"If You Label Me, You Negate Me": Examining Race Differences in Deviant Identity

• In Event: In-Depth Examinations of Labeling Mechanisms

Abstract

Scholars are increasingly concerned with the impact of police contacts (e.g., minor stops, arrests) on youth. From a labeling theory perspective, these contacts are associated with increased delinquency via exclusion from conventional opportunities, identity transformation, and involvement with deviant groups. Lemert's (1951) original formulation of the deviance amplification process highlights the central role of the adoption of a deviant identity following the initial labeling event; however, data that allow for thorough examination of this component are limited. The current study relies on a sample of 3,641 students from the St. Louis metropolitan area surveyed as part of the University of Missouri - St. Louis Comprehensive School Safety Initiative to examine changes in self-esteem and attitudes and beliefs associated with a deviant identity following police contact. St. Louis County is highly segregated and there are well-documented race differences in the police-related experiences of youth in this area, so we also examine whether there are differences in deviant identity by race.

Authors

• Stephanie Ann Wiley, Simon Fraser University

• Lee Ann Slocum, University of Missouri - St. Louis

• Finn-Aage Esbensen, University of Missouri - St. Louis