CRIMINALITY THROUGH INSTITUTIONAL CARE - AN EXAMINATION OF THE LABELING THEORY USING THE WORK OF THE YOUTH BUREAU

• NCJ Number: 15144
• Journal: Kriminologisches Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE 1974) Pages: 89-104
• Author(s): C Schumann
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Arbeitskreis Junger Kriminologen
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: German
• Country: West Germany (Former)

Annotation

THE RECORDS OF JUVENILES IN WEST GERMAN HOMES FOR DELINQUENT YOUTH ARE USED TO TEST THE PREDICTIONS OF A SOCIOLOGICAL CRIME CAUSE THEORY.

Abstract

ACCORDING TO THE LABELING THEORY, STIGMATIZING A PERSON'S BEHAVIOR AS CRIMINAL CHANGES HIS IDENTITY AND CAUSES REACTIONS BY SOCIETY THAT REDUCE HIS CHANCES TO SUCCEED IN SOCIALLY ACCEPTED WAYS AND INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT HE WILL FOLLOW A CRIMINAL CAREER. IN THIS STUDY, EVALUATIONS OF 43 JUVENILES IN DELINQUENT YOUTH HOMES WERE COMPARED WITH THE JUVENILES' LATER CAREERS. SINCE 11 CASES DIRECTLY CONTRADICTED THE THEORY WITH NEGATIVELY LABELED INDIVIDUALS GOING ON TO NON-CRIMINAL CAREERS AND NON-NEGATIVELY LABELED INDIVIDUALS GOING ON TO CRIMINAL CAREERS, THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS SOME MODIFICATIONS OF THE THEORY. THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT THE LABELING OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR BY THE JUGENDAMT (YOUTH BUREAU) SEEMED TO BE BIASED AGAINST JUVENILES FROM SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES. DATA IS PROVIDED ON THE DESIGN AND RESULTS OF THE STUDY. --IN GERMAN