Marcus, a 17-year-old college student, was recently arrested for shoplifting a £150 designer watch from a department store. He was given a formal youth caution and had to attend a restorative justice meeting with his college tutor and the store manager. Marcus's mother is deeply concerned that his college tutors and peers will now permanently view him as a 'criminal' or 'thief'. She worries that this reputation will limit his future opportunities, alienate him from his current friend group, and ultimately drive him to commit more severe offences.
Discuss labelling theory as an explanation of offending behaviour. Refer to Marcus in your response.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Content with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 1,059 questions covering Biological explanations of crime, Social explanations of crime, Cognitive and ethical interview techniques, Psychological formulation of offending, Cognitive-behavioural treatment for offenders, Biological treatment for offenders, Factors influencing eye-witness testimony, Factors influencing jury decision-making, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
