Lemert, Edwin M.: Primary and Secondary Deviance

Edwin M. Lemert posited the notion of primary and secondary deviance in his 1951 text Social Pathology. The discussion of these distinct forms of deviance took only a few pages, but the effect on various theories of criminal behavior, particularly labeling theory, were rich and far-reaching. Lemert further delved into this dichotomy in his 1967 Human Deviance, Social Problems, and Social Control, painting a fuller picture of how he believed that societal reactions to a violation of social norms could lead an individual to continued violation of these norms (including the commission of crimes) and an eventual self-identification with behaviors and groups existing outside of the established (i.e., mainstream) societal framework. According to Lemert, this self-identification would cement an individual's status in society as that of a deviant.

For Lemert, primary deviance is behavior that departs from a social norm yet causes no long-term consequences for the offender. This lack of consequence may be because the initial deviation prompts no reaction or, if the deviance does prompt a reaction, that reaction is not particularly negative or stigmatizing. Primary deviance does not lead to a permanent label from external observers or to a deviant self-identity on the part of the offender. Secondary deviance is not simply a violation of social norms, but a violation of social norms that results from a realignment of an individual's self-concept either with the deviance itself or with a subgroup that is considered deviant in relation to the social norms.

The remainder of this entry unfolds in three parts. First, the theoretical roots of Lemert's ideas are discussed briefly. Next, more detail is provided about the process of negative labeling, which serves to distinguish primary and secondary deviance. The essay concludes with a discussion of the status of Lemert's ideas in contemporary criminological theory and practice.