Charles Manson and the Application of the Labeling Theory
Charles Manson and his followers were notorious criminals in the 1960s. His followers or “The Family” committed several murders on his behalf. Manson used the power of the hippie movement and various hallucinogenic drugs to keep his followers (who were mostly female) within his grasp (Biography.com editors). In a society that was suddenly changing around him, Manson took advantage of those who were easily influenced by the new trends of breaking away from traditional behaviors and converted them into followers that believed he was the second Christ (Atchinson and Heide 772). Observing Manson’s behavior and his acceptance of the fact that he became a villain can easily be tied into sociological theories, one of which is the labeling theory. The labeling theory describes the sociological elements that led to Charles Manson becoming a notorious cult leader and in turn ultimately led him to lead a life of crime instead of being a “normal” or functioning member of society (i.e. someone who does not commit criminal acts).
First it is important to note Manson’s upbringing. He was born to a sixteen-year-old who was a prostitute and an alcoholic. His father had no role in his life, and from a young age he was abandoned by his mother and left to act however he wished. He lived with his aunt and uncle for a short period of time after his mother left him; however they were both extremely religious and he himself became a runaway. He committed petty crimes to succeed in life and was imprisoned multiple times throughout his adolescence and adult years. By the time Manson was 32, he had spent half of his life (roughly 17 years) in prison (Biography.com editors).
Considering how much time he had spent behind bars, Manson frequently noted that he was a criminal. In an interview conducted by David Lopez of Vanity Magazine on March 23, 2011, Manson stated that he was “raised in prison” and that he was “a gangster” and “a hoodlum.” Manson always stated that spending most of his life incarcerated had severely affected his way of thinking, especially in terms of the outside world and how “normal” citizens behaved in said outside world. In the same interview he also stated that he knew “everything in prison from the men that came into from the outside,” essentially stating that any knowledge of the outside world was obtained through these criminals. This is substantial considering how most criminals fall under the labeling theory as well; they would also see the world through a different set of eyes as compared to someone who would be considered a normal, functioning member of society. It is also important because it further validates the fact that the labeling theory correctly analyzes and explains Charles Manson’s character and the crimes he committed.
Next is understanding what the labeling theory is and how it applies to Manson. This theory came about in the 1960s when multiple scholarly works about it were published and brought the theory to light (Knutsson 18). It is not a concrete theory but rather several consistent points and observations made by sociologists (18). There is no proper creator of the labeling theory. Multiple sociologists have published different works that have added to the creation and knowledge of the theory in some way (18). Two sociologists, Frank Tennenbaum and George Herbert Mead, are usually the ones credited with bringing the labeling theory to light and solidifying its place in sociology.
The labeling theory states that if a particular action, person, or group of people is considered to be an issue in society if it is labeled by society as a problem (Mooney, et al. 15). From a criminological perspective, the labeling theory makes criminals internally accept the label given to them by society and thus accept themselves as criminals. This leads to deviants committing more crimes and possibly becoming incarcerated, which leads to isolation from those who are not deviant (107). This was especially true in Manson’s case considering he had no real sense of normalcy due to being labeled as a deviant. Due to this label, he would continue to commit acts of crime knowing full well what he was and who he had become according to the label given to him by other members of society.
With Manson essentially being raised behind bars, he was ignorant of the outside world and in turn could not distinguish non-deviant behaviors from deviant behaviors. Deviance was all that he knew and was all he known by, so he eventually came to terms with the fact that he was a villian and had no remorse for acting in accordance to the label that was put on him. Because of this, secondary deviance (defined as “deviant behavior that results from being caught and labeled as an offender”) was a frequent factor of his criminal life (Mooney, et al. 107).
The labeling theory is important in current times because if Manson had not been treated as a criminal early on, his criminal acts could have been stopped. As a child, all Manson knew was crime due to his mother being in jail for a period of time. This led to Manson being labeled as a “bad egg” simply due to his mother (which he could not control or choose) being a deviant. It is usually automatically assumed that when a parent’s mother or father is incarcerated, they are products of a negative, criminal environment and in turn become an active member in said environment. Many of the problems that Charles faced throughout his life could have been stopped if someone had taken the time to rehabilitate his thoughts of deviance into thoughts of non-deviance.
Manson recently died due to natural causes and his publicity has once again soared, albeit post-mortem; the labeling theory could have possibly played a role in his popularity while he was still alive. Manson saw himself as the Messiah and manipulated his followers into thinking that he was the Messiah well before the crimes he committed came to light; this was a heavy indicator to his need for adoration, worship, and attention. It is entirely possible that due to his sudden rise to fame, his criminal acts would have only increased to make his name bigger than it already was.
Manson and the labeling theory are both still incredibly relevant in today’s society. Manson’s story emphasizes the need for adolescents and adults that are incarcerated or associating themselves with crime or criminals to be properly rehabilitated to avoid a negative label given to them. This is especially important considering how juveniles will adapt and act like those around them. They will adopt their mannerisms, good or bad, and establish their own identity based around what others have been teaching and showing them. It is an extreme case of “monkey see, monkey do” that can easily be curbed by providing healthy outlets for deviants that associate themselves with crime at an early age, whether it be intentional or unintentional.
I believe the future of the labeling theory will continue to be bleak. It is especially worrying taking into account Charles Manson’s life and how easily a father figure or mother figure could have stepped in to guide him. However, since no such person came, he was left to his own devices and followed the advice and knowledge of criminals. This ultimate led to Manson becoming a criminal for life and (in accordance to the labeling theory) accepting criminal label that was given to him.