Class, Power & Crime Flashcards
Why is crime inevitable according to Marxists?
crime is inevitable in capitalism because capitalism is criminogenic - by its very nature it causes crime
exploitation of the working class - that is, on using them as a means to an end (profit), whatever the human cost of doing so. It is therefore particularly damaging to the working class and this may give rise to crime:
• Poverty may mean that crime is the only way the working class can survive.
• Crime may be the only way they can obtain the consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising, resulting in utilitarian crimes such as theft.
• Alienation and lack of control over their lives may lead to frustration and aggression, resulting in non-utilitarian crimes such as violence and vandalism.
The role of the state & law making
law making and law enforcement as only serving the interests of the capitalist class
Chambliss (1975) argues that laws to protect private property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy
introduction of English law into Britain’s East African colonies. Britain’s economic interests lay in the colonies’ tea, coffee and other plantations, which needed a plentiful supply of local labour
British introduced a tax payable in cash, nonpayment of which was a punishable criminal offence.
tax could only be earned by working on the plantations, the law served the economic interests of the capitalist plantation owners.
Evaluation of Chambliss
Snider (1993) argues that the capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate the activities of businesses or threaten their profitability.
Neo-marxism - anti determinism
Taylor et al argues that marxism is deterministic and take a more voluntaristic approach
They see crime as meaningful action, and a conscious choice by the actor
Crime often has a political motive
Criminals are not passive puppets whose behaviour is shaped by capitalism - they strive to change society
‘A full social deviance theory’
Taylor et al created theory to gain a more comprehensive understanding of society - change it for the better
Complete theory of deviance must unite 6 aspects
* The wider origins of the deviant act (unequal distribution of wealth in capitalist society)
* Immidiate origins of the deviant act (context)
* The act itself (was it a form of rebellion?)
* Immidiate orgins of social reaction (reactions around the deviant such as the police, courts)
* Wider origins of social reaction (in the structure of capitalist society, who has power to impose labels/define actions as deviant)
* The effects of labelling (on the deviants future actions)
Who defines white collar crime?
- Sutherland
- ‘A crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation’
Sutherland - 2 types of crime
Occupational crime - committed by the employees simply for their own personal gain, against the organisation they work for
Corporate crime - committed by the employees for their organisation in pursuit of goals (increasing company profits)
Why do powerful coroprations succeed at their crimes?
- Tombs
- Powerful coroporations can influence the law so their actions are not criminalised
Types & scale of corporate crime
- Tombs
- Used the example of crimes against employees
- Up to 1,100 work related deaths a year involve employers breaking the law, more than the annual total of homicides
Strain as an explanation for corporate crime
- Box
- If a comapny cannot achieve its goals of maximising profit by legal means, it may use illegal ones instead
Differential association as an explanation for corporate crime
- Sutherland
- Sees crime as behaviour learned from others in social context
- The less we associate with people who hold attitudes favourable to the law and the more we associate with people with criminal attitudes, the more likely we are to become deviant ourselves
- If a company’s culture justifies committng crimes to achieve coroporate goals, employees will be socialised into this criminality
De labelling
- Nelken
- Unlike the poor, businesses have the power to avoid labelling
- They can afford expensive lawyers and accountants to avoid them getting into any legal trouble
- The reluctance of law enforcement to prosectute businesses reduces number of offences