4.2 - Class, Power & Crime (Marxism) Flashcards
Functionalist Explanations for Class Differences in Crime
> Due to inadequate socialisation e.g. Durkheim
> Miller - Focal Concerns
Strain Theorists Explanations for Class Differences in Crime
> e.g. Merton
Subcultural Theorists Explanations for Class Differences in Crime
> e.g. Cohen SF & C&O 3 SC
Labelling Theorists Explanations for Class Differences in Crime
No act is deviant, labelling makes it so, WC more likely to be labelled.
General Marxist View on Crime
> Law enforced selectively vs WC & OS flawed
> CJS serves UC interests & structure of capitalism expcrime.
> Need 4 classless society, w/ less crime
Criminogenic Capitalism
Crime inevitable very nature causes crime, based on exploiting WC for profit.
Criminogenic Capitalism & WC Crime
> Poverty so crime only way WC survive
> Only way to get consumer goods, promoted by advertising = util crimes e.g. theft
> Alienation = frustration = non-util crimes e.g. violence
Criminogenic Capitalism & UC Crime
> Win @ all costs mentality instilled = greed profit, so do CC
Marxism - Class & Crime (KS)
> Chambliss (Criminogenic Capitalism, State & Law Making)
> Gordon (Prevalence of Crime)
> Mankoff (Welfare State & Crime)
> Snider (State & Law Making)
> Reinan (Selective Enforcement)
> Pearce (Ideological Functions of Crime & Law)
> Althusser (Ideology)
Chambliss (Criminogenic Capitalism)
> Universal in all classes, due to focus on utili gains
> WC & UC used diff ways to get goods, e.g. w/ limited means so do violence & thefts
> UC + options e.g. CC
General Criticisms of Chambliss
Too deterministic, not all WC turn to crime, despite financial position
Gordon (Prevalence of Crime)
> Crime rational response to capitalism in a dog eat dog society - present in all classes
> Especially in US w/ lack of welfare, so WC need 2 do crime 4 survival
Mankoff (Welfare State & Crime)
>
- LVLS of crime in EU > US, as basic needs e.g. healthcare & food etc met
> Feel protected by state & don’t do crime
Chambliss (State & Law Making)
> Main purpose of law to protect wealth from masses
> e.g. English law introduced in east africa, but didn’t want to work for British
> Gov made tax w/ punishment for no payment = new workforce for plantation owners, so can pay tax
Snider (State & Law Making)
> Reluctant to pass laws 2 regulate businesses e.g. profit > ppl
> Ppl in CC - likely to be prosecuted
Methods of UC Creation of Laws
> Connections w/ officials to pass laws, protecting priv property
> Big companies use pressure groups to pass laws in their interests
> Ownership of free press, make WC activities seem deviant & need control
Examples of Laws in favour of UC
> Tax laws allows companies to avoid tax, w/ registered officers in tax havens
> Non-implementation for recommendations of Grenfell, due to costs for companies
Reinan - Selective Enforcement
> WC + likely to be criminalised, but courts ignore UC crime
> e.g. Social Security Fraud by WC always prosecuted, but tax evasion of UC isn’t
Knife Crime & Selective Enforcement
> 47K knife crimes in UK vs 69K workplace accidents
Pearce - Ideological Functions of Crime & Law
> Laws appear to benefit WC > UC e.g. health & safety laws, keeps workers fit 4 wrk = FCC.
Criticisms of Law Creation in favour of UC
> Laws made 4 harmonious running of society e.g. theft, violence etc.
> Consumer rights laws, protects our rights
Ideological Functions of Crime & Law
> State enforce law selectively & OS makes crime only WC shifts attention from UC crime
> Divides WC encouraging workers to blame criminals issues > capitalism
Althusser - Ideology
> Some reject ISA, so control & order needs maintaining w/ RSA
> Police & Army use physical force to deal w/ those who rebelling v social order
> e.g. 2011 Riots & Police response to BLM, works in favour of UC
Criticisms of Althusser
+ reject ISA of UC, w/out rebelling to an extent needing RSA to intervene
Marxism A03 (KS)
> Left Realists
LR (Criticisms of Marxism)
Focuses only on UC Crime ignores + crime intra-WC e.g. theft
General Evaluation of Marxism
> Criminals now V, unequal society actually to blame
> Not all capitalist societies w + CR e.g. Japan - crime > US
NM - Critical Criminology (KS)
> Taylor (Anti-Determinism & Crime as Voluntarist, FSTOD)
> Hall (FSTOD - Policing the Crisis)
Anti-Determinism (Taylor)
Reject idea WC do crime cuz of poverty & ext factors e.g. anomie & labelling
Crime as Voluntarist (Taylor)
> Criminals consciouly do crime, to desperately change society w/ political motive
> eg. redistributing wealth & not puppets of capitalism.
A03 of Crime as Voluntarist (KS)
> Rock (Romantic)
> RR
Rock - Criticisms of Taylor
> Overly romantic view of criminals e.g ‘’robin hoods’’ fighting injustice
> LR states most crimes by WC v WC, ignore
effects on WC v’s
RR Criticisms of Taylor
> DV/Rape not politically motivated, crime opportunistic not reaction to injustice
Background to Taylor’s FSTOD
> Comprehensive theory to change society for better, uses elements of marx/interactionism