Difference Between Crime And Labeling Theory

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There have been many theories that have come about to try and explain the reasoning behind crime and criminal behavior. Some such as Lombroso’s on criminal body types theory lose credibility once the scientific method is applied to them, but there are those such as the Strain and the Labeling theory which stands the test of time as people continue to ask the age old question, what causes criminal behavior. Though the two theories have similar meanings, they also differ in their approach in figuring out what makes a person turn to a life of crime. The Labeling theory essentially is an interactionist’s perspective that sees continued crime as a consequence of limited opportunities for acceptable behavior that follows from the negative responses …show more content…

So in the end society really does play an active role in breeding criminals and criminal behavior even though it may be a small. The Strain theory tells of how those in society are shown and told of what is the “dream” and aspirations that everyone should strive to have, yet there is no pillar of means that fall out of the sky to give it to them. If they want it, they have to conform to acceptable behavior in order to get it. The Labeling theory shows how the action of a society can bring about its own criminal by branding people with labels to the point that they become the labels. Though the two theories have society as a common denominator, they still differ in the aspects of perception such as how people are perceived into crime and how others are enticed into it. No society will ever be crime free and likewise probably could not function it they were. Theories will come and theories will go as many different societies try to figure out how to pinpoint to origins of wanting to commit criminal behavior. On its search to answer this question, society can slowly be turning people to feel that they have no choice but to want to commit offenses because they want the best in life too. Also giving rise to a generation of individuals who are born with good intentions but are swayed to be and act different because of labels and the stigma that surrounds being who they

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