LABELING DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PITFALLS AND POTENTIALS (FROM THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON POVERTY AND SCHOOL CRIME - V 2, 1978 - SEE NCJ-59837)

• NCJ Number: 59841
• Author(s): R A FELDMAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 38 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CONCEPTUAL, METHODOLOGICAL, AND INTERVENTION ISSUES RELEVANT TO SOCIAL LABELING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

GIVEN THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE CLASSIFICATION AND LABELING SYSTEMS IN SOCIETY, THE TASK BEFORE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IS COMPLEX: HOW TO RETAIN BENEFITS OF LABELING CATEGORIES WHILE DIMINISHING THEIR NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM IS HOW PUBLIC SCHOOL PERSONNEL CAN DEVELOP LABELING CATEGORIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT WEAKEN FORCES RESULTING IN DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR WHILE MAXIMIZING NEEDED REHABILITATIVE EFFORTS TO HELP YOUTH WHO HAVE ALREADY BECOME DELINQUENT. CRITICAL DILEMMAS IN ANY DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL LABELING FOCUS ON THE DESIRABILITY OR NECESSITY OF IMPLEMENTING CERTAIN SOCIAL VALUES (PERSONAL LIBERTY AS OPPOSED TO SOCIAL CONTROL, GROUP RESPONSIBILITY AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND DIVERSITY VERSUS HOMOGENEITY). LINKED TO MANY OF THESE DILEMMAS IS GROWING PUBLIC CONCERN OVER LEGAL RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND OTHER MINORITY GROUPS. CONCEPTUAL, METHODOLOGICAL, AND INTERVENTION ISSUES IN SOCIAL LABELING UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF APPROPRIATE POLICY DEVELOPMENT. GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES AND OTHERS SHOULD DELINEATE SOCIAL POLICIES THAT PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE EXAMINATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF CLASSIFICATION AND SOCIAL LABELING SYSTEMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. POLICIES SHOULD ALSO BE FORMULATED THAT ASSURE CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL INPUT INTO LABELING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND INTERVENTION ACTIVITIES. PROCEDURES SHOULD FOCUS ON THE PERIODIC EXAMINATION, ACCREDITATION, AND RESTRAINING OF PERSONS MANDATED TO AFFIX LEGITIMATE SOCIAL LABELS ON BEHALF OF THE LARGER SOCIETY, SUCH AS JUDGES, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. CORRESPONDINGLY, EDUCATIONAL, REVIEW, AND ACCREDITATION AUTHORITIES SHOULD ENCOURAGE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS THAT CONSIDERS THE INTERDISCIPLINARY, MULTIFACETED, AND ECOLOGICAL NATURE OF SOCIAL LABELING PROCESSES AND SUBSEQUENT INTERVENTION EFFORTS. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)