Class, Power and Crime

Question 1

How do functionalists argue the class difference in crime?

Answer 1

The working class have developed a subculture with different norms and values than the law, a reflection of societal shared values, the pursuit of the subcultures norms often leads to conflicts with the law as they differ

Question 2

How do Strain Theorists argue the class difference in crime?

Answer 2

Strain theorists argue that society denies legitimate opportunities for success to the lower classes, as a result, they feel a ‘strain’ between what they’re expected to achieve and what they’re capable of. This leads to them seeking illegitimate ways to achieve this success which is why the working-class are more likely to commit utilitarian crimes

Question 3

How do subcultural theorists argue the class difference in crime?

Answer 3

They argue that the working-class are unable to achieve legitimately so create subcultures that will validate them. This functions as an explanation for high levels of non-utilitarian crime as the value’s in the subculture are often the inverse of mainstream society

Question 4

What are the three main elements of the Marxist perspective of crime?

Answer 4

Criminogenic capitalism, the state and law making and the ideological functions of crime and law

Question 5

What is criminogenic capitalism? Who suggests crime is a rational response to capitalism?

Answer 5

Criminogenic capitalism refers to the principle that capitalism causes crime through its structure. For example, poverty may drive people to shoplift to survive.

Gordon argues crime is a rational response which is why it’s seen in every social class, the statistics over-emphasise WC crimes though

Question 6

What does the state and law making refer to in Marxism? Who argues that laws to protect private property are the ‘cornerstone of the capitalist economy’?

Answer 6

The state and law making proposes that the law is in place to oppress the working class, using laws to force them into doing things like working, the tax system for example. They’re unlikely to pass laws that incriminate themselves which is why the working class are seen to be more criminal.

Chambliss argues that private property laws are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy

Question 7

What does selective enforcement refer to in Marxism?

Answer 7

Selective enforcement refers to how the ruling class opt out of punishing people from higher classes as that isn’t against the interest of capitalism

Question 8

What do Marxists mean by the ideological functions of crime and law? Who argues that these laws benefit the ruling class too?

Answer 8

Ideological functions of crime and law refers to how the ruling class pass laws in the interest of the working class, workplace safety for example.

Pearce however, argues this too benefits the capitalists as it keeps people fit for work and gives capitalism a caring front

Question 9

Why is Marxism critiqued when discussing non-class inequalities in crime rates?

Answer 9

It largely ignores these. Things like ethnicity and gender aren’t considered

Question 10

How do Left Realists critique Marxism?

Answer 10

They claim that Marxists largely ignore intra-class crimes

Question 11

What is critical criminology?

Answer 11

A splinter form of Marxism

Question 12

What do Neo-Marxists argue about crime and deviance being Anti-deterministic?

Answer 12

They argue that crime is voluntaristic, people choose to commit crimes. They aren’t driven into criminality as a result of capitalism

Question 13

What are the six aspects needed to create a fully social theory of deviance? Which perspective theorised this?

Answer 13

1- Wider origins of the deviancy
2- Immediate origins of the act
3- The act itself
4- The immediate origins of social reaction
5- The wider origins of social reaction
6- The effects of labelling

Neo-Marxists argue that all 6 factors need to be understood for an understanding of deviancy to happen

Question 14

Who coined the term “white collar crime”?

Answer 14

Sutherland

Question 15

Sutherlands idea of white collar crime fails to delineate the difference between an occupational crime and a corporate crime. What is the difference?

Answer 15

An occupational crime is done for personal gain within the company, stealing stock for example.

A corporate crime is done by an employee to further the business, mis-selling products for increased profit.

Question 16

What are the five forms of corporate crime?

Answer 16

Financial crime, Crimes against consumers, Crimes against employees, Crimes against the environment and state-corporate crime

Question 17

What is an example of a financial corporate crime?

Answer 17

Money Laundering

Question 18

What is an example of a crime against consumers?

Answer 18

Selling unfit goods

Question 19

What is an example of a crime against employees?

Answer 19

Racial discrimination

Question 20

What is an example of a crime against the environment?

Answer 20

Pollution

Question 21

What is an example of a state-corporate crime?

Answer 21

Torture by private contractors in war zones

Question 22

Why does Sutherland argue that the abuse of trust from crimes of the powerful are a larger threat to society than street level crime?

Answer 22

It leads to the distrust of the base institutions that form the fabric of society

Question 23

In reference to the invisibility of corporate crime, how does the media contribute?

Answer 23

The media give little coverage to corporate crime, and when they do the phrasing is changed to make it seem less severe, with crimes being infringements

Question 24

In reference to the invisibility of corporate crime, how does a lack of political will contribute to it?

Answer 24

The political stance of being tough on crime is in fact directed at street-level crime rather than corporate

Question 25

In reference to the invisibility of corporate crime, how does the complex nature of the crimes contribute?

Answer 25

Law enforcement is often under-staffed, and even when not, they probably lack the expertise to investigate specifically and successfully

Question 26

In reference to the invisibility of corporate crime, how does de-labelling contribute?

Answer 26

Corporate crime is filtered out as it’s often not criminal, being defined as civil and punished by fines not jail-time

Question 27

In reference to the invisibility of corporate crime, how does under-reporting contribute?

Answer 27

The victim is often society at large, so people are unaware. Those who do often feel powerless trying to contest a large corporation

Question 28

What has happened since the financial crisis of 2008 that has led to a partial visibility of corporate crimes?

Answer 28

Campaigns against tax avoidance have started such as Occupy, while neoliberal policies such as marketisation and privatisation of public services meant private businesses are more involved in personal lives so more open to scrutiny

Question 29

What is the strain theory explanation for corporate crime? Who theorised it?

Answer 29

The strain theory explanation for corporate crime theorises it’s a product of businesses being unable to achieve their targets within dog-eat-dog capitalism through legitimate means so use illegitimate ones

Box theorised the idea

Question 30

What is the theory of Differential Association for corporate crime? Whose theory is it?

Answer 30

The theory of differential association details that we learn behaviours through social context, therefore, the more time we spend around criminals the more likely we are to become criminal. The same principle is applicable to corporate crimes whereby, if an industry is full of corporate crimes being committed, other companies are likely to follow suit.

Question 31

What two other concepts can be linked to differential association?

Answer 31

Deviant subcultures and Techniques of neutralisation

Question 32

How do labelling theorists explain the presence of corporate crime in society? Who coined the phrase ‘de-labelling’?

Answer 32

Labelling theorists theorise that de-labelling takes place by corporations that means corporate crimes are less present in society as they can afford the relevant legal proceedings to hide the criminal acts they commit.

Nelken coined the term ‘de-labelling’ in reference to things going from being labelling criminal to irregularities or breaches

Question 33

How do Marxists explain corporate crime? Who references the ‘mystification’ that occurs meaning people don’t question

Answer 33

Marxists assume corporate crime is a result of capitalism directly, with it leading to criminal acts anyways.