This document discusses several theories of criminal behavior and how it relates to socialization. It examines anomie theory, which suggests that crime can result when there is a disconnect between socially accepted goals and the means to achieve them. Labelling theory holds that acts only become deviant when labeled as such by others. The author also reviews right realism, which views crime as a matter of free will and advocates for harsher punishments, and left realism, which focuses more on victims and sees crime stemming from lack of resources and social skills due to one's background. Overall, the document argues that criminal behavior is linked to socialization through social structures, learning from others, social class influences, and societies' labeling of certain acts

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Criminalbehaviouris acquiredin the same way as any other form
of behaviourand results from the way people are socialised.
The statement that, criminal behaviour is obtained by other behaviour
and results are from how people are socialised,can be both correct and
incorrect. Social learning theories and social action theories can provide
for and against this statement and differenttheoretical approaches.I
shall discuss in detail two main theoretical approaches to crime which
will be structural and social action theories. I will show an understanding
of other theories of crime and behaviour and the relationship they have
between their policy implications.
One theory for criminal behaviour regarding social action theory is
anomie. Anomie is when social norms conflictor do not exist at all
(Baumar 2010).The perspectivesof Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton
have shown that deviance and crime are vital to societyand used the
term anomie to describe the differencesbetweensocially accepted goals
and whether an individual or group had the skills to achieve those goals.
An example used by Merton was that being wealthy was a major goal of
American’s, but not every American was able to get rich quickly,
especiallyamong minority and disadvantaged groups. When an obstacle
was given to these groups their ideal goal was now out of reach,
therefore they may have reverted to deviant behaviour and crime to
achieve these socially approved goals (Davies 2005).
On the negative side, anomie theory has beencriticised for its
vagueness. Merton does not use the word anomie specifically to answer
the reasons for all crime but more as a general over sight of why crime
occurs in society.Merton’s theory does not explain conformity,social
interaction and group processes.It overlooks social control and crimes
by the wealthy and powerful. Instead, the theory discusses the
relationships between socialisation, social controls, and behaviour but
the theory does not explain the reason for crime and deviance. It was
other theorists such as Steven Messner, Emile Durkheim and Max
Weberwho then used this theory of anomie and applied extensive
research into why crime is needed in society (Connor 2013).
Labelling theory is an explanation of social structure and some reasons
why crime occurs. Labelling gives reasons behind why there is

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conformity, socialinteraction and group processes. Labelling theory is
what societylabels certain deviant acts or people,‘that no act is criminal
or deviantuntil ithas been labelled as such by others. It is not the act
that makes something deviant – it is social reaction to the act (the label)
e.g. nudity and heroin use’ (Byrant 2014). For example being labelled
‘loud’ or ‘disruptive’ in a classroom may give the pupil low self esteem
and will continue with the deviant behaviour as they would be full filling a
self prophecy.Therefore not giving a chance for change and will
continue to be ‘loud’ and ‘disruptive’ (Moffitt 2004). There are two stages
to labelling theory, the first stage is the primary deviant stage where a
crime has been committed by a personand is labelled a ‘criminal’ but
has not yet accepted this label. The second stage is secondarydeviance
where the personhas accepted themselvesas a criminal (Law teacher
2013).
Unfortunately, people who acceptthe labelling of others have a difficult
time changing their opinions of the labelled person, even when there is
evidence to prove the label given to an individual group is just theory.
William Chambliss in 1973 conducted a study into the effects of
labelling. His two groups of white, male, high‐school students were both
frequently involved in delinquent acts of theft, vandalism, drinking, and
truancy. The police never arrested the members of one group, which
Chambliss labelled the “Saints,” but the police did have frequent run‐ins
with members of the other group, which he labelled the “Roughnecks.”
The boys in the Saints came from respectable families,had good
reputations and grades in school,and were careful not to get caught
when breaking the law. By being polite and apologetic whenever they
were suspected by the police,the Saints escaped labelling themselves
as “deviants.” But on the other hand, the Roughnecks came from
families of lower socioeconomic status, had poor reputations and grades
in school,and were not careful about being caught when breaking the
law. By being argumentative and aggressive whenever confronted by
the police,the Roughnecks were easily labelled by others and
themselves as “deviants.” In other words, while both groups committed
crimes,the Saints were perceived to be “good”because of their polite
behaviour (due to their upper‐class backgrounds)and the Roughnecks
were seenas “bad” because of their aggressive behaviour (which was
because of their socialisation and lower‐class backgrounds).As a result,

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the police always took action against the Roughnecks, but never against
the Saints (Jackson 2004). This proves that a label and someone’s
behaviour combined with social class can have dramatic effect on who
we perceive are committing the crimes.This can affectthe result of
criminal statistics because of the biased opinion.
Right realism is a functionalist approach to crime and how they can
tackle the problem.It has a perspective of the conservative views and
came about in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when Thatcher was
prime minister. Right winged politicians believed in the labelling theory.
At this time there was major cuts on economy which left the public
services vulnerable (Walklate 2007). This impacted on crime control
strategies and how crime would be collated.But crime seemedto still be
rising therefore right realists were saying crime was an act of free will
and that the individual offenders would need to have harsher
punishments for the crime they committed in an attempt to bring down
the crime rates (class notes 2015).Right realists stated that crime was a
problem but they did not look at the implications of crime but instead
how to tackle the problem,introducing harsher punishments and
discontinuing the rehabilitation centres for reoffending (Walklate 2007).
Leftrealism was found in the late 1980’s and is focused more on the
victims of crime. Leftrealists also saw crime as a problem but they
rejected the idea of the labelling theory and ‘began to presentideologies
which took a more realisticapproachto crime control,and challenged
right realists by arguingthat the causation of crimecomes from a
mixtureof relative deprivationand individualism which,consequently,
created widespreadaggression and anti-socialbehaviourleading to
criminal activity’(Jones 2009). Leftrealists relied on the results of crime
statistics by using victim’s surveys’ as they were focusing on the victims
of crime. But criticisms of this were that not all crime would be
documented due to the nature of some of the victim’s situations. For
example domestic violence as the victim will not be willing to testify
against the personcausing harm to them. Which would mean the victim
survey may not be reliable. Left realists argued that not all crime would
be reported to the police either but people are more likely to tell the truth
in a victim survey than talk to the police about a crime. The ideologiesof
both left and right agree that crime is a problem and that it needs to be

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dealt with, but they both focus on differentaspects of crime and who it is
aimed at. Leftrealists believe that crimes are committed because of lack
or resources and social skills, which come from socialisation and
background. Right realists believe that crime occurs because of the
individuals want to commit a crime and more for biologicalreasons and
labelling.
Overall criminal behaviour is connected to socialisation because it can
be taught (Social structures and socialisation) and can be learned. It can
also be because of social class and the demand for a certain goal in life.
Therefore it is not necessarilythe need but a want to be something
better but has to commit a crime to becomereality (anomie). All the
above reasoning is a result of social control, socialgroups, socialisation
and theories that contribute to society and the roles we play in them.
Whether that can be criminal behaviour or going to work and earning
money, we are all socialised in a way and will have committed an act of
deviance or possiblycrime,but will not be seen as a crime unless
societylabels it as one.

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