social reaction theories labeling conflict
	focus on the role that social and economic institutions play in producing delinquents
	the way society reacts to the individual

	law and justice are differentially applied
	involvement with justice system labels deviants

	The quality of the delinquent act is not so important as is the social reaction to the act
	The purpose of social control is to maintain the status quo.

	Delinquency is more of a process than a behavior behavior is not inherently bad
	If a child’s delinquency is discovered and labeled, that child is likely to develop an identity as a delinquent and continue to act like one not an explanation for the onset of delinquent behavior

	calling a child "delinquent", social typing transforms offender's identity
	child may internalize the description and live up to it
	perennial suspects

Lemert's labeling process

Primary deviance

	social reaction
	self-conception

Secondary deviance

	more social reaction
	deviant identification complete

	deviants are into homogeneous (falsely accused and secret deviants)
	rules are created by moral entrepreneurs

	commit a deviant act
	get caught
	acquire status

delinquency as master status

Edwin Schur

	stereotyping rampant
	inappropriate retrospective interpretation of youths
	radical nonintervention
	behavior is deviant only when it comes to the attention of people who have the power to control undesirable behavior

disintegrative shaming

	condemning juvenile
	pushing into more delinquency

reintegrative shaming

	condemnation of act
	forgiveness and restoration

	label may be accepted by delinquent
	behavior soon conforms to negative expectations
	result is damaged self-image

	"Saints" and "Roughnecks"
	lower-status boys defined themselves as delinquents, while higher-status boys saw themselves as engaging in pranks

	Does not consistently find support for the idea that self-identification changes once a deviant label applies.
	Does not consistently find support for the idea that deviants already have deviant identities and are not affected by labels.
	Some support that labels increase recidivism.

	gender gap
	meaning of behavior varies

	young, male, minority members from lower economic class more likely to be labeled
	offenders with economic or political power are more likely to be given a warning by the police
	single-parent home related to discrimination
	other research finds official processing influenced by offense seriousness and prior record
	police decisions influenced by prior record, association with known delinquents, and drug involvement

	evidence that labeling amplifies deviant careers
	experienced delinquents more likely to continue offending if viewed in a negative light by significant others

	basic views too simplistic to form an accurate explanation
	unlikely a label causes delinquency
	too much emphasis on formal interaction
	inherent evil

Conflict theorists focus on

	the roles social and governmental institutions play in creating and enforcing laws
	describing law as a social control mechanism

	crime norms are found in the law
	conduct norms may directly conflict with them
	heterogeneous and complex societies are likely to experience delinquency

	minority groups and the poor have little impact on the legislative process
	behaviors reflecting their interests are more likely to be legislated

	Civilization is determined by its mode of production
	capitalism root of crime
	repressive ruling class (bourgeoisie) to control the ruled class (proletariat) produces delinquency

Marxist theory

	part of human nature to work and be productive
	crime result of demoralized working class through unemployment and underemployment

	workplace and the family are interrelated in capitalist societies
	coercive control patterns of workplace and home produce delinquency

	justice system perpetuates a cycle of violence which stems from a system of upper-class domination
	upper-class most likely to be violent
	criminology of peacemaking
	reduce crime by recognizing the political and economic sources of human misery
	see the relationship between human suffering and crime
	reintegrate offenders back into their communities

	delinquency is a culmination of a process
	delinquents and the delinquencies are a product and adults are the producers
	adults pressure children to conform to their idea of "goodness" and order

	adults emphasize order in the home and school
	adults see children as inferior, subordinate beings and as troublemakers
	imposition of adult conceptions of order on children may become extreme to the point of oppression
	oppression leads to adaptive reactions by children

	passive acceptance (obedient out of fear)
	exercise of illegitimate coercive power
	manipulation of one’s peers to gain power
	retaliation (vandalism)

	juvenile justice system may create and sustain delinquency
	it is in the capitalist state's best interest to maintain a pool of deviants

	causal links of capitalism and crime are usually disproved
	research connecting oppression and delinquency supports the link between child abuse and delinquency

Important influence

	draw attention to system biases
	the effects of system interaction on delinquency production

	widespread discussion of the relationships between adults and children
	rights of children addressed

	tend to side with adolescents in a critical examination of social power
	question imbalances in social arrangements