Table of contentsLabeling theoryConflict theoryStrategies used to justify norm-breaking behaviorSocietal response/consequences of enforcing labels normsTotal institutionsStigma and identity managementStructural barriersLabeling theoryInstances of labeling theory in the story are illustrated through the character of Ben. Labeling theory refers to the fact that labels placed on a person will ultimately shape the individual's self-image (Bernard, Snipes, & Vold, 2002). In Ben's case, the label of a deviant individual was assigned to him by various people who hold power and authority in society. This is reflected in the fact that Ben was considered a "troublemaker" by the community and authoritative figures at school. Ben adopted this label as a young teenager, which led him to commit other crimes such as burglary, which led to him being labeled a criminal. Cooley's “mirror self” would say that Ben sees himself the same way others see him (Bernard, Snipes, & Vold, 2002). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Because others see him as a troublemaker, Ben also sees himself that way and takes on the label. Katz's seduction of crime would explain that Ben engages in theft due to a lack of complete control over his life (Bernard, Snipes, & Vold, 2002). This could be because one's life is completely out of control or controlled by the system (Bernard, Snipes, & Vold, 2002). Given that Ben comes from a low-income family where his parents struggle to make ends meet, it's understandable that he feels like he has little control over his situation. Conflict TheoryConflict theorists argue that the organized state does not represent public interests but that it represents private interests of those who have enough power to control the operation (Vold, Bernard, Snipes, 2002). The more power one holds, the less likely one is to be considered a criminal (Bernard, Snipes and Vold, 2002). This is seen throughout Ben's life. Ben grew up in a marginalized neighborhood where his parents struggled to make ends meet. This shows how Ben and his family have absolutely no power compared to the potential families he is stealing from. The conflict theory arises when Ben and his friends are targeted by both school staff and the police. This can be analyzed using Turk’s “criminalization theory”. Turk argues that criminalization can occur when authority has power and resisters have relatively little or no power at all (Bernard, Snipes, & Vold, 2002). In both situations, Ben and his friends had no power while the school staff and police officers had the power. In both scenarios, school staff and police officers were the ultimate forms of authority in these environments, thus holding all the power. It was their power that made the situations possible. Without the power school staff had, they would not be able to unfairly target them because of their perceived label. Without the authority of the police officer, they could not have been unfairly recorded. Strategies Used to Justify Norm-Violating Behavior Throughout the story, Ben and his friends employ neutralization techniques. These include denial of injury, condemnation of condemners, and the appearance of higher loyalty. When Ben and his friends were stealingelectronic devices to wealthy families, they considered it harmless to the families, because they only took items that could be replaced. Denial of injury occurs when an offender insists that his or her actions did not cause harm or damage to anyone (Sykes & Matza, 1957). He even went further to insist that he caused no harm because no one was home when he stole. . Conviction of condemners occurs when "the offender shifts the focus from his own deviant acts to the motivations and behavior of those who disapprove of his violations" (Sykes & Matza, 1957, p. 668). This happens when Ben, his friends, and his older brother are carded for what they feel is no good reason. They feel like they're patented because they live in a low-income neighborhood and hang out outside apartment buildings and parks. While Ben calls attention to the police who targeted him and his friends for no good reason, he ignores the label he and his friends carry, which could impact the police who tabbed them . The latest neutralization techniques used seem to generate greater loyalty. . This occurs when a person sacrifices the demands of the larger society for the demands of their group (Sykes & Matza, 1957). This happens when the police questioned Ben and he didn't reveal his friends' identities, even though it meant his sentence would be shorter. When it comes to crime, this technique is very popular when it comes to being questioned and “reporting” on your friends. Societal reaction/consequences of enforcement After word of Ben's illegal activities became known, the media discovered the story and many of the families who had been made aware of it. stolen spoke about the effects it had on them. Garfinkel would describe this as “the transformation of the offender's public identity into something considered inferior to the local schema of social types” (Garfinkel, 1956). This public degradation ceremony is a way for Ben's identity to transform into that of a criminal. because of his actions. With the widespread media, this is something very important today. Family accounts also make it more powerful. Media portrayals of events can cause moral panic and have negative effects on the perpetrator (Quinn, Forsyth, & Mullen-Quinn, 2004). Society's reaction to the burglaries led to a moral panic. Cohen would describe this moral panic as one defined as a threat to societal values ​​led by right-thinking people and significant others who are then overwhelmed or disappear (2011). In this case, the fact that wealthy families who were robbed are speaking out helps create a moral panic. Families were afraid of intruders and children were afraid to sleep alone in their rooms because of media stories. Total Institutions Towards the end of Ben's story, he encounters total institutions. Examples of total institutions would be the prison and the halfway house. Goffman defines a total institution as "a place of residence and work where large numbers of similarly situated individuals are cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time to lead together a formerly administered closed life" (1961 ). . It is pointed out that the prison where Ben served his sentence was far from his hometown, which highlights how cut off he was from society. It also makes it much more difficult for his family to visit him. Goffman also argues that total institutions strip one of one's identity and force one to.