Class, power crime Flashcards
1
Q
What do Marxists argue about crime?
A
- that the law disproportionately targets the w/c while protecting the interest of the ruling class
2
Q
How is capitalism criminogenic?
A
- Marxist believe capitalism inevitably produces crime as it is based on the exploitation of the w/c forcing them into poverty > giving rise to crime; e.g.
- economic inequality pushes individuals into crime as a means of survival (theft, fraud)
- promote consumerisms, desire products they cannot afford (lead to utilitarian crime)
- workers feel alienated > leads to frustration & aggression
3
Q
Why do the upper class commit crime according to Marxists?
A
- the drive for profit encourages greed and ruthless competition > encourages capitalists to commit white collar & corporate crimes e.g. tax evasion
4
Q
Evaluation of Capitalism being criminogenic
A
- ignore that not all capitalist societies have high crime rates
- ignores role of individual choice in criminal behaviours
5
Q
How do Marxist see the state and law making? use examples
A
- see them as primarily serving the interests of the ruling class
- Chambliss> legal system is designed to protect private property > benefits capitalists
- e.g. colonial Africa the British forced local people to work in capitalist economies by imposing a tax that could only be paid in cash which could only be earned by working on the plantations > wage labourers
- laws against corporate tax evasion are weakly enforced while laws against w/c crimes are strictly applied
6
Q
Evaluation of the Marxist view on the state & law making
A
- some laws do protect the w/c e.g. minimum wage laws, safety regulations etc
- social movements & democracy can challenge laws that favour the elite > underestimated this
- explains why corporate crime is under regulated
7
Q
How does the law and crime serve an ideological function according to Marxists?
A
- means they help to maintain the capitalist system by shaping public perceptions
- some laws appear to benefit the w/c (e.g. workplace safety laws) but Pearce argues these laws ultimately benefit the r/c by keeping workers healthy & fit to work’
- creates a false consciousness > making workers believe capitalism cares for them
- protective laws not even strictly enforced (e.g. corporate manslaughter laws)
8
Q
Evaluation of the law & crime as an ideology
A
- some laws do protect workers
- assumes people passively accept ideology without questioning it > many w/c movements challenge capitalist policies
9
Q
What is the Neo- Marxists view on crime?
A
- combine Marxists and labelling theory
Taylor et al > reject economic determinisms > instead argue that crime is a conscious choice
10
Q
What is the Anti determinism approach by neo-Marxists?
A
- reject Marxists explanation of crime as they see it as too deterministic (commit crime due to economic necessity)
- Taylor et al > take a voluntarist view (free will) > crime committed as a meaningful political act e.g. thefts & riots as a deliberate attempt to challenge capitalism (redistributing wealth)
- actively tying to change society
11
Q
What is Taylor et al’s fully social theory of deviance?
A
- consider 6 aspects that must be considered when analysing crime
- wider origins of deviant act > how wealth & power are unequally distributed
- immediate origins of deviant act > specific situation in which person decides to commit crime
- act itself> meaning of the act for the individual
- immediate origins of societal reaction> police, media reaction
- wider origins of societal reaction > role of capitalism in shaping laws
- effects of labelling > how it affects person future actions
12
Q
Evaluation of Neo -Marxist
A
- romanticises criminals as political revolutionaries when many crimes e.g. DV have no political motivation > ignores victims
13
Q
What is white collar crime and the two types?
A
- Sutherland defined white collar crime as crimes committed by individuals of high social status in their occupations
- occupational crime > committed by individuals for personal gain (embezzling funds)
- corporate crime > committed by employees on behalf of a corporation
14
Q
What is the scale and what types of corporate crime are there?
A
- Tombs> corporate crime has enormous effects as it affects millions of people
- financial crimes
- crimes against consumers
- crimes against employees
- environmental crimes
- state-corporate crime
15
Q
Why is corporate crime often invisible?
A
- media bias > media focuses more on street crime reinforcing the stereotype that it is mainly committed by the w/c & corporate offenses are often reported in softer terms e.g. financial irregularities
- governments reluctant to prosecute corporate crime because businesses have political influence
- victims of corporate crime may not realise they have been affected
16
Q
Evaluation of the invisibility of corporate crime
A
- there is increasing awareness of corporate crime due to activism, social media etc
- invisibility not absolute as some corporate crimes did receive media attention e.g. 2008 financial crisis scandals
17
Q
What are the 4 explanations of corporate crime?
A
- strain theory
- differential association
- labelling theory
- Marxism
18
Q
How does the strain theory explain corporate crime?
A
- Merton > argues that people turn to crime when they cannot achieve success through legitimate means
- Box > businesses under financial pressure because it cannot achieve its goals of maximizing profit they may engage in illegal activities to maintain profits > willingness to innovate to achieved profit goals
e.g. documentary of corporate crime found that law violations by large companies increased as their financial performance deteriorated
19
Q
Evaluation of the strain theory
A
- some businesses under economic strain do not turn to crime
- does not account from crimes committed by already successful corporations
20
Q
How does the differential association theory explain corporate crime?
A
