should begin with what is an acknowledged definition of the labeling theory. One looks to Howard Becker as the modern developer (1963) of what he also refers to as social reaction theory in his book Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. His landmark book views deviance as the creation of social groups and not the quality of some act or behavior. He criticizes other theories of deviance for accepting the existence of deviance and that by doing so, accepting the values of the majority within the social group.
In the three journal articles about labeling and its theories (how it has evolved since the 1960s) we will see the role of deviance in the labeling process.
Miethe's investigation of recidivism risks in drug courts states :"On of the most perplexing issues in criminology is the relationship bet6ween social control efforts and criminal behavioraLabeling theoryaassumes that official reactions have a deviance-amplification effect through the process of stigmatizing the individual, closing off further opportunities, and subsequently developing a deviant self-image." (Miethe 1)
Drug Courts, in particular, offer an opportunity to test the labeling and recidivism theories, because in many cases the drug problems in the traditional criminal justice system appear to be a "revolving door" (Miethe 2) situation. As the authors point out there is a dichotomy in these procedures: public sha...