In his book Outsiders, published in 1963, Becker describes the processes by which certain behaviors are criminalized. So-called moral entrepreneurs attempt to eliminate an evil they perceive by creating and enforcing norms. The groups that continue to practice the newly criminalized behaviour thus become outsiders. Through these processes, self-fulfilling prophecies
sociology
Marxist theory of crime
Marxist theories of crime aim at the power difference between different social classes. Laws and their enforcement serve to maintain these power differences. Main proponent Richard Quinney, William Chambliss Theory The contents of Marxist crime theories do not always automatically go back to the social theorist Karl Marx. Rather, the
Labelling – primary and secondary deviance (Lemert)
Edwin M. Lemert distinguishes between primary and secondary deviance. An individual first commits primary deviance. Through a process of labelling the individual is forced to play the role of deviant. As a reaction to this role assignment (“You are criminal!”), the labelled person adapts his behaviour according to the role
Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT) (Messner & Rosenfeld)
According to Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT), crime is an indirect consequence of the dominance of the economy over other sectors of society. If a society is primarily shaped by economic interests, economic logic permeates other social institutions and areas (such as education). This results in utilitarian behaviour on the part
Anomie theory (Merton)
The basic idea of Robert K. Merton’s anomie theory is that most people strive to achieve culturally recognized goals. A state of anomie develops when access to these goals is blocked to entire groups of people or individuals. The result is a deviant behaviour characterized by rebellion, retreat, ritualism, innovation,
