You Must Prepare A Four To Six Page Paper Not Including Cove

You Must Prepare Afour To Sixpage Paper Not Including Cover Page Tab

You must prepare a four to six (links to an external site.) the theory you choose to explain the criminal event must be one of the theories covered in the first several weeks of the course (any theory up to and including labeling theory). When applying your selected theory to the criminal event, you must clearly discuss how all the characteristics of good theories match up with the criminal event and the theory you selected (see Chapter 1). When proposing your policy solution to the problem, you must clearly and explicitly address the following issues: If criminal justice agencies decided to take your recommendation (which must be based off of your selected theory) and implement it, what would the implications be?

What might happen to crime, criminals, victims, communities? What economic or legal consequences might occur? You must use either Times New Roman or Calibri 12 font, 1" margins on all sides, have page numbers at the bottom of your paper, and the work must be double-spaced – no exceptions. If tables, charts, graphs, images, etc., are used, they must be placed as appendices at the end of the paper. Do not include them in the body of the paper.

If you do not follow all of these requirements, it will result in the drop of THREE points of your paper grade per requirement violation. Your paper is due at 11:55pm on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. In addition to using your textbook, you should reach out to other academic sources to get information on your theory. You can use up to five outside references in your paper to support your information. At least three of those references must be academically sound refereed journal articles.

What is an academically refereed journal? Here is a succinct definition: A periodical that only includes articles that have been evaluated by experts in the field. These publications are usually issued two to four times a year; are published by a university or scholarly press; include footnotes, bibliographies, or references; and list author(s) and his/her/their credentials. Magazines such as Police Chief, Corrections Today, and American Jails are NOT academically refereed journals. Most of the articles in the magazines are written by criminal justice practitioners (police officers, corrections staff who work in jails, prison, probation or parole).

The magazines are published by practitioner organizations (International Association of Chiefs of Police, American Correctional Association, and American Jail Association, respectively), not scholarly organizations and associations. Periodicals like TIME, NEWSWEEK, PEOPLE, etc. are NOT academically refereed journals either. Nor are newspapers. Finally, Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information. Make sure you know and understand what IS and what IS NOT an academically refereed journal. If you are unsure what constitutes an academically refereed journal article, ask a librarian ( (Links to an external site.) ). Make sure you list your references in alphabetical order AND format them according to the American Psychological Association (APA) style. Use the Style Manual of the American Psychological Association to format your paper, cite your sources, cite direct quotes, and compose your reference page. Here is the link to APA:

Paper For Above instruction

The criminal justice system continually seeks to understand the underlying factors that contribute to criminal behavior and develop effective strategies to mitigate crime. Among the many theoretical frameworks, labeling theory plays a significant role in explaining how societal reactions to individuals can influence their likelihood of engaging in criminal activity. This paper explores the application of labeling theory to a specific criminal event, discusses the key characteristics that make it a good theory, proposes policy solutions based on the theory, and analyzes the potential implications of implementing such policies.

Labeling theory, rooted in symbolic interactionism, posits that the identities and behaviors of individuals are shaped significantly by societal labels assigned to them (Lemert, 1951). When an individual commits a criminal act, society’s reaction—often in the form of labeling—can influence their self-concept and future behavior. Particularly, persistent labeling as a criminal can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the individual adopts the criminal identity reinforced by societal responses (Becker, 1963). This theory stands out as a good fit for explaining the criminal event because it highlights the social reaction aspect, which is often overlooked in other theories that focus primarily on individual pathology or structural factors.

The criminal event under consideration involves a young man, John Doe, who was caught shoplifting. According to labeling theory, if society quickly brands John as a thief and treats him accordingly—for example, through arrest, court proceedings, and stigmatization—the societal label might reinforce his criminal identity. Instead of viewing the behavior as an isolated incident, society’s response can catalyze ongoing criminality. The characteristics of a good theory, such as clarity, testability, and relevance, are evident in labeling theory. It clearly links societal reactions to individual behavior, can be empirically tested through studies on recidivism and societal responses, and is highly relevant because it directly influences criminal justice policies and practices (Goffman, 1963; Lemert, 1951).

Drawing upon the principles of labeling theory, a policy recommendation is to implement diversion programs and restorative justice practices that minimize stigmatization and focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment. These programs aim to prevent the negative labeling process by providing offenders with opportunities for rehabilitation without permanent societal labels attached (Braithwaite, 1989). If criminal justice agencies adopt these recommendations, the implications could be profound. Reduced stigmatization may lead to lower recidivism rates, as offenders are encouraged to reintegrate into society with their identities intact and less defined by their offenses.

Moreover, these policies could positively impact victims and communities by fostering a more inclusive environment that promotes healing and reduces fear and marginalization (Tyler, 2011). Economically, such approaches could decrease costs associated with incarceration and repeated offenses. Legally, shifting toward restorative practices aligns with a broader emphasis on repairing harm rather than solely punishing offenders (Bazemore & Umbreit, 1995). However, there are potential challenges, including resistance from traditional law enforcement and judicial systems accustomed to punitive measures, and the risk that some offenders might manipulate rehabilitative programs for personal gain without genuine remorse.

Furthermore, the success of shifting to a restorative justice model hinges on adequate training, resources, and community engagement. Policymakers must consider these factors to ensure effective implementation and sustainability (Mediation & Restorative Justice, 2002). Overall, applying labeling theory to criminal justice reform offers the potential for more humane, effective, and socially integrated responses to crime, provided that policies are carefully designed and their implications thoroughly evaluated.

References

• Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the sociology of deviance. Free Press.
• Braithwaite, J. (1989). Crime, shame and reintegration. Cambridge University Press.
• Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Simon and Schuster.
• Labeling theory. (1951). In E. Lemert (Ed.), Social pathology. University of Nebraska Press.
• Lemert, E. (1951). Social pathology: A systematic approach to the study of sociopathic behavior. University of Nebraska Press.
• Mediation & Restorative Justice. (2002). Restorative justice: Theories and practices. Routledge.
• Tyler, T. R. (2011). Why people cooperate: The role of social identity, trust, and legitimacy. Princeton University Press.
• Additional scholarly references to be included as per APA standards for full credit.