2.2.3 Crime and deviance: Class, power and crime

Question 1

Explaining class differences in crime

How do functionalists explain class differences in crime?

Answer 1

• Functionalism sees crime as the product of inadequate socialisation into shared culture.
• Miller argues that the lower class has an independent subculture opposed to mainstream culture and this explains their higher crime rate.

Question 2

Explaining class differences in crime

How does strain theory explain class differences in crime?

Answer 2

• Argues that the class structure denies working class people the opportunity to legitimately achieve goals, so they are more likely to ‘innovate’ (utilitarian crime)

Question 3

Explaining class differences in crime

How do subcultural theories explain class differences in crime?

Answer 3

• Cohen sees working class youths as culturally deprived, and therefore unable to succeed in education, leading to status frustration and joining deviant subcultures.
• Cloward and Ohlin identify three types of subculture: criminal, conflict, and retreatist.

Question 4

Explaining class differences in crime

How do labelling theorists explain class differences in crime?

Answer 4

• Rejects official statistics that say the working class commit more crime and focus on law enforcement which have the power to label the working class as criminals.

Question 5

Marxism, class, and crime

How do marxists see capitalism as causing crime?

Answer 5

• Marxists see crime as inevitable in capitalist society.
• Capitalism is criminogenic - its very nature causes crime.

Question 6

Marxism, class, and crime

How does capitalism explain working class crime?

(4)

Answer 6

• Capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working class for profit.
• Poverty may mean crime is the only way to survive.
• Crime may be the only way of obtaining consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising
• Alienation may cause frustration and aggression, leading to non-utilitarian crime.

Question 7

Marxism, class, and crime

How does Gordon explain ruling class crime?

Answer 7

Argues that crime is a rational response to capitalism and thus is found in all classes.

Question 8

Marxism, class, and crime

How do marxists view the state and law making?

Answer 8

• Marxists view the state and law making as serving the interests of capitalism.
• The ruling class have the power to prevent the introduction of laws harmful to their wealth.

Question 9

Marxism, class, and crime

How do Marxists view law enforcement as being unequal?

Answer 9

• argue that the law is selectively enforced, with the crimes of the powerful much less likely to be persecuted.

Question 10

Marxism, class, and crime

What are three ways that crime performs ideological functions for capitalism?

Answer 10

1. Some laws benefit workers giving capitalism a caring face and creating a false consciousness.
2. Due to selective enforcement, crime appears mainly working class which turns the working class against each other rather then against capitalism.
3. By making working class crime seem like a large issue, attention is shifted from ruling class crime.

Question 11

Neo-Marxism: critical criminology

What is Taylor et al’s voluntaristic view of crime?

Answer 11

• Neo-marxists see crime as a conscious choice, often with political motive.
• Voluntaristic - the idea that we have free will.

Question 12

Marxism, class, and crime

What are some criticisms of marxism and neo-marxism?

(3)

Answer 12

• Feminists criticise marxism for being too ‘gender blind’.
• Others criticise marxism for ignoring non-utilitarian crime.
• Neo-marxism is criticised for romanticising working class criminals as ‘robin hoods’ fighting capitalism.

Question 13

Crimes of the powerful

How does Sutherland define white collar crime and what are the two types he defines?

Answer 13

• Crimes commited by a person of respectability and high status in the course of their occupation.
• Occupational crime - committed by employees for personal gain.
• Corporate crime - committed for the companies benefit.

Question 14

Crimes of the powerful

What are four examples of types of corporate crimes?

Answer 14

• Financial crimes - e.g tax evasion.
• Crimes against consumers - e.g selling unfit goods.
• Crimes against employees - e.g breaking health and safety.
• Crimes against the environment - e.g toxic waste dumping.

Question 15

Crimes of the powerful

Why does Sutherland argue that white collar crime is a greater threat to society?

Answer 15

• It is an abuse of trust that promotes distrust of key institutions and undermines the fabric of society.
• E.g accounts commiting tax fraud and money laundering.

Question 16

Crimes of the powerful

Why is corporate crime often invisable?

(2)

Answer 16

• The media give limited coverage.
• Under-reporting - often the victim in society at large rather than individuals.

Question 17

Explanations of corporate crime

How does strain theory explain corporate crime?

Answer 17

• If a company cannot achieve its goal of maximising profit by legitimate means, it may use illegal ones.

Question 18

Explanations of corporate crime

How does Sutherland’s ‘differential association’ theory explain corporate crime?

Answer 18

Sutherland sees crime as a socially learned behaviour. If a company justifies committing crime, its employees will be socialised into criminality, and use ‘techniques of neutralisation’ to justify their crimes.

Question 19

Explanations of corporate crime

How does labelling theory explain corporate crime?

(3)

Answer 19

• An act only counts as a crime if it has been labelled as one.
• Companies have the power to avoid labelling. e.g by hiring expensive lawyers.
• Lack of investigation reduces the amount of offences officially labelled.

Question 20

Explanations of corporate crime

How does marxism explain corporate crime?

Answer 20

• Marxism sees corporate crime as resulting from capitalism because the capitalist goal is to maximise profits so it inevitably causes harm.
• Capitalism makes crime appear a working class issue.
• Controls the state so controls laws being made.