Labeling Theory Research

What sparked my interest in criminology was the 2009 ASC (American Society of Criminology) article of the year - "The Labeling of Convicted Felons and Its Consequences for Recidivism"by Ted Chiricos, Kelle Barrick, William Bales, and Stephanie Bontrager about labeling theory and deferred adjudication. It challenged me to think about the deficiencies of conventional theories of crime, the possibilities of different alternatives to incarceration, and the consequences of felony convictions on future educational and occupational success.

Other noteworthy labeling theory research:

• Official Labeling, Criminal Embeddedness, and Subsequent Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test of Labeling Theory (Bernburg, Krohn, & Rivera, 2006) 

• Labeling, life chances, and adult crime: The direct and indirect effects of official intervention in adolescence on crime in early adulthood (Bernburg & Krohn, 2003)

• Interactionist Labeling Formal and Informal Labeling's Effects on Juvenile Delinquency (Kavish, Mullins, & Soto, 2016)

• Reflected appraisals, parental labeling, and delinquency: Specifying a symbolic interactionist theory (Matsueda, 1992) 

• Labeling effects of first juvenile arrests: Secondary deviance and secondary sanctioning (Liberman, Kirk, & Kim, 2014) 

• Unintended Consequences of Being Stopped or Arrested: An Exploration of the Labeling Mechanisms Through Which Police Contact Leads to Subsequent Delinquency (Wiley, Slocum, & Esbensen, 2013)

 Labeling theory is one of the most interesting theories in criminology and criminal justice. Politicians, the media, and general public tend to believe in a philosophy of deterrence. Thus, labeling theory challenges conventional thought and reasoning concerning the criminal justice system. I encourage readers to check out the labeling theory research listed above. These articles provide a great foundation for undergraduate research papers and serve well as assigned reading for courses about juvenile delinquency and criminal justice sanctioning.