The labeling theory of criminology states that a criminal is made in two steps. The first step is when an individual who might be falsely accused of committing a criminal act. The false accusations and labeling continue to the point that he gets frustrated by them. The second step is when he being tired of the constant accusations actually goes and commits the act. The second step happens when the person feels harassed and isolated and does not care anymore about his self. He feels that anyways he has been accused of the act and everybody treats him like a criminal then he should go and do what he is anyways blamed for. The moment when the person labeled a criminal starts feeling helpless and isolated, is the one when he actually turns his thoughts towards criminal acts. It often happen when the person belongs to a different social or cultural background than the rest. He is isolated because of his background and because of it, he ends up being falsely implicated for something that he has not done. The labeling theory might be helpful in explaining why certain individuals might be more at risk of being used by criminal gangs. A simple example may be of a poor boy who was repeatedly accused of stealing might be used by some gang to go and actually steal. While the labeling theory does not justify any of the criminal acts, it does help in explaining the reason behind certain behaviors.
