Class, power and crime

Question 1

In what ways do Marxists agree with labelling theory?

Answer 1

Law is disproportionate against working class, OC’s cant be taken at face value

Question 2

In what ways do Marxists criticise labelling theory?

Answer 2

Don’t examine wider structures of capitalism i.e. Law enforcement

Question 3

How do Marxists view society?

Answer 3

Capitalism determines superstructure which serve the ruling class and maintain economy

Question 4

Criminogenic

Answer 4

Capitalism in its nature produces crime

Question 5

Three ways capitalism may lead to working class crime

Answer 5

Poverty
Obtaining consumerism
Alienation and lack of control

Question 6

Why is crime found in all capitalist society?

Answer 6

Crime is a rational response to capitalism

Question 7

Whose interests do law enforcement serve?

Answer 7

The capitalists

Question 8

East African plantations example

Answer 8

Cash tax on East African colonies. Working on the plantations was the only way to make money, so taxing forced people into work and give economic payment as well as cash payment to the British

Question 9

What laws are the state reluctant to pass?

Answer 9

Regulating business
Threatening profitability

Question 10

Why are some laws passed to seemingly benefit the working class?

Answer 10

Health and safety codes are passed which reduces absence for the ruling class to keep the working class in work

Question 11

What does this create?

Answer 11

False class consciousness

Question 12

Example of a law not rigorously enforced

Answer 12

Corporate Homicide Prevention (2007) had one successful prosecution and ignored large numbers of homicide by negligence

Question 13

What is the impact of selective law enforcement?

Answer 13

Crime = Working class phenomenon. Divides the class by getting them to blame working-class criminals

Question 14

How do the media and criminologists contribute to the portrayal of criminals?

Answer 14

Portray as disturbed and conceal capitalist criminogenic

Question 15

Positive aspects of Marxism

Answer 15

Shows relation between crime and capitalism
Shows links between law makers and law enforcers

Question 16

3 evaluations of Marxism

Answer 16

Ignores relationship of crime with a non-class inequality

Overpredicts working class crime

Not all societies have high-crime rates i.e. Japan

Question 17

How do Neo-Marxists agree with Marxists?

Answer 17

Society exploits class and causes conflict based on wealth and power

Laws are in capitalist interests

Capitalism should be replaced by a classless utopia

Question 18

What way is Marxism deterministic?

Answer 18

It sees workers commit crime out of economic frustration and ignores crime caused by anomie, subcultures, labelling and bio/psych factors.

Question 19

Voluntaristic

Answer 19

Free-will: Criminals are not puppets

Question 20

A fully social theory of deviance: two main sources

Answer 20

Unequal distribution of wealth and power

Interactionism and labelling give the meaning of deviance

Question 21

Six aspects of fully social theory of deviance

Answer 21

The wider origins of deviance
The immediate origins of deviance
The act itself
The immediate social reaction
The wider social reaction
The impacts of labelling

Question 22

How are crimes committed by the higher classes treated?

Answer 22

Less vigorously and with less status as a crime

Question 23

White collar crime

Answer 23

Crime committed by individuals or companies for financial gain

Question 24

Occupational crime

Answer 24

Personal gain

Question 25

Corporate crime

Answer 25

Company gain

Question 26

Example of a harm that doesn’t break the law

Answer 26

Failing in terms of codes of practice by government regulations

Question 27

Why is corporate crime more dangerous than street crime?

Answer 27

Corporate crime has physical (death), environmental and economic harm. It is widespread and pervasive

Question 28

Financial crime

Answer 28

Tax evasion and bribery. Victims include companies and tax payers

Question 29

Crimes against consumers with example

Answer 29

False labelling e.g. French silicone company sold dangerous silicone to women

Question 30

Crimes against employees with data

Answer 30

Sexual/Racial discrimination, wage law violations
1,100 deaths involve law breaking in work

Question 31

Crimes against the environment with example

Answer 31

Illegal pollution and toxic waste dumping
e.g. Volkswagen disguising high emission levels above the US limit

Question 32

State-corporate crime with example

Answer 32

Government + Company collaboration to pursue goals
e.g. private companies attached to the US military accused of torturing Iraq detainees during US occupation

Question 33

The invisibility of powerful crime: The Media

Answer 33

Little coverage of corporate crime which reinforces working class phenomenon. They describe corporate crime more sanitised e.g. Deaths via work = Accidents

Question 34

Lack of political will

Answer 34

Politicians rhetoric of being tough on crime is focused on street crime. The Home Office releases reports of street crime but not corporate crime

Question 35

Complex crimes

Answer 35

Corporate crime is more complicated, therefore law enforcement may be unprepared, understaffed and underdeveloped for tackling corporate crime

Question 36

Delabelling

Answer 36

Corporate crime is often filtered out of the criminalisation process, such as defining them as civil offences and offering fines instead of criminal sentences

Question 37

Example of de-labelling

Answer 37

French authorities provided British with citizens who had secret bank accounts with Swiss subsidiary of HSBC. Tax authorities only charge 1 individual and take no legal action against HSBC

Question 38

Under-reporting

Answer 38

Individuals may be unaware of their victimisation and fail to report. They may also feel powerless against large companies to report a corporate crime

Question 39

Why has corporate crime become more visible since 2008?

Answer 39

The financial crisis produced campaigns against corporate tax evasion, investigative journalists, ‘whistle-blowers’ in companies and the media.

Question 40

How have neoliberal policies impacted companies?

Answer 40

Marketisation and privatisation policies have made companies much closer to people’s lives which increases public scrutiny

Question 41

Strain theory explanation

Answer 41

Companies can’t maximise profit legitimately so they do it illegally. They are tempted to law break when conditions become weary. They have willingness to ‘innovate’ when finance drops

Question 42

Differential association explanation

Answer 42

Crime culture socialises employees, which they join in the crime such as illegal price fixing
Problems achieving company goals adopt deviant methods and socialise others into this
Business favours competitive employees who are willing to break laws

Question 43

Labelling theory explanation

Answer 43

De-labelling. Using lawyers and experts to avoid crime and de-label themselves. Law enforcement are reluctant to deal with corporate crime. OC’s underestimate corporate crime extent

Question 44

Marxism explanation

Answer 44

Mystification is spreading the ideas that corporate crime is less harmful than street crime. Sustains illusion that it is the exception rather than norm. Corporations are crimogenic as they use illegitimate means when legitimate means are blocked.
Companies only abide to laws when they are strict e.g. In developing countries, laws are less strict so low wages and exploitation are easier to do.

Question 45

Evaluations of Marxists: Nelken

Answer 45

Over-predict business crime. Nelken states it is wrong to assume all businesses would offend

Question 46

Evaluation of Marxists: Non-profit crime

Answer 46

Capitalist pursuit of profit doesn’t explain the idea of state agent crime.

Question 47

Evaluation of Marxists: Profit

Answer 47

Abiding may be more profitable. Pharmaceutical companies abiding with Drug Administration were able to obtain licences for products in US and access markets in poorer countries.