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Canadian Youth Crime: The Labelling Theory

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Youth crime is one of the most prevalent, ongoing issues within Canadian society. Beginning predominantly in the 1960s with the baby boomers and reaching dangerous levels with the crime spike leading into the 21st century, adolescent crime has become a topic of strong interest. Over time, multiple methods have been implemented to eliminate these young offenders. Although large strides have been made in reducing the amount of crime among Canadian minors, the nation is still burdened by this serious matter. In 2014, Allen and Superle (2016) found that 13% of all people accused of crime were Canadian youth. However, it was found that youth, between the ages 12 to 17, accounted for only 7% of the population (Allen & Superle, 2016). This is of much significance considering the length of time since the crime rate began to fall in the 1990s. In order to solve this problem, one must find the root of it. Many perspectives lay the blame on Canadian youth for their poor decisions and rebelliousness. However, I believe that young people are uncontrollably bound to deviant behaviour. Are Canadian youth, as a whole, required to evade a predestined life of crime? …show more content…

The labelling theory, also known as the social reaction theory, claims that people begin to self-identify as specific labels given to them by representative members of society (Siegel, Brown, & Hoffman, 2013). The correlation between teenagers and criminal labels will be further researched in this study. Bernburg, Krohn, and Rivera (2006) support this perspective on youth crime claiming that “official, or formal, adjudication for an offense may create or enhance the reputation of a juvenile as a criminal in his or her community” (p. 69). This can lead to prejudicial labels on innocent teenagers resulting in a vicious cycle. The widespread branding of adolescents created by the labeling theory is significant proof of

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