Chapter 1: Class and crime Flashcards
What was HOUCHIN study towards class and crime?
27 wards in prison looked at
60% of prisoners came from most deprived states
What was OMOLADE longitudinal study into class and crime?
Prisoners:
43% had no educational qualification
36% were unemployed
60% claimed benefits
What was the PRISON REFERM WORKING GROUP survey into class and crime?
Entire prison population
67% were unemployed (5%)
32% were homeless (0.9%)
What was REINER study into class and crime?
74% of prison population drawn from poorest 20% of population
What is white collar crime?
Crime committed by the individual
Abuse work positions for personal gain at the expense of their employer
What is corporate crime?
Crime committed by a business
What are some examples of white collar crime?
MP’s expenses scandal- MP faking relatives as secretaries - 4 given prison sentence
Nicholas Levene- £32m stock market scam
Why is white collar crime hardly heard about?
Invisible crime
Rarely get heard about in the media
Media pay to be kept quiet
What are some examples of corporate crime?
BP deepwater horizon disaster ($4 billion)
- oil tanker leaked casing massive marine life death
- warned it wasn’t safe but did nothing
Volkswagen Clean emission scandal
-7 years, lied about emissions, illegal results, cars would overheat
$61 billion
How does REINER explain how social class affects crime?
Uses Merton’s strain theory
No limit to financial/ material success in M/C so even those who appear successful can feel strain
How does BECKER explain social class and crime?
W/C are unfairly tattered by CJS
Less likely to be able to negotiate the system to their advantage
Police tend to patrol W/C areas more, see more W/C crime
What does REINMAN say about selective law enforcement?
Higher-class crime is less likely to be treated
What does SAYER say about selective law making?
Rich shape laws so they don’t end up in prison
Who argues that the law is socially constructed by the ruling class to protect capitalist interests?
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