ABSTRACT
Critical criminology views society in conflict as opposed to in consensus. In fact, a segment of critical criminology has been named “conflict criminology.” Labeling theory has its roots in the early 1900s when criminologists began to become more concerned with delinquent behavior – and how to respond to it. Most significantly, critical theories of crime focus on power differentials between the upper and lower classes as well as power differentials among the government and citizens. In terms of labeling theory, while specific tests of some of the theory are hard to operationalize, researchers have sought to test whether or not official sanctioning leads to a net positive or negative effect on individuals. A more recent approach to reducing the labeling effect of formal sanctions and, for many, a more reasonable approach compared to radical non-intervention and total socialism is diversion programming.
