Reflection Paper #4

Theories of Criminal Behavior- Reflection paper No. 4

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Theories of Criminal Behavior- Reflection paper No. 4

Labeling theory has been pondered upon by the author in this chapter. He explored different aspects of the labeling theory by comparing with the social construction of crime ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ySHW86fT","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2018)","plainCitation":"(Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":953,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/RXRLVU3Q"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/RXRLVU3Q"],"itemData":{"id":953,"type":"book","title":"Criminological theory: Context and consequences","publisher":"Sage publications","source":"Google Scholar","title-short":"Criminological theory","author":[{"family":"Lilly","given":"J. Robert"},{"family":"Cullen","given":"Francis T."},{"family":"Ball","given":"Richard A."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2018). Although these both are two different aspects of studying criminology, the author has attempted to reflect the critical aspects of these two in a more general sense. I believe this is good in sense of providing the readers a specific understanding of two general concepts, however, some new researchers can find it confusing to understand. Coming up to labeling theory, once again, the author writes about its historical aspects and early understandings about this. I believe this could have served better if written at the start of this chapter. Labeling theory then goes on to lead the debate in this part of the book which ends in contextualizing it. For this part, I believe the author has done a commendable job, but there are areas that are narrow in scope. For example, the assessment of labeling theory could have been more general.

In the second and third part of this chapter, the author has written about the consequences of the labeling and how it extends the debate in criminology. Labeling theory has been mentioned here in the context of decriminalization, diversion, due process, and deinstitutionalization. My understanding of these aspects in criminology is that labeling theory can serve the purpose in decriminalization and diversion, but this cannot be a substitute in understanding the due process and deinstitutionalization. I believe the later both need a thorough and inclusive approach and their interpretation can be done by implying other criminological perspectives too. In the last part of this chapter, the author has extended the debate on labeling theory. This part includes different perspectives of some modern criminologists. At some points, these authors are in strong contrast with authors of this book, and at some points, they have carried on the same old debate about labeling theory. This is how a scholarly debate should end up. In addition to including some new themes about labeling theory, the author has suggested some further readings on the same subject.

Chapter eight is on conflict theory in Criminology. I have observed in many kinds of the literature of criminology that conflict theory is debated right after the labeling theory ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"e8B8n2BG","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Williams and McShane 1994)","plainCitation":"(Williams and McShane 1994)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":955,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/WAAEUL8W"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/WAAEUL8W"],"itemData":{"id":955,"type":"book","title":"Criminological theory","publisher":"Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Williams","given":"Franklin P."},{"family":"McShane","given":"Marilyn D."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1994"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Williams and McShane 1994). This book has also implied the same scholarly approach ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"mOakMQ45","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2018)","plainCitation":"(Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":953,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/RXRLVU3Q"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/RXRLVU3Q"],"itemData":{"id":953,"type":"book","title":"Criminological theory: Context and consequences","publisher":"Sage publications","source":"Google Scholar","title-short":"Criminological theory","author":[{"family":"Lilly","given":"J. Robert"},{"family":"Cullen","given":"Francis T."},{"family":"Ball","given":"Richard A."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2018). This chapter is divided into six parts including a very general conclusion. In the first part of this chapter, the authors have talked about the patterns of conflict and the types of crimes. This has been done by presenting the views of different authors from history. Some has talked about the conflict patterns, whereas some has worked over the types of crime. I think this part is disorderly. The crime is not individually studied, rather it has been presented by complementing it with capitalism as a social phenomenon and somewhere with the forms of conflicts. This part could have been written more appropriately.

The second and third part presents the idea about conflict theory in historical perspective (the turmoil of the 1960s) and in cultural perspectives (the Turks, Chambliss, and Quinces). This part is an interesting read and helps in more broadening the sense about conflict theory in terms of history and culture. I have enjoyed reading this part and it has really broadened my vision about the conflict dynamics in criminology. The fourth and fifth part of this chapter is about the causes of crime and the consequences of conflict theory. Authors have adopted a bit hollow approach in these parts. For example, the causes of crime are not that much apprehended with latest forms in criminal offenses and similarly in describing the consequences of conflict theory, just a Marxist approach has been taken as a guiding approach. In this part, I have enjoyed more in peacemaking criminology part. I have found this the latest addition in criminology literature. Finally, a broad but a narrow in scope conclusion sums up the debate of this chapter.

References:

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Lilly, J. Robert, Francis T. Cullen, and Richard A. Ball. 2018. Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences. Sage publications.

Williams, Franklin P., and Marilyn D. McShane. 1994. Criminological Theory. Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ.