Criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Criminology - Essay Example The labeling theory was developed from the interactionist perspective of criminology. Interactionists believe that a person does not become a criminal on their own. Interactionist theories "assume that everyone has the potential to violate the law and that criminality is not an innate human characteristic," according to Schamlleger (2005, p. 245). While social constraints are the primary cause of crime, this alone does not cause someone to act unlawful. Instead these deviant behaviors must be learned and reinforced, which is why the process of socialization is an important factor in determining if someone is going to become a criminal. This means that interactions with society, peer groups, family, the education system, and other social groups play a prominent role, as these interactions provide the individual with morals, values, and a slate of norms in which to adhere to. In addition, this theory believes that a person's position in society will influence their involvement in crime , with those in higher positions in society less likely to partake in criminal behaviors. The labeling theory helped criminologist differentiate between primary and secondary deviance. An offender's initial act of deviance is considered primary deviance. However, continuing these acts is considered secondary deviance, especially if these acts occur as a result of being around other deviant individuals (Schmalleger, 2005). For example, while someone may initially rob a gas station as their primary deviance, secondary deviance may come from being sentenced to jail, meeting fellow criminals, and engaging in additional deviant behavior with them that would not occur if the individual was not associated with them. However, the individual does not have to have direct interaction with other deviant individuals for it to be considered secondary deviance. The action of simply being labeled a criminal can result in secondary deviations (Schmalleger, 2005). Noting and studying labeling in regards to secondary deviance is important, because the negative labels put on an individual e ventually become internalized. The individual labels himself as deviant, and therefore performs deviant behaviors to fit these labels (Schmalleger, 2005). In the 1960s and 70s, criminologists began to question the labeling and interactionist theory. It was during this time that there were a lot of social problems that were causing criminologists to question their loyalty and support to these and other earlier proposed theories. Some of these social problems included the civil rights movement, which gave blacks and whites equal rights, and the war in Vietnam, which was hugely unpopular. Criminologists began to question how they could support theories and interpret laws that discriminated against people and reinforced or caused human suffering. It was at this time that things in the world of criminology began to shift, as a new perspective, Marxist criminology, began to develop. This criminology theory strongly questioned the labeling theory and other theories before it. It was founded upon the writings concerning capitalism by Karl Marx. He was an individual who believed that capitalist societies were divided into two social classes, a small, rich, elite and a large, poor, working class. The elite class served as the ruling class and exploited the poor class

Boston Tea Party Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Boston Tea Party - Research Paper Example Boston Tea Party indeed happened to be one of the first significant acts of defiance against the British. It did put to test the sovereignty of the British Parliament and the King. It put to question the British right of ruling a people who were not only losing touch with Britain but were also getting increasingly sovereign and independent. The Boston Tea Party marked the colonies frustration over representation and laid down the foundation of the future notion of self governance. To put it simply, in the history of the United States, the Boston Tea Party signified the spirit of change, radical action and an idea of governance accruing moral bearing from the actual will of the people. It would be really interesting to delve into the political genesis of the Boston Tea Party. For the British the victory in the French and the India wars did indeed turn out to be utterly costly (Volo 238). Thereby the British monarchy and the Parliament did look to taxing the American colonies as a possible way out of bearing with the high costs incurred during the French and the Indian wars in 1763 (Volo 238). Besides the Britain was also looking forwards to consolidate its hold over the American colonies that had become increasingly distant and independent as the home nation remained embroiled in wars. The political ineptitude of Britain culminating in a series of taxes like the Stamp Act of 1765, the Townsend Acts of 1767 and the hurting and painful Boston Massacre immensely innervated and agitated the colonies and badly impacted their relationship with Britain, leading to much mutual resentment and disappointment (Volo110). Eventually it was the British ploy to tax the tea consu med by the colonies that laid down the foundations of the Boston Tea Party. The colonists refused to pay many of the levies imposed by the British Parliament, denying abiding by the taxes that were envisioned and imposed by a political institution in which they were denied any