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Sociology > Class, Power And Crime > Flashcards

Class, Power And Crime Flashcards

1
Q

Official statistics from around the world consistently show that which social class is more likely to commit offences?

A

the working class

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2
Q

Why do Marxists believe that official crime statistics shouldn’t be taken at face value?

A

because the law is disproportionately enforced on the working class

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3
Q

NAME the 3 main elements of of the traditional Marxist view of crime

A

1) Criminogenic capitalism
2) The state & law making
3) Ideological functions of crime & law

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4
Q

Which Marxist sociologist discusses Criminogenic capitalism

A

GORDON 1976

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5
Q

define criminogenic

A

by its very nature it causes crime

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6
Q

explain the traditional Marxist view of criminogenic capitalism

A

-crime is inevitable because capitalism is criminogenic. capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working class, which gives rise to crime.
-White collar + corporate crime also occurs
-crime is a rational response to the capitalist system

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7
Q

give 1 reason the exploitation of the working class (capitalism) gives rise to crime

A

-poverty may mean crime is the only way of survival
-alienation + lack of control over their lives causes frustration / aggression –> violence / vandalism
-theft may be only way to obtain consumer goods

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8
Q

Which Marxist sociologists discusses the state & law making

A

CHAMBLISS 1976
SNIDER 1993

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9
Q

explain the traditional Marxist view of the state & law making

A

-law making + enforcement only serve the interests of the ruling class - laws that protect private property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy.
-ruling class have power to prevent laws that would threaten their interests

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10
Q

Which Marxist sociologists discusses ideological functions of crime & law

A

PEARCE 1976
JENABI 2014

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11
Q

explain the traditional Marxist view of ideological functions of crime & law

A

-the law, crime + criminals perform ideological functions for capitalism. Laws are occasionally passed that appear to benefit the working class like health&safety laws, but are really for the ruling class - keeps workers fit for work.

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12
Q

give 2 strengths of the traditional Marxist view of crime

A

-provides a useful explanation for the relationship between crime + capitalism
-puts labelling theory into a wider structural context
-draws attention to corporate crime and the fact that it is under policed and rarely prosecuted

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13
Q

give 2 weaknesses of the traditional Marxist view of crime

A

-too deterministic
-ignores relationship between crime and other inequalities
-not all capitalist societies have high levels or crime
-not all prosecutions act in favour of the capitalist state

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14
Q

what do Neo-Marxists call their new theory of crime?

A

Critical Criminology

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15
Q

name the 3 sociologists that were involved in creating the neo-marxist ‘fully social theory of deviance’

A

TAYLOR, WALTON AND YOUNG (1973)

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16
Q

identify 2 differences between critical criminology and the traditional Marxist view of crime

A

-neo Marxists believe crime is more voluntaristic and individuals have free will when committing crimes
-neo Marxists believe crime has a political motive: individuals trying to redistribute wealth to the poor
-neo Marxists see criminals as ‘robin hood’ figures

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17
Q

NAME the 6 factors / considerations that Taylor, Walton and Young identify in their fully social theory of deviance

A

1) wider origins of the deviant act
2) immediate origins of the deviant act
3) the actual act of deviance
4) immediate origins of social reaction
5) wider origins of social reaction
6) impact of social reaction on future behaviour

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18
Q

How can Taylor, Walton and Young’s Fully social theory of deviance be criticised?

A

-its idealistic: suggests that crime is motivated by desire to get revenge against inequalities in society
-doesn’t explain why crime is mostly committed against other working class individuals
-overly complicated: 6 factors

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19
Q

What do Marxist sociologists Reiman and Leighton say regarding crimes of the powerful?

A

The more likely a crime is to be committed by higher class people, the less likely it is to be treated as an offence

20
Q

Define occupational crime

A

Committed by employees simply for their own personal gain, often against the organisation for which they work

21
Q

Define corporate crime

A

Committed by employees for their organisation in pursuit of the organisations’ goals

22
Q

Name the 3 types of costs / harm that corporate crime brings

A

-physical
-economic
-environmental

23
Q

Name the 5 types of corporate crime

A

-FINANCIAL CRIMES
-CRIMES AGAINST CONSUMERS
-CRIMES AGAINST EMPLOYEES
-CRIMED AGAINST ENVIRONMENTS
-STATE-CORPORATE CRIME

24
Q

give an example of a corporate financial crime

A

-money laundering
-illegal accounting
-tax evasion

25
Q

give an example of a corporate crime against consumers

A

-false labelling of goods
- selling unfit goods eg Breast implant

26
Q

give an example of a corporate crime against employees

A

-breaking wage laws
-sexual discrimination
-breaking health & safety laws

27
Q

give an example of a corporate crime against environments

A

-creates air, water, land pollution

28
Q

give an example of a state-corporate crime

A

-government + businesses pursue goals jointly

29
Q

What does sociologist Carrabine mean by the ‘abuse of trust’ ?

A

-high status professionals occupy positions of trust + respectability.
-we entrust them with our finances, health, security + personal info
-however their position/status give them the opportunity to abuse the trust

30
Q

NAME 2 recent British examples of abuse of trust

A
  • the murder of Sarah Everard (2021)
  • the killings of Lucy Letby (2015/16)
31
Q

Summarise the care of Sarah Everard

A
  • 2021: 33 yr old Sarah was kidnapped in London as she walked home from a friend’s house by an off duty police officer. He handcuffed her and drove her to Kent, before raping and strangling her and burning her body
32
Q

Summarise the case of Lucy Letby

A
  • Lucy was a neonatal nurse who was convicted of the murders of 7 infants + attempted murder of 7 others from 2015-2016
33
Q

NAME the 5 reasons for the invisibility of corporate crime

A

1) the media
2) lack of political will
3) the crimes are often too complex
4) de-labelling
5) under reporting

34
Q

explain how the media helps corporate crime maintain its invisibility

A

There is limited media coverage of corporate crime and its often not described as real crime. For example, work place deaths and often discussed as accidents rather than neglect of health & safety regulations

35
Q

explain how the lack of political will helps corporate crime maintain its invisibility

A

There is a lack of political will to tackle corporate crime. Being tough on crime is focused on street crime. No government run surveys to discover the extent of corporate crime

36
Q

explain how the nature of corporate crime helps to maintain its invisibility

A

Police often don’t understand corporate crime and are under resourced / have a lack of expertise to investigate it effectively

37
Q

explain how de-labelling helps corporate crime maintain its invisibility

A

Corporate crimes are often defined as civil acts rather than criminal acts, therefore they get filtered out of criminalisation and prosecution is limited

38
Q

explain how under reporting helps corporate crime maintain its invisibility

A

Victims may be unaware of the corporate crimes / not see it as a real crime, therefore they do not get reported. Also, the environment is usually a huge victim of corporate crime rather than humans

39
Q

How many explanations of corporate crime do Marxists identify?

A

6

40
Q

NAME the 6 Marxist explanations of corporate crime

A

1) Organisational cultures
2) Role of capitalism
3) Strain Theory
4) Punishment of corporate crime
5) Role of globalisation
6) De-labelling of corporate crime

41
Q

Summarise organisational cultures as a Marxist explanation for corporate crime

A

Excessive competition leads to risk taking behaviour. Profit over the rules and rights of people. People in the top positions often influence this risk taking culture but are personally removed from actual acts of criminality

42
Q

Summarise the role of capitalism as a Marxist explanation for corporate crime

A

The ‘dog eat dog’ nature of capitalism causes businesses to employ illegitimate methods to get ahead
They cut costs to boost profits by circumventing health&safety regulations, employment laws etc
example: the Grenfell Tower

43
Q

Summarise strain theory as a Marxist explanation for corporate crime

A

Strain can lead businesses to innovate to achieve success. Use of illegitimate means in order to maintain profits year on year to appease shareholders. Innovation often has a human / environmental impact

44
Q

Summarise the punishment of corporate crime as a Marxist explanation for corporate crime

A

The deregulation if laws governing corporations leads to increase in corporate crime due to there being less risk in breaking regulations. Plus, corporations are usually only fined, which isn’t a disincentive

45
Q

Summarise the role of globalisation as a Marxist explanation for corporate crime

A

Globalisation means big corporations can move to countries with less legislation. Nations actively court TNCs to boost employment.
Example : Rana Plaza Disaster

46
Q

Summarise de-labelling as a Marxist explanation for corporate crime

A

Big corporations are able to escape the impacts of negative labelling. They usually only get temporary negative publicity, and can still carry on with successful trade

Sociology (33 decks)

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