LABELING IS A PROCESS OF TAGGING, IDENTIFYING, SEGREGATING, AND EMPHASIZING DEVIANT TRAITS IN A PERSON, AND THIS PROCESS EVOKES THE VERY TRAITS THAT ARE DEVIANT. DEVIANT LABELS INFLUENCE THE WAY LABELED PERSONS ARE SEEN AND REACTED TO. ACCORDING TO A 1963 STUDY, PERSONS WHO ARE PSYCHOLOGICALLY NORMAL BUT HAVE BEEN LABELED MENTALLY ILL BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION AT ONE TIME IN THEIR LIVES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SOCIALLY REJECTED THAN SCHIZOPHRENICS WHO HAVE AVOIDED TREATMENT. THE INITIAL CAUSE OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE REACTIONS DEVIANCE EVOKES IN OTHER PEOPLE. A 1965 STUDY OF DRUG USERS AND HOMOSEXUALS INDICATES THAT THE EXCHANGE OF PROHIBITED GOODS AMONG DRUG USERS AND DEALERS AND HOMOSEXUAL PARTNERS LEADS TO SECONDARY DEVIANCE. FOR EXAMPLE, DRUG ADDICTION IS A PRIMARY DEVIANCE. SOCIETY MAKES DRUG USE ILLEGAL AND EXPENSIVE AND DRUGS DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN. THE DRUG USER THEN MUST STEAL TO FINANCE THE HABIT. THIS BEHAVIOR LEADS TO SECONDARY DEVIANCE. THE HOMOSEXUALS SEEKING PARTNERS ARE FACED WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION. BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL LABELING PROCESSES EXIST. THE COURTS, PRISONS, MENTAL HOSPITALS, AND OTHER AGENCIES OF SOCIAL CONTROL FORMALLY LABEL PERSONS 'DEVIANT,' BUT SOCIETAL ATTITUDES CAN PERFORM THE SAME FUNCTION WITHOUT THE USE OF FORMAL MEASURES OR LAWS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)