C&D Pt2: Marxist, Neo-marxist & Realist Theories Flashcards
According to Marxists, why do many bourgeoisie crimes go unpunished?
Because the bourgeoisie can use their money and power to avoid/negotiate their way out of doing time.
What do proletariat crimes usually consist of?
-Vandalism
-Illegal drug use
-Burglary
-Violence
-Sexual assault/abuse
What do bourgeoisie crimes usually consist of?
- Exploitative crimes (neglecting workers’ rights)
- Tax evasion
- Money laundering
- Stealing companies’ confidential info (invasion of privacy)
According to Marxists what are the two main causes of crime?
1.) Criminogenic capitalism (capitalism breeds crime as it’s placed emphasis on material goals, pursuit of self-interests, and a mentality of greed)
2.) The state & law making (the bourgeoisie are the ones that dictate what’s considered a crime, therefore protecting their interests and scapegoating the proletariat)
Outline ways globalisation has affected crime
-It has encouraged organised crime, with developing countries supplying counterfeit goods to high demand areas (such as the more developed countries)
-It has introduced new/cyber crime with the development of new technology, therefore making crime less traceable & detectable (making them harder to solve)
-It has risen crime levels within the WC:
1.) By the growth of the media influencing those in relative deprivation to achieve material status, therefore leading them to turn to crime;
2.) With firms turning to outsourcing methods in other countries where labour is cheaper (for profit incentives), this has led to deindustrialisation within the manufacturing sector & therefore a loss of jobs, leaving the WC structurally unemployed, therefore leading to them resorting to crime
Evaluation of Marxist views on causes of crime?
+They explain the origin of crime
+They recognise the process of selective law enforcement which may disadvantage the WC/bourgeoisie
-Marxists ignore other social factors such as gender and ethnicity which may cause crime
-Crime isn’t completely eradicated in communist societies
-Capitalism may not be the cause of crime: (e.g Switzerland has lower crime rates than other communist countries)
According to Chambliss, how can economic inequalities within capitalist society cause crime?
-The poverty and unemployment experienced by the WC may result in them engaging in criminal behaviour (e.g theft)
-The WC may feel alienated and lack control over their lives, therefore turning to non-utilitarian crimes like aggressive behaviour and vandalism (in order to release stress & anger)
According to Pearce, how does selective law enforcement result in an over-representation of the WC and the under-representation of the RC (with their white-collar crimes) in crime statistics?
Pearce argues law enforcement are more likely to target WC crimes, so are therefore going to police, convict & persecute the WC more than those committing bourgeoise crimes
What do neo-Marxists Taylor,Walton & Young ultimately believe crime is is down to (therefore criticising traditional Marxists, functionalists & Interactionists)?
It’s voluntary (there’s free will with a person’s decision making and choices) ;
not blaming it on the consequences of anomie, labelling, subcultures or biological factors
How do Taylor, Walton & Young blend Marxism and the labelling theory together in order to understand why crime happens?
They explore 6 aspects:
1.) The wider origins / context of the crime (e.g capitalism being criminogenic)
2.) The immediate origins of the crime (the specific situation / reason that led to the act being carried out)
3.) The act itself (if it’s deviant or was a Robin Hood act by taking away from the rich to help the poor)
4.) The immediate societal reaction (How do the police or family/friends of the criminal or victim react)
5.) The wider origins of societal reaction (How those with labelling power react, such as the police & media)
6.) The effects of labelling (Does the offender keep on reoffending after they’ve been labelled or do they try and change for the better?)
How do critical criminologists see both society and the criminal justice system?
-They see existing societies under RC and capitalist control
-They see the CJS as unfair & exploitative of the bourgeoisie (the WC)
Evaluation of Neo-Marxist approach & critical criminology
+ Stuart Hall uses Taylor et al’s approach to explain the moral panics over the muggings in 1970
- Left realists say critical criminology romanticises WC criminals (they’re not Robin Hood as they usually prey on the poor)
-Even Taylor et al have changed their views since critical criminology was published
What does the rational choice theory (Right realist theory) believe is the cause of crime / how do they think it’s increased?
They believe crime is increased if:
1.) If the risk of getting caught is low
2.) The reward is high
3.) There’s no punishment / isn’t harsh
In their view they believe crime is opportunistic rather than being planned in advance
Evaluation of rational choice theory (Right realism)
+ Places responsibility on criminals (as it was their rational decision to commit crime after weighing the benefits & costs / the risk & rewards)
+ It helps explain property crime & theft
- Status may sometimes come from committing crimes with higher risk, therefore incentivising dangerous crimes with higher risk. This theory doesn’t explain the possibility of this
- It doesn’t explain non-utilitarian crimes (such as domestic abuse, street violence, murder - There’s no reward)
How do Wilson & Kelling use their broken windows theory (Right realist) to explain the cause of crime?
“Broken windows” is used as a symbol for all the various signs of disorder and lack of concern within the environment in neighbourhoods (e.g graffiti, littering, dog fouling, vandalism, broken windows themselves etc.)
It shows that no one cares, meaning there’s an absence of both formal control (policing) and informal control (with the community neglecting the area), therefore incentivising crime.
Deviance is also amplified as the respectable citizens will want to move out of the area ASAP, therefore resulting in the spiral of decline for the community
Evaluation of Wilson & Kelling’s Broken Windows theory (Right realist)
+ CSEW (Crime Survey for England & Wales) stats suggest higher levels of crime are predominant in the poorer neighbourhoods
- Not everything has to be considered as social disorder which may lead to crime (e.g graffiti may be artistically satisfying for some)
What does Charles Murray’s Underclass theory (Right realism) suggest is the cause of crime?
His new right theory argues that the change in family structure has increased crime:
-Thanks to the divorce reform act in 1969 and feminist movements, the rise in single motherhood would lead to:
1.) A lack of socialisation & role models (not learning the difference between right & wrong)
2.) A rise in lower household incomes (as single mothers tend to find it difficult to balance between childcare and work, therefore leading to poverty and dependency on welfare)
These factors create an “underclass”, therefore creating a criminogenic environment for the children (and possibly the mothers, as they may partake in theft activities to provide)
Evaluation of Charles Murray’s (New right thinker) Underclass theory (Right realism)
-Marxists think there are deeper structural crimes (e.g deindustrialisation in the 80s which would’ve caused structural unemployment)
How is situational crime prevention (Right realism) a solution to crime?
It focuses on 2 aspects:
1.) Increasing surveillance (ensuring criminals know they’re being monitored: Panopticon effect - Foucault)
2.) Target hardening (making objects harder to steal or damage)
E.g toilets used to be an area of crime, however they’re not anymore as they’ve been renovated so they don’t look neglected to the point criminals are attracted to them
Evaluation of situational crime prevention (Right realism)
- It doesn’t necessarily get rid of crime, but it just moves it elsewhere (e.g crime used to be big in NY, but after crime prevention methods were enforced in NY, crime had increased in other areas around NY)
- Only the wealthy can afford surveillance (such as security cameras & ring doorbell) to protect themselves from break-ins / burglaries
- Too expensive to implement in rural areas with dispersed populations
How is environmental crime prevention (Right realism) a solution to crime?
It changes the broader environment in which crime occurs by increasing social control measures:
E.g no tolerance to graffiti, beggars, public drinking or drug possession - as soon as (for example) graffiti is seen on subway tubes, then they’d be taken out of service ASAP.
Evaluation of Environmental Crime Prevention (Right realism)
+ Stats show that crime in NY has been reduced overall as a result of environmental crime prevention
+ The public is made to feel safer in a more controlled, cleaner environment
- The police, however, will have more power : this could lead to negative stereotyping & labelling which could lead to amplifying more deviance
How is Lea & Young’s concept of Relative deprivation (Left realism) a cause of crime?
With people feeling more deprived comparatively to others (due to their living circumstances), people may resent others that unfairly have more, therefore leading those deprived to resort to crime (in order to obtain what they don’t have)
The factor of individualism (the concerns of what one does/doesn’t have) is what leads to crime
Why do left realists focus on subcultures as being one of the causes of crime?
Because criminal subcultures can influence people’s behaviours and attitudes, leading them to resent and reject society and its mainstream norms & values
How is marginalisation (Left realism) a cause of crime?
It explains how those in the outskirts of society are more likely to commit crime (e.g the unemployed youth who have little in terms of materials and clear goals - this’ll lead to Cohen’s concept of frustration)
What is the Left realist solution to crime?
-Increased policing & control: spending more time on investigating the root causes of crime (in order to build more trust & public support) ;
The police have to deal with local concerns within the community
Evaluation of Left Realism
+ It helps explain why crime might rise despite living standards also increasing (as there’ll still be those relatively deprived)
- It’s too idealistic / naive in dealing with root causes rather than being realistic (everything would have to be changed with the way social agencies operate)
What are the Right realist causes of crime?
1.) Rational choice theory
2.) Broken windows theory (Wilson & Kelling)
3.) The Underclass (Charles Murray - New rights thinker)
What are the Right realist solutions to crime?
1.) Situational crime prevention
2.) Environmental crime prevention
What are the Left realist causes of crime?
1.) Relative deprivation (Lea & Young)
2.) Subcultures (Cloward & Ohlin, Cohen, Merton)
3.) Marginalisation (Cohen’s status frustration)
What’s the difference in beliefs between Left realism and right realism?
Right realism (conservative) focuses more on solutions in being tough rather looking at the cause and being sympathetic : this is what left realism looks at, in focusing on the disadvantaged groups in society that are more likely to be criminal
According to Marxists, how is capitalism criminogenic?
1.) The WC may resort to crime in order to survive and attain an unrealistic lifestyle
2.) Businesses may indulge in unethical practices in order to pursue profits: this includes illegal acts such as fraud and exploiting their workers
