Which concept focuses on how labeling of individuals can influence their future involvement in crime?

• A. Labelling theory
• B. Social structure
• C. Marxism
• D. Realism

Answer: (A)

Labeling theory focuses on how tagging someone as deviant can change how others treat them and how they see themselves. When a person is labeled, they may internalize that identity, withdraw from conventional roles, and seek out opportunities that fit the deviant label. This can lead to a self-fulfilling cycle where the person engages in more crime, known as secondary deviation, because the label shapes interactions with others and limits legitimate options. In short, the social reaction to a label can influence future criminal involvement.

Other approaches look at different roots of crime: social structure examines how societal organization and inequalities influence crime, Marxism emphasizes economic power and class conflict, and realism focuses on practical responses to crime. None center on how labeling itself drives future behavior as clearly as labeling theory.