Both conflict theory and labeling theory play into society's efforts to respond to criminal behavior in terms of prevention and punishment by serving as an explanation for the cause of crime. Each of these theories also overlaps criminology, sociology and psychology in its explanation of the cause of crime. Historically, sociological theories of crime that view crime as the result of social forces "have dominated American criminology since the 1920s" (Brown, Esbensen, & Geis, 2001, p. 283). Despite this similarity, conflict theory and labeling theory are vastly different. The former maintains that a small number of wealthy and powerful individuals control a disproportionate share of society's resources and control the institutions that reinforce their own power and wealth. This causes marginalized groups that are denied access to such resources to turn to crime seeing no route of conventional access to upward mobility.
In contrast, labeling theory maintains that most efforts to control crime actually increase crime. This is because individuals who are arrested, prosecuted, and punished are labeled as criminals. As one sociologist explains, "Other then view and treat these people as criminals, and this increases the likelihood of subsequent crime" for a number of reasons like employers being unwilling to hire a "criminal" (Crime, 2009, p. 1). This analysis will compare and contrast these two theories of crime and criminal activity. A conclusion will address which theory seems more valid as an explanation from crime and criminal behavior.
The social conflict theory of crime maintains that a small group of wealthy and powerful individuals control not only the majority of resources in society but also social institutions that reinforce the power and wealth of the status quo at the expense of less powerful groups. This leads to inequalities that are inherent in such a class oriented system in the vi...