Class, Power And Crime

Question 1

What does it mean that capitalism is criminogenic?

Answer 1

By its very nature it causes crime.
Poverty may mean that crime is the only way working class can survive
Crime may be the only way they can obtain consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising
Alienation and lack of control may cause frustration
The need to win at all costs encourages capitalists to commit white collar and corporate crime

Question 2

What does Chambliss argue?

Answer 2

Laws to protect private property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy. Law making and law enforcement only serves the interests of the capitalist class. The ruling class have the power to prevent the introduction of laws that would threaten their interests. Eg there are few laws that challenge the wealth divide

Question 3

What does Snider argue?

Answer 3

The capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate the activities of businesses or threaten their profitability. Found that there were as many deaths in the US from industrial accidents, pollution and unsafe products as murder, showing the extent of corporate crime. Eg tobacco companies pressurising government not to pass laws, they make a profit out of their addiction

Question 4

Who wrote the saints and the roughnecks and what did they find?

Answer 4

Chambliss. Working class delinquents were arrested and could not talk themselves out of trouble 
Middle class boys were just as bad but knew how to manipulate and trick teachers and police into thinking they were sorry

Question 5

What did Gordon argue?

Answer 5

Selective enforcement in the law and reporting in the media. Diverts attention from the crime of the rich. Divides the working class- wc criminal becomes target of anger rather that system
Eg general election news diverts attention from crimes of the rich

Question 6

How is the marxist approach criticised?

Answer 6

Ignores relationship between crime and non class inequalities eg gender
Too deterministic
Not all capitalist societies have high crime rates eg Japan
Prosecutions of corporate crimes do occur but m argues this occasional prosecution makes the system seem impartial

Question 7

What is occupational crime?

Answer 7

Committed by employees simply for their own personal gain eg stealing from the company

Question 8

What is corporate crime?

Answer 8

Committed by employees for their organisation in pursuit of its goals eg mis-selling products for company profit

Question 9

What are financial crimes?

Answer 9

Tax evasion, bribery, money laundering- victims include other companies, taxpayers, governments

Question 10

What are crimes against consumers?

Answer 10

False labelling, selling unfit goods etc

Question 11

What are crimes against employees?

Answer 11

Sexual and racial discrimination, violation of wage laws and health and safety laws. More work related deaths that involve breaking the law than suicide

Question 12

What are crimes against the environment?

Answer 12

Illegal pollution, toxic waste dumping. Eg Volkswagen cars could tell when they were being tested and disguised emissions that were 40 times above US limit

Question 13

What are state corporate crimes?

Answer 13

When the government and private businesses cooperate to achieve their goals and cause harm eg war on terror

Question 14

What example is there of abuse of trust?

Answer 14

Harold Shipman murdering at least 200 patients as a doctor

Question 15

Why is white collar crime a greater threat to society than working class street crime and who said it?

Answer 15

Sutherland. It promotes cynicism and distrust of basic institutions and undermines the fabric of society

Question 16

Why is corporate crime invisible?

Answer 16

Media- limited coverage, reinforcing stereotype that crime is working class. Sanitised language eg employers negligence or cost cutting is an ‘accident ‘
Lack of political will to tackle crime
The crimes are often complex- law enforcers and resources are understaffed to investigate
De labelling- filtered out of process of criminalisation
Under reporting - often the victims are society at large or the environment

Question 17

Explanations of corporate crime?

Answer 17

Strain- if a company cannot gain profits legally they will do it illegally
Labelling- power to avoid labelling eg tax avoidance
Marxism- capitalism’s goal is to make profit so it is inevitable

Question 18

What does Steven Box say?

Answer 18

Working class crime distracts from crime of rich by-
Differential deployment of police
How acts are defined as crime depending on the class that commits them 

Capitalism has successfully created ‘mystification’

Question 19

How is views on corporate crime criticised?

Answer 19

Over predict amount of business crimes

Law abiding may be more profitable than law breaking