Shoot, Ben he saw us steal the money from his store.
100$
Hey kids! I caught you stealing!
Store owner calls cops on Ben
Ben, you will not get away with stealing from me!
I am sorry
Sam go home, Your parents will deal with you
At school the next day...
He's a criminal, his family has no money. Of course he would behave like this.
why am I a criminal and not sam?
Ben is a deviant, nobody talk to him.
Sam, it's so cool you got away with it. How are you so brave?
Ben and Sam are friends who decided to rob a family owned convenience store. Sam is from a high class family, while Ben is from a low class family. The store owner caught them committing a street crime.
Sam and his friends in class
Sam got away with an informal punishment, while Ben was arrested and will receive a formal punishment for stealing.
Ben confides with his friend
I did not want to steal. I needed money to buy food for supper. My mom did not have enough money for us
The other kids at school think Sam is super cool for trying to steal, while they label Ben a deviant and trouble maker. The labelling theory says deviance is influenced by the responses of others who label the deviant, rather than their actions.
At the police station after school
You will not go to jail ben, but you will get be required to get involved with the community
Sam is bragging to his friends that he will never get in trouble because everyone is scared of upsetting his parents. This is conflict theory, which is when the rich and powerful members of society are able to use their money and influence to escape punishment.
I can't get in trouble because my parents are powerful and everyone is scared of them, haha!
Ben confides to his friend that he did not know another way to get money so his family could have a good supper. This is strain theory, which is how people may turn to deviance when they experience strain.
It's ok. Just because they label you a deviant, does not mean you are one.
The justice system decided juvie would not be the best solution for Ben, but that he would do community service for 3 months to reconcile with the man he stole from. This is restorative justice which focuses on rehabilitating offenders through reconciliation with the victim and larger community, rather than punishment.
You are required to work in the convenience store for the next 3 months, and apologize to the man you stole from