Discriminatory Labeling and the Five-Finger Discount

In developing the argument that deviance is primarily created, labeling theorists borrow heavily from conflict theory to account for who is most apt to be labeled and why. The present study contrasts a labeling-conflict model with a behavioral one, regard ing the decision to prosecute or to release apprehended shop lifters. The authors apply tabular and regression analysis to a total sample of 371 shoplifters apprehended in 1969 at a large metro politan department store located in California. They find that the data largely contradict the labeling and conflict notion that "deviance is in the eye of the beholder." Rather, the decision to release or prosecute the offender is largely related to what he does instead of who he is or how he is perceived. Thus, the data indicate that shoplifters tend to earn their own fate on the basis of their own shoplifting behavior. Specifically, the shoplifter's age, sex, and race are found to be unrelated to his subsequent release or prosecution. Social class is also found to be insignificantly related to shoplifting disposi tions, except for the high rate of prosecution of the unemployed. On the other hand, the value of the merchandise stolen is found to exert a strong independent influence upon the release or prosecution of apprehended shoplifters and thus offers support for the behavioral model.