Theories Of Criminology: The Labeling Theory

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Insight: The labeling theory defines individuals that are labeled as criminals by society are more likely to become a criminal.

Explanation: Many theories have been developed to explain crime.One of the theories that became a very important method for criminology in the sixties in the United States was the labeling theory. The labeling theory states that people behave the way they do mainly because they have been labeled as deviant by society (Hagan, 2017). Rather than analysing why certain communities commit more crime, the labeling theory examines why some individuals participate in certain behavior that are defined as deviant, and the effects of labelling people. Labeling theorist such as George Herbert Mead, Charles Horton Cooley, Herbert

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