Chapter 8: Social Power and the Construction of Crime: Conflict Theory Flashcards
Explain Conflict Theory
Focuses on disagreements and struggles. The conflict is most often between criminals and law enforcement. Based on economics and politics. Those that have money get the job done and it impacts those that don’t. Many theorists talk about how conflict is just a way of life.
What was Marx and Engels Theory about?
Capitalism and crime. Conflict is inherent in capitalism. It’s about the haves and the have nots. Capitalism was considered to be at the root of the conflict because it was the source of unjust inequality.
What did Simmel think?
That conflict was a normal part of life. (focused on the consequences of conflict)
First Marxist Criminologist
Bonger
What did Bonger believe?
conflict was an unfavorable thing that is generated by capitalism.
What did Sellin believe?
Different cultures and different norms = an origin for conflict
Conflict is a competition and the criminal always looses
Vold
Criminological conflict was the most popular in…
the 1960’s
Social and cultural norms and the assignment of criminal status has more of a relationship with authority. (The criminal status occurs and the conflict occurs as a result
Turk
What are the two norms to distinguish between according to Turk
Cultural and Social Norms
What’s Chambliss’s Theory?
Legal Realism (Law in action)
What was Quinney’s Theory?
Philosophical Idealism-whatever you believe to be true is your reality.
What are Quinney’s two categories of crime?
1) crimes of dominance
2) crimes of accommodation and resistance
The laws are created for and by the powerful. He believed that there was an unequal distribution of power within the system.
Quinney
Less about retribution and more about restoration. Finding compromise and solving crimes with a non-conflict method.
Peacemaking Crimonology
