How Does American History X Fall Under The Labeling Theory

Differential theory best describe American History X. Sutherland introduces this theory more than sixty years ago. The differential theory is learned criminal behavior by choice. Sutherland believed if an individual were associated with people who hold deviant or criminal ideas more than with people who embrace conventional ideas, the individual is likely to become deviant(Thio, Taylor, and Schwartz, 2013). Danny’s deviant behavior was learned from his brother Derek and his Derek’s deviant behavior was learned from his father and Cameron. As you see in the movie Derek once didn’t have all that hate in him. There was a scene in the movie when Derek was explaining a homework assignment to his father about him writing an essay on a black man. Derek seemed excited and interested in the class. Derek father said things that possibly could have influenced the way he thought. Derek father told him not to get so caught up on what the
Although his deviant behavior probably was learned behavior from his neighborhood which would be considered the differential association. The black boy falls under the labeling theory because he’s growing up in poverty in a low-class neighborhood. These scenarios will cause him to be subject to act on deviant behavior or become a criminal which both happened. However, society probably already labeled him before Danny's murder. The black boy was subject to deviant behavior because of his race and social class. When your black living in poverty it’s hard not to be stigmatized or label. For example, there was a scene in the bathroom when the black boy was roughing up the white boy because the white boy told the teacher he was cheating. The black boy stated that he doesn’t cheat he doesn't need to cheat. He was stereotyped because he was black. It appeared the boy cared about school because he stops beating the boy up when the bell rang and had to go to