Sociologist Edwin Lemert developed the theory of secondary deviance, primary deviance being the initial act and secondary deviance the subsequent acts that result in how the individual and society negatively respond to the label once assigned. The label became a societal bullseye, a designation that the child is an innate criminal and he or she was incapable of changing. The “label” thus became the conduit for the child’s actions, the child believes that they are unable to change, after all this is the kinds of behaviors that society expects from them. Lamert supported diversion programs as they provide a necessary service while avoiding the stigmatization associated with formal processing of children through the juvenile court system, furthermore
