Class, Power and Crime

Question 1

How do functionalists explain class differences in crime?

Answer 1

-Crime is the product of inadequate socialisation
-complex division of labour leads to different subcultures in classes and groups

Question 2

How do strain theorists explain class differences in crime?

Answer 2

As w/c are more likely to be denied legitimate oppurtunities, they are more likely to attempt success illegitimately

Question 3

How do subcultural theorists explain class differences in crime?

Answer 3

w/c form delinquent subcultures due to status frustration

Question 4

How do labelling theorists explain class differences in crime?

Answer 4

w/c more likely to be labelled as criminals by law enforcement agencies

Question 5

According to Marxists, how is capitalism criminogenic?

Answer 5

Gordon
-poverty may mean crime is the sole means of survival
-crime may be the only way to get consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising, utilitarian crime
-Alienation/lack of control leads to frustration,leads to violence

Question 6

How does capitalism cause crime in the ruling class?

Answer 6

-dog eat dog world
-m/c commit crimes out of greed, and self interest
breaking the law seems insignificant compared to pressures to succeed

Question 7

How do Marxists see the state and law making?

Answer 7

Chambliss- laws to protect property and profits of rich and powerful (East african colonies-A02)
Snider- laws that regulate the activities of buisnesses will not be passed

Question 8

According to marxists, what is selective enforcement

Answer 8

The idea that the crimes of the wealthy are ignored whilst w/c and Em are criminalised

Question 9

What are the ideological functions of crime and law

Answer 9

-Creates false class consciousness; healthcare benefits depict ‘caring face of capitalism’
-Selective law enforcement presents crime as a working class issue, preventing a revolution against capitalist regime

Question 10

How can the marxist view of crime be criticised?

Answer 10

-Largely ignores relationship between crime and gender/ethnicity
-Not all capitalist societys have high crime rates e.g Japan
–Left realists argue it ignores intra-class crimes (between same class)

Question 11

How does neomarxism agree with marxism?

Answer 11

-capitalism is based on power and wealth inequalities that lead to crime
-State makes/enforces laws that benefit ruling class
-Capitalism should be replaced by a classless society

Question 12

How do Neo-marxists (Taylor et al) criticse marxism?

Answer 12

It is too deterministic, criminals not passive puppets
-Believe crime is a conscious choice that often has a political motive e.g to redistrubute wealth to the poor
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Question 13

What theory did Taylor et al come up with?

Answer 13

A fully social theory of deviance

Question 14

What did the fully socially theory of deviance aim to do?

Answer 14

Provide a comprehensive understanding of crime and deviance to improve society

Question 15

What are the 6 aspects of the fully social theory of deviance

Answer 15

-The wider origins of the deviance (unqual wealth distribution)
-The immediate origins of the act (context)
-The act itself
-Immediate societal reaction
-Wider societal reaction
-The effects of the labelling

Question 16

Evaluate critical criminology

Answer 16

-Feminists argue it is gender blind as it ignores female criminality
-Romanticises w/c criminals as ‘robin hoods’ when they mostly prey on the poor

Question 17

Who coined the term ‘white collar crime and what is it?

Answer 17

Sutherland
-Crimes commited by a person of high status

Question 18

According to Sutherland, what are the two types of white collar crime?

Answer 18

Corporate- by employees to meet organisations goals e.g tax evasion, fraud
Occupational crime- by employees for own personal gain, often against organisation e.g embezzlement/fraud

Question 19

What are the costs of coorporate crimes?

Answer 19

physical-deaths,injuries and ilnesses
environmental-pollution
economic- affects workers, consumers, taxpayers etc.
-Thus is more costly than street crimes (10x more)

Question 20

What types of crimes are subdivided into corporate crime?

Answer 20

-Financial crimes e.g tax evasion
- against consumers e.g false labelling
-against employes e.g discrimination
-Against environment e.g pollution

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Question 21

How can white collar crime affect society in terms of abuse of trust?

Answer 21

We entrust high status individuals with our health,finances etc.
-This crime violates that trust leading to a lack of trust in institutions

Question 22

How can the case of Harold Shipman show an abuse of trust?

Answer 22

-beliveved to have killed over 200 of his patients
-used forgery and deception to get powerful opiates planning to kill, only got a warning for that
-undermines the trust society puts on professionals

Question 23

What are the 5 different reasons in which corporate crime is invisible?

Answer 23

-The media (sanitised language)
lack of political will (politicians focus on street crime)
-Complexity (lack of expertise)
-Delabelling(fines not jail, civil cases not criminal)
-Underreporting(due to powerlessness/ lack of understanding it is a crime

Question 24

How can the idea of the invisibility of crime be criticised?

Answer 24

-Whistle blowers inside companies + media report crimes
-Companies more exposed to scrutiny now

Question 25

How can the strain theory explain corporate crime?

Answer 25

Box- if a company cannot meet its goals (maximum profit) it will employ illegal means instead

Question 26

How can differential association explain corporate crime?

Answer 26

-If a companys culture justifies commiting crimes, employers will be socialised into this
-Techniques of neutralisation (Sykes and Matza) make it easier to conitnue doing crimes e.g everyones doing it’

Question 27

How can the labelling theory explain corporate crime?

Answer 27

Nelken- m/c often have power to avoid the labelling e.g lawyers
-Crimes of m/c not labelled as criminal
-Official statistics underreport due to this

Question 28

How can Marxism explain corporate crime

Answer 28

-Capitalism has created ‘mystification’ (Box) that CC is less widespread/harmful
-Capitalist system doesnt enforce laws that dont benefit corperations